Major in Health & Physical Education
The Health & Physical Education (HPED) program prepares students to teach health and physical education from pre-kindergarten through grade 12. Through coursework and clinical experiences, students develop the knowledge and skills to teach both subjects effectively. Upon completion of the program and the State of Maryland's licensing requirements, graduates are eligible for teacher licensure in both Health Education and Physical Education — a dual licensure that can be completed in four years.
Requirements for Admission to the Health & Physical Education Program
Admission Requirements for Teacher Education
The Health & Physical Education (HPED) program is housed in the Department of Kinesiology in the College of Health Professions and is affiliated with the College of Education. Graduates are eligible to apply for certification by the Maryland State Department of Education as PreK–12 Health Education and Physical Education teachers.
Admission to the HPED professional phase follows the university's Standards for Teacher Education below.
The Teacher Education Executive Board, representing all initial teacher education programs at Towson University, utilizes the following minimum requirements as conditions for admission into teacher education programs, maintaining candidate status, and entry into the capstone internship. Programs may include additional requirements for admission into the program and/or the capstone internship.
Educator Preparation Programs (EPP) admit students either as freshmen or as undergraduate transfer students from accredited, post-secondary institutions. During the freshman and sophomore years, students are generally engaged in pre-professional courses or courses that fulfill Core Curriculum requirements, as well as all identified prerequisites (e.g., specific and sequential courses in Core Curriculum) for admission to EPP initial licensure programs.
All EPP undergraduate programs are screened majors. As an integral part of the teaching/learning experience, students work with advisers in a strategic planning process across all years at TU. Accordingly, to support student success, all EPP students are required to confer with their assigned advisers prior to registration each term.
I. Procedures and Requirements for Admission to All Teacher Education Programs
- Complete a self-disclosure criminal background form to be submitted to the major department with the application.
- Submit an application for formal admission to the program. Students seeking admission to teacher education programs must contact their department chairperson or program coordinator by 45 units for program-specific procedures and requirements for admission to professional education programs.
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Meet the Basic Skills Assessment Requirement as defined by the Maryland State Department of Education to be eligible for admission. A student who is admitted to Towson University and in Good Standing but does not meet the Basic Skills Assessment requirement at the time of application to the program can be granted "Conditional Admission" and given one semester as a conditional candidate to satisfy the Basic Skills Assessment requirement. If the conditional candidate does not meet the requirement by the end of the conditional semester, there are two options: 1) the program may recommend the conditional candidate for exemption and if granted, the conditional candidate would be fully admitted to the program or 2) the conditional candidate will not be fully admitted to the program.
II. Requirements for Maintaining Candidate Status
- Meet the grade, course, and/or assessment requirement(s) identified by the candidate's specific program.
- At the department’s discretion, a candidate who does not meet the program requirement(s) may continue for one additional semester under probationary status but must satisfy the requirement by the end of the probationary period. If the requirement is not met at the end of the probationary period, the candidate will be dismissed from the program.
- Exhibit behavior that is consistent with the University’s Code of Student Conduct, the Educator Preparation Program’s Professional Behavior Policy, and established professional practice in educational and clinical settings. (see EPP Behavior Policy)
III. Procedures and Requirements for Entry into Capstone Internship for All Professional Education Programs.
- Complete a criminal background check as required by the school system in which the internship is located.
- Complete all required coursework.
The Standards were revised and approved in February 1996, May 1998, February 2000, May 2007, May 2008, April 2009, December 2011, November 2012, February 2014, October 2014, February 2015, November 2015, May 2019, February 2020, March 2021, and November 2024.
IV. Additional Program Requirements
Students apply for admission to the professional phase before beginning Year 3, after completing the pre-professional coursework. The application is completed in Watermark; the internship coordinator, Claire Adkinson, notifies students by email when it is time to apply.
Admission to the professional phase is required before enrolling in the program's first practicum course: HPED 302 (Drug Use & Personal Safety Education — HE Practicum I, offered Fall) or KNES 317 (Motor Behavior in Physical Education — PE Practicum I, offered Spring).
Curricular requirements may be revised due to changes in state licensure requirements, and therefore, students should work with their adviser to ensure they are following the correct program plan.
The Health and Physical Education major with a Teacher Education concentration requires 102 total units.
