Physical Education and Recreation
Physical Education and Recreation (PER) offers a major in physical education and recreation, and minors in athletic coaching and sport management at the undergraduate level. In an era in which health care costs have become one promoting the largest single expenditures in the United States, physical activity and active lifestyles are paramount to health and wellness.
The PER major prepares students to become leaders in promoting health-enhancing and leading physical activities. Students acquire professional content knowledge and develop skills in planning, leading, and managing recreation, sports, and physical activity programs in a variety of settings. The major program reinforces Gallaudet University's unique approaches to bilingual communication that accommodate Deaf, hard of hearing and hearing individuals.
Graduates are prepared for entry-level positions in the areas of physical education, recreation, sport and health/fitness industries. Student majors are required to complete two internship experiences. Fieldwork opportunities are available to work alongside recreation, after school, summer youth, athletic trainers, fitness, and strength/conditioning personnel.
Students interested in pursuing teacher certification will need additional courses and practicum experience beyond the PER major. Additionally, the undergraduate program can prepare students to pursue graduate studies.
Graduates, who have tailored their programs and work experiences to market opportunities, have done well in securing relevant career positions. It is the Department faculty's goal to develop and maintain close ties to the profession to assist students in becoming leading candidates for jobs upon graduation.
Declaring a Major
Requirements for Admission to a Major in Physical Education and Recreation
Students seeking admission to a major in Physical Education and Recreation must satisfy the following minimum criteria:
- A cumulative GPA of 2.3
- Completion of PER 110, PER 120, and BIO 105 with a grade of C or better.
- Acceptance as a PER major. The Department had adopted a formal application process that requires a student to: complete an application checklist and submit an up-to-date transcript.
- To continue and graduate as a Physical Education and Recreation major, a student must maintain: (1) a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.3; and (2) a grade of “C” (73%) or higher in all PER required and related courses. Students not receiving a grade of “C” or better in a major course must repeat the course.
Application deadlines are set once in the fall and once in the spring semester. Applications received by these deadlines are reviewed by the Department's PER Major Admission Committee. Students accepted to the major will be assigned an academic advisor within the Department. Students not admitted to the major may reapply by submitting, at the next application deadline, new application materials for reconsideration.
Students interested in pursuing the physical education and recreation major should consult the Department's website and meet with the Department Chair or Contact Person for Majoring in PER as early as possible, preferably during their first year. Transfer students interested in the major must also meet with the Department Chair or Contact Person for Majoring in PER to discuss acceptance into the major.
Early contact with the Department will assist students in developing their application to the major and planning a path to graduation. The major follows a progressive sequence necessary to meet upper-level course pre-requisites. Planning course sequencing is best accomplished with a Department faculty advisor's assistance.
Some courses in physical education and recreation require the use of specialized safety equipment for participation. Students are required to procure, at their expense, all supplies outlined on the course syllabus and have these in-hand in the classroom by the second week of the semester. Students who fail to have materials needed for instruction will risk being administratively dropped from the course or asked to withdraw (WD).
Undergraduate Majors and Minors offered: