College of Physical Activity
and Sport Sciences

Physical Education and Kinesiology (PEK)

Physical educators make an impact on the health, well-being, and quality of life of future generations. The Physical Education and Kinesiology (PEK) program at WVU prepares students to teach, motivate, and shape the lives of Pre-K through adult learners in physical education, movement, wellness, and sport-based environments.

Students in the PEK program learn to use and integrate technology into their classwork, gain hands-on, real world experience, and learn how to design and deliver physical education programs. Upon program completion, graduates are eligible for certification in PreK-adult Physical Education and may pursue a certification in Health Education.

Program graduates are physical activity and wellness leaders in their school, communities, and states who promote healthy, active lifestyles for children and adults alike. WVU is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) at WVU is currently accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and is a Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) eligible provider. The Physical Education specialty licensure area offered at our EPP has been approved by the Society for Health and Physical Educators.

What our alumni have to say:

"The WVU PETE program involved us in all aspects of teaching from content knowledge to professional development. When you complete the program you are immediately ready to get out into the real world and will have no surprises."

Melissa B.

B.S. PETE, 2011
“The program also has an excellent student to professor ratio due to the small cohorts, which allows for a comfortable, family atmosphere. These small cohorts also allow you to build relationships, network, and collaborate with other future professional educators in your field of study.”

Daniel L.

B.S. PETE, 2011
"The PETE program provides numerous student teaching experiences, consist's of unique yet meaningful courses and includes a classroom health component, all of which made me more marketable and helped me to achieve my dream career!"

Justin I.

B.S. PETE, 2011

Coursework

What you'll study

Students are exposed to the core courses such as principles of effective teaching, school-based physical activity and fitness education, adapted physical education, curriculum, teaching team and individual sports, and technology in sport and physical education. PEK students also take general education courses (GEF) in communication, basic math and science, english, social sciences, and humanities.

Foundation courses

The PEK foundation courses provide an introductory understanding of human structure and movement, motor skills development across a lifespan, and characteristics of individuals with disabilities. These concepts and principles serve as the building blocks for designing and delivering developmentally appropriate movement-based learning experiences for individuals of any age and ability.

Professional courses

Prepare for a career in physical education with a new perspective on what quality physical education entails. Students enjoy hands-on opportunities working with Pre-K through adult-aged learners in movement, physical activity, sport, and physical education settings. Through these experiences, students learn what it takes to be an effective teacher and instruct using research-based curricular and instructional models to motivate learners to be physically active and fit for a lifetime.

Student teaching internship

Students are required to complete a two 7-week student teaching internships at two developmental levels (elementary, middle school and/or high school). Placement support is available through the physical education faculty.

Accelerated Bachelor's to Master's program

The newly developed Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s program in PETE gives undergraduate students the opportunity to work toward both a B.S. and M.S. degree simultaneously. This accelerated approach makes graduate study more cost-effective. With the addition of two summer sessions, students can earn both degrees within four years. The benefits include tuition savings, improved marketability, enhanced networking opportunities and the potential for a higher starting salary.

Find out more

Popular minors in PEK

Accreditation

Accreditation badge declaring: NCATE Accredited, CAEP Accreditation Eligible

WVU is fully accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. The Educator Preparation Provider (EPP) at WVU is currently accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and is a Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) eligible provider. The Physical Education specialty licensure area offered at our EPP has been approved by the Society for Health and Physical Educators.

