Program Overview

Physical Education (PK-12 Certification), M.A.T.

College of Education

Prepare for your certification exam and learn to work with all grade levels to teach children the knowledge and skills to move with confidence and competence in a wide variety of physical activities.

Designed for students without an undergraduate degree in teaching, this two-year program will prepare you to pass the Praxis exam and begin work as a physical education teacher in the PK-12 school system. You'll help children and adolescents find personal meaning and enrichment in maintaining a physically active lifestyle.

Program Highlights

• Valuable Experiences: Learn while doing. You'll have several semesters of hands-on experiences teaching in schools, YMCAs or community centers.
• Get Certified: Designed as an initial licensure program, you'll take the Praxis exam for teacher certification at program completion.
• Experience Matters: With an emphasis on education, explore unique opportunities within the college like the Physical and Developmental Disabilities Lab.
• Ranked Program: Be part of a college ranked in the top 15 percent nationally for graduate programs of education by U.S. News & World Report.

What You’ll Study

In alignment with national standards, learn what every beginning physical education teacher needs to deliver the best learning experiences to children of all ages. Courses like directed teaching in physical education and observational analysis of sports techniques and tactics in addition to teaching opportunities outside of the classroom.

Building Skills

Gain the professional and personal intelligence it takes to have a successful career.

• Leadership: Inspiring and guiding others to achieve common goals and reach their full potential
• Teaching: Foster learning by conveying knowledge, skills and concepts to students
• Organizational Skills: Planning, prioritizing and managing tasks and resources to achieve specific objectives
• Teamwork: Working collaboratively with others to achieve a shared goal or objective
• Problem Solving: Identifying, analyzing and resolving problems or challenges using creative and effective strategies
• Research: Gathering and analyzing information to increase knowledge or solve problems

Using your degree

Make your college experience the foundation for a successful future.

Potential Careers

• Physical Education Teacher
• Coach

Job Titles of Alumni

• Physical Education Teacher
• Director of Coaching
• Associate Athletic Director
• Assistant Coach

Workplace Settings

• Education

Employers of Alumni

• Lexington-Richland School District Five
• University of South Carolina
• Richland School District Two
• Indiana University School of Medicine
• Adaptive Sports Program Of Ohio
• North Carolina State University

Advanced Degrees

Advance your career or options with post-graduate education.

• Doctorate: Physical Education, Ph.D. (College of Education)

Related Degrees

• Master's: Exercise Science, M.S. (Arnold School of Public Health)
• Master's: Physical Activity and Public Health, M.P.H. (Arnold School of Public Health)
• Master's: Adapted Physical Education, M.S. (College of Education)
• Master's: Speech-Language Pathology, M.S. (Arnold School of Public Health)
• Master's: Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, M.P.H. (Arnold School of Public Health)
• Master's: Environmental Health Sciences, M.P.H. (Arnold School of Public Health)
• Master's: Coaching Education, M.S. (College of Education)
• Master's: Applied Behavior Analysis, M.Ed. (College of Education)
• Master's: Counseling and Rehabilitation, M.A. (School of Medicine Columbia)