New Master’s Program at JMU Expands Opportunities in Physical Education

James Madison University (JMU) now offers a one-year Master of Arts in Physical Education Teacher Education designed for licensed teachers who would like to receive an endorsement to teach health and physical education (PE) or adapted PE. The program is appropriate for licensed teachers who are currently endorsed to teach English, math, science, or other subjects, according to Dr. Susan Nye, Program Director. The program will prepare licensed teachers to deliver effective content for health and physical education and to sit for certification exams like Praxis II for health and physical education or CAPE for adapted physical education.

This new program extends JMU’s preparation for physical and health education teachers, which has long been a focus at JMU. Our initial licensure concentration in Physical & Health Education Teacher Education (PHETE) will continue in parallel to this new program.  However, the new program is designed for teachers who want to shift their instructional focus.

Applications are now open to have students begin the program in the fall or summer semester. Students will take courses in research, curriculum design, analysis of teaching and learning, and methods in health and PE. Students will also choose a concentration of either Curriculum and Assessment, which adds additional study of designing curriculum and evidence-based assessment, or Adapted Physical Education, which prepares students to work with students with a range of physical or intellectual disabilities. Students also complete a practicum, which involves planning and teaching physical education units in a middle or high school setting. Students develop lessons, do pre- and post-assessments, and implement instructional strategies for different physical education units.

The spring semester focuses on qualitative analysis to understand student behavior and how to assess it, a seminar, and a capstone experience. For the capstone experience, students choose between a thesis, an internship, or a project. This is a year-long project. For the capstone project, students may complete the work at their home schools.

The summer semester has three courses in technology, curriculum, and teaching for student success, which are both synchronous and asynchronous. Students will also get the opportunity to attend the Health and Physical Activity Institute, a professional development conference that brings together health and PE teachers from across the state.

Students get the opportunity to connect with JMU’s alumni from the M.A.T in The Physical & Health Education Teacher Education (PHETE) program. “We want to connect them to all former PHETE graduates,” Dr. Nye said. “So, it doesn’t matter what the issue or circumstances are—they have someone they can reach out to.” This network supports graduates as they begin teaching in new roles.

Past graduates from JMU’s PHETE program have had a 100% job placement rate. “We are constantly being asked, ‘What students do you have?’ by school districts all over Virginia.” Dr. Nye emphasized. They expect this program to continue that success.

To learn more about the program, contact Dr. Susan Nye at nyesb@jmu.edu.