PHYSICAL EDUCATION, HEALTH EDUCATION AND ADAPTED PE
Bachelor’s Degree Programs
A career field on the move.
We offer a robust and versatile program that prepares you for careers in Physical Education, Health Education and Adapted PE.
CAN WE BRAG A LITTLE?
The only program of its kind
We’re the only 4-year undergraduate program in Wisconsin to offer students three licenses: Physical Education, Adapted PE, and Health Education.
In-demand career
The need for health educators will grow 11% by 2028, much faster than the average occupation, according to the U.S. Dept. of Labor.
Best value for the money
We’re ranked No. 1 for value among the four-year campuses in Wisconsin.
What our Physical Education students do
Gain first-hand teaching experience in diverse schools
Pursue research with faculty mentors
Collaborate with faculty, organizations, and local schools to develop skills and professionalism
Hands-on and cross-cultural experiences
As a Physical Education student at UW-Whitewater, you will participate in a sequence of school-based opportunities to build your professional skills.
Student teaching and field experiences
Starting sophomore year, Physical Education students complete field studies in a variety of settings to observe and practice Elementary PE, Secondary PE, Adapted PE and Health Education. During senior year, each student completes full-time student-teaching placements in elementary, middle, and secondary schools for a more in-depth teaching experience.
Service learning
Embedded into our curriculum you’ll find several courses with a service-learning element. For example, students in Adapted PE courses visit the Wisconsin School for the Blind and Wisconsin Special Olympics programs.
Certification
Students have the opportunity to be certified in a range of personal and professional development areas. Students in the Teaching Fitness course, for example, have the option to be certified in the Physical Best certification.
Travel study courses
Take a semester-long course that culminates in a short-term international travel experience with a faculty member and your classmates. Our current Travel Study to Australia explores the sport and recreation philosophies in three main cities — Sydney, Brisbane, and Cairns.
Research
Our students engage in research with a faculty mentor, which can lead to co-authoring a paper or presenting at a national conference.
On-campus employment
Many of our students gain real-world experience through on-campus employment in our department, at the fitness center, or with our coaching staff and athletic trainers.
Campus and community involvement
UW-Whitewater offers several student organizations that are of interest to Physical Education students.
Health, Physical Education, and Adapted PE Majors Club
HPEA Club Members participate in monthly professional development opportunities together, and they attend both state and national conferences to learn more about — and participate in — the profession.
Our facilities
Our updated motion analysis lab features equipment such as a CSMi isokinetic dynamometer, force plates, Parvo Medics metabolic cart, tendo unit, and a Biodex Balance System. The lab also has upper body and cycle ergometers and other equipment used for aerobic and anaerobic capacity tests.
This equipment is used for class laboratories, honors options, and undergraduate research projects, such as measuring muscle imbalances, likelihood of muscular injury, and sports training program assessment.
Physical Education jobs: Career success
Our program prepares students for an array of careers in physical education and health education.
Our graduates go on to teach Physical Education, Adapted PE, and Health Education in PreK-12 schools in Wisconsin.
Leading Wisconsin’s schools forward
Kyree Brooks is a UW-Whitewater physical education, health and human performance alum who was recently named one of Wisconsin’s Most Influential Black Leaders. He is associate principal of Central Heights Middle School in Sun Prairie. He served in the Madison Metropolitan School District and worked as a special education teacher in previous years.
Hired Before Graduation
Alyssa Dobbs from Greendale, Wisconsin, earned a BSE in physical education and was hired as a substitute teacher with Teachers on Call in Whitewater, Wisconsin.
Our faculty
Among our faculty, you’ll find award-winning teachers with impressive credentials:
- Kathleen Happel regularly advocates for adapted physical education and creating inclusive settings in all aspects of the classroom.
- Nikki Hollett has ongoing collaborations with local teachers to provide students with real-world scenarios to develop effective teaching behaviors.
- Jaehun Jung conducted a research project examining the differences between alternatively and traditionally certified physical educators in learning opportunities, including completion of teaching methods courses and participation in professional development opportunities.
- Nathan Tokarek is a strong proponent of integrating outdoor spaces into the classroom environment and the development of healthy behaviors among children and adolescents.
Additionally, our faculty collaborate with colleagues in other departments, including psychology, geography and UW-Whitewater Athletics.
Want to learn more about becoming a Physical Education or Health Education teacher, or studying Education at UW-Whitewater? Contact us »
In addition to your general education requirements, your degree program and major will require core and elective classes.
Bachelor of Science in Education - Physical Education - Health Education and Adapted PE Emphasis
Minors
Certificates
Post Baccalaureate
To apply, you’ll complete the UW-Whitewater application for admission and indicate your major of interest.