Minimum requirements for admission into teacher education programs, maintaining candidate status and formal entry into the capstone internship are outlined on the Standards for Teacher Education page in the Undergraduate Catalog.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| HPED 201 | FOUNDATIONS OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT HEALTH AND WELL-BEING | 3 |
| HPED 202 | FOOD AND NUTRITION EDUCATION | 3 |
| HPED 293 | INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION | 3 |
| HPED 301 | SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION | 3 |
| HPED 302 | DRUG USE AND SAFETY EDUCATION | 3 |
| HPED 303 | PEDAGOGY OF FIELD/COURT AND NET/WALL SKILLS AND STRATEGIES | 3 |
| HPED 401 | MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION | 3 |
| HPED 402 | METHODS IN HEALTH EDUCATION | 6 |
| HPED 403 | METHODS IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION | 6 |
| HPED 481 | CAPSTONE INTERNSHIP AND SEMINAR IN HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION | 12 |
| KNES 238 | PHYSICAL FITNESS PROGRAMMING AND ASSESSMENT | 3 |
| KNES 242 | PEDAGOGY IN STRIKING, FIELDING AND TARGET SKILLS AND STRATEGY | 3 |
| KNES 284 | ADVENTURE BASED EDUCATION ACTIVITES | 1 |
| KNES 317 | MOTOR BEHAVIOR IN PHYS EDUCATION | 3 |
| KNES 423 | ADAPTED PHYSICAL EDUCATION | 3 |
| Required non-HPE Courses | ||
| BIOL 191 & 191L | INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONS [LECTURE] and INTRODUCTORY BIOLOGY FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONS [LAB] | 4 |
| BIOL 220 | ESSENTIALS OF HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY 1 | 4 |
| DANC 106 | FUNDAMENTALS OF DANCE MOVEMENT FOR NON-MAJORS | 3 |
| EDUC 202 | HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY PERSPECTIVES: AMERICA'S URBAN SCHOOLS | 3 |
| EDUC 203 | TEACHING AND LEARNING IN A DIVERSE SOCIETY | 3 |
| ELED 324 | INTEGRATING LITERACY IN PREK-12 CONTENT AREAS | 3 |
| HLTH 101 | WELLNESS FOR A DIVERSE SOCIETY | 3 |
| KNES 312 | FUNDAMENTALS OF EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS | 3 |
| KNES 320 | CULTURE, HEALTH, AND THE CITY | 3 |
| KNES 353 | SPORT & SOCIETY | 3 |
| PSYC 101 | INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
| PSYC 201 | EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY | 3 |
| REED 365 | LITERACY IN THE CONTENT AREAS PREK-12 | 3 |
| SCED 304 | EDUCATION, ETHICS AND CHANGE | 3 |
| Total Units | 102 | |
Suggested Four-Year Plan
The selected course sequence below is an example of the simplest path to degree completion. Based on course schedules, student needs, and student choice, individual plans may vary. Students should consult with their adviser to make the most appropriate elective choices and to ensure that they have completed the required number of units (120) to graduate.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 191 & 191L (Core 7) | 4 | DANC 106 (Core 4) | 3 |
| HLTH 101 (Core 11) | 3 | EDUC 202 (Core 10) | 3 |
| HPED 293 | 3 | HPED 201 | 3 |
| Core 1 (or Core 2) | 3 | PSYC 101 (Core 6) | 3 |
| Core 3 | 3 | Core 2 (or Core 1) | 3 |
| Core 81 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 18 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| BIOL 220 | 4 | HPED 301 | 3 |
| EDUC 203 (Core 13) | 3 | KNES 242 | 3 |
| HPED 202 | 3 | KNES 284 | 1 |
| KNES 238 | 3 | KNES 312 | 3 |
| PSYC 201 | 3 | Core 5 | 3 |
| Core 12 | 3 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| ELED 324 | 3 | HPED 401 | 3 |
| HPED 302 | 3 | KNES 317 | 3 |
| HPED 303 | 3 | KNES 320 | 3 |
| KNES 423 | 3 | KNES 353 (Core 9) | 3 |
| SCED 304 (Core 14) | 3 | REED 365 | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Term 1 | Units | Term 2 | Units |
| HPED 402 | 6 | HPED 481 | 12 |
| HPED 403 | 6 | ||
| 12 | 12 | ||
| Total Units 120 | |||
The Health & Physical Education (HPED) program's learning outcomes are aligned with the national teacher preparation standards for both licensure areas: the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America) National Standards and Guidelines for Physical Education Teacher Education (2017) for physical education, and the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) Health Education Teacher Preparation Standards: Guidelines for Initial Licensure Programs (2019) for health education. The following program-level outcomes reflect that alignment across both subjects.
Upon completion of the HPED program, graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate command of the content and the scientific, theoretical, and foundational knowledge needed to teach health and physical education in PreK–12 settings. (SHAPE 1, SOPHE 1)
- Demonstrate skillful movement and health-enhancing fitness, and assess the needs and assets of learners and the learning community to inform instruction. (SHAPE 2, SOPHE 2)
- Plan developmentally appropriate, standards-aligned learning experiences that use appropriate resources, technology, and accommodations to meet the diverse needs of all students. (SHAPE 3, SOPHE 3)
- Deliver instruction through effective pedagogical, communication, and management skills that engage all learners in adopting healthy, active behaviors. (SHAPE 4, SOPHE 4)
- Select and implement assessments aligned with standards and objectives to monitor student progress and guide instructional decisions. (SHAPE 5, SOPHE 5)
- Demonstrate professional ethics, culturally responsive practice, and advocacy for health and physical education as a lifelong professional. (SHAPE 6, SOPHE 6)