Program faculty

Who you'll learn from

Andrea Taliaferro
Professional Highlights
- Research interests include the inclusion of individuals with disabilities in physical activity with an emphasis on physical educator/instructor preparation and self-efficacy toward teaching students with disabilities, adapted aquatics, motor skill assessment, and community based physical activity.
- NCPERID Nationally certified adapted physical educator (CAPE)
- Director of the Friday Adapted Physical Education Program
- Teaches courses related to adapted physical education, motor development, and effective teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels
Eloise Elliott
Professional Highlights
- Ware Distinguished Professor in the WVU College of Physical Activity and Sport Sciences since 2009
- Appointed member of the President’s Council on Youth Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition (2015-2018)
- Chair of the Active2015: The WV Physical Activity Plan
- Director of Interventions for the WV Coronary Artery Risk Detection in Appalachian Communities (CARDIAC) Project
- Develops web-delivered instructional modules for school children, and web-delivered teacher resources to provide physical activity opportunities in the elementary classroom
Emi Tsuda
Professional Highlights
- Research focuses are in (a) examining a role of motor skills to facilitate physical activity engagement in early to middle childhood and (b) investigating a role of content knowledge of teachers to develop their task selection and instruction skills.
- Teaches classes in elementary and early childhood physical education methods.
- Has done 20 international and national presentations.
James Wyant
Professional Highlights
- Research interests include integration of technology into physical education teacher education.
- Recent grant-funded project regarding state-level accountability systems in physical education.
- Coordination of student teaching experiences in K-12 settings.
Jeremy Yeats
Professional Highlights
- Six years of experience as an assistant professor
- Two years of experience as a graduate coordinator for an online M.A. program
- Several active lines of inquiry
Sean Bulger
Professional Highlights
- Fitness education and physical activity promotion for school-aged children
- Introductory and capstone courses in physical education and related fields
- Physical activity programming for children and adolescents
- Field placements, internships, and experiential learning

Beyond The Classroom

Field Experiences and Research

Community

Students design movement education programming for early childhood and preschool age children from a local day care facility.

School-based Field Experiences

Watch and learn teaching theories and principles in the field. WVU’s PETE program partners with local schools to provide more than 100 hours of hands-on experience which students complete throughout their plan of study.

Diverse Learners

Children with various disabilities and special needs visit the WVU campus each Friday for 10 weeks to interact and engage in developmentally appropriate physical activities in the motor skill and aquatic settings. PETE students serve as teachers who plan and implement lessons and activities for these learners.

Technology Action Based Research Projects

During the BIP placement at the university, students integrate different educational technologies into their PE units and, with assistance from faculty, assess and report the impact of this technology on student learning.

Career Preparation

After Graduation

Commonly sought research focuses among alumni

Designing and implementing comprehensive school physical activity programs
Evidence based curricular and instructional models in physical education and sport
Physical activity programming for school-aged children with special needs
Instructional technology and its place in the gymnasium, classroom, and sports arena
Physical activity and youth sport

Example employers and job titles of graduates

Craig G. - Physical Education teacher, Washington, D.C.
Jack W. - Physical Education teacher, Arizona
Kelyn E. - Physical Education teacher, Delaware
Christopher R. - Physical Education teacher, West Virginia
Scott T. - College Professor, North Carolina
Jesse R. - Special Education teacher, West Virginia
Zach B. - Strength & Conditioning coach, Florida
Brooke S. - Health and Physical Education Curriculum Specialist, Texas
Tim S. - University-level Track and Field coach, North Carolina
Jordyn F. - Physical Education teacher, New Jersey

How To Apply

The Admission Process

How to apply

Apply to WVU: WVU Admissions Application
On your WVU Admissions materials indicate Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) as your major of interest.

Prerequisites and requirements

Overall GPA 2.5 or higher
A grade of C or higher must be earned in all probationary PET courses (or currently enrolled in the class at time of admission): PET 124, PET 125, PET 167, PET 175, PET 244, PET 276
Fewer than 10 hours left in GEC requirements for first three semesters
Passing scores on PRAXIS I, now named Core Academic Skills for Educators, on all three sub-tests
- Reading (CDT Code 5712) with score of 156 or higher
- Writing (CDT Code 5722) with score of 162 or higher
- Mathematics (CDT Code 5732) with score of 150 or higher
NOTE: The Praxis I requirement is waived for individuals who have achieved one of the following scores: 25 or higher on the American College Testing (ACT), 26 or higher on the enhanced ACT, or 1170 or higher on the SAT combined Critical Reading and Math beginning March 2005

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