Physical Education BA(Hons)

Course structure 

Year 1 provides the foundation for years 2 and 3, during which you can tailor your degree according to your individual career goals and interests by selecting from a wide range of optional modules.

A variety of teaching methods are used including lectures, first-hand teaching experience, seminars, group tasks and practical performance.

These approaches to your studies will help you to develop both specific skills related to physical education and a set of transferable skills that can be used in a variety of jobs.

The course also offers you opportunities to undertake work-related placements in years 2 and 3. An opportunity to study abroad at one of our partner universities is also an option.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, we will inform you of any improvements or innovations to the curriculum through our admissions portal.

Areas of study

The course enables you to study practical activity areas within physical education, along with sport-science and social-scientific aspects of physical education and sport.

In addition you are able to choose modules from areas such as leisure and recreation, competitive sport, dance performance and choreography, special needs, and gender issues in physical education and sport.

The study of physical education is underpinned by understanding how learning occurs and the factors that determine how individuals engage with and experience physical activity cognitively, emotionally, socially and the impact of culture, environment and politics.

Fundamental concepts of physical education are explored including physical literacy, pedagogy, motor development and skill acquisition.

Year 1

Modules

• Performance in Physical Education: OAA, Gymnastics and Swimming

  This module will develop your performance for physical education. You will study outdoor and adventurous activities (OAA), gymnastics and swimming. You will acquire the foundation knowledge, skill and understanding necessary for further study. You will develop an appreciation of the distinctive nature of each specific activity, engage with the relative creative and analytic principles, explore physical literacy and what it means to be physically educated.

• Performance in Physical Education: Games, Dance and Athletics

  In this module you will develop your performance for physical education. You will study games, dance and track and field athletics, enabling you to acquire the foundation knowledge, skill and understanding necessary for further study at level 5 and 6. You will develop an appreciation of the distinctive nature of each specific activity, engage with the relative creative and analytic principles, and explore physical literacy and what it means to be physically educated.

• Nature and Values of Physical Education

  In this module you will develop your knowledge, skills and understanding of key issues in physical education in England and Wales. You will explore key features of historical developments in PE, become familiar with aspects of the social and cultural context of PE and develop your understanding of the place of PE within schools.

• Health, Physical Education and Sport

  In this module you will explore the role of physical activity, physical education and sport in promoting health through a healthy, active lifestyle. You will examine policies and practices in physical activity, physical education and sport to promote greater participation in health promoting activity.

• Applied Pedagogy In Physical Education

  This is a predominantly practical module, in which you will develop knowledge, skills and understanding of how to plan, deliver and evaluate learning and teaching, whilst reflecting on your own professional development. You will apply pedagogic theory to the practice of teaching in a range of contexts.

• Science of Movement

  This module combines the study of physiology, psychology and biomechanics into a module designed to meet the needs of PE, sports studies and sports-coaching-based students.

  You will develop an understanding of muscular and cardiovascular aspects of human development and movement. You will study skill acquisition and gain an understanding of motor control. Finally, you will develop biomechanical understanding through recording, analysing and evaluating human movement and performance using qualitative analysis.

Year 2

Modules

• Reflection and Research in Physical Education
• People, Place and Pedagogy: The Practice of Teaching Physical Education
• Pedagogy and Practice in Physical Education and Sport

Options*

• Sport for Development and Peace
• Learning and Teaching Through Games and Dance
• Learning and Teaching Through Athletic and Adventurous Activities
• Learning and Teaching Through Gymnastics and Swimming
• Creating a Positive Teaching and Learning Environment
• Accredited Physical Education
• Nutrition for Physical Activity
• Sport and Exercise Psychology 
• Exercise Referral and Rehabilitation
• Strength and Conditioning
• Performance Analysis
• Globalisation and Sport
• Young People and Youth Subcultures
• Outdoor Adventurous Activities
• Primary Physical Education: Theory and Practice of Teaching KS1 and KS2 PE
• Healthy Mind, Healthy Body: Physical Education and Wellbeing
• Games

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Final year

Modules

• Professional Work-based Experience
• Dissertation
• Contemporary Issues in Physical Education and Sport

Options*

• Community Sport Development: Policy and Practice
• Education Studies 3: Inclusive Practice
• Physical Education in the 14–19 Curriculum
• Physical Education and the National Agenda
• Physiological Aspects of Exercise, Nutrition and Health
• Advanced Strength and Conditioning
• Advanced Performance Analysis
• Martial Arts and Combat Sports: Theory and Practice
• Sport, Deviancy and the Law
• Gender, Sexuality and Physical Culture
• Racism in Sport and Popular Culture
• Sport for International Development and Peace
• Practical Activity 1 and 2
• Primary Physical Education: Active Learning in the Primary Setting

*Option modules are indicative and may change, depending on timetabling and staff availability.

Facilities

Sport and fitness
The Eastbourne campus has excellent sport and fitness facilities on site which include:

• large six court sports hall
• artificial ¾ length training pitch
• climbing wall
• 25m swimming pool
• two gymnasiums
• 36 station fitness suite with a designated cardiovascular area packed with bikes, treadmills, and rowers, cross-trainers and steppers
• two dance studios.

Laboratories
Accredited by the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES). our laboratories are equipped with the latest modern facilities.

You will have access to a -10 to +50°C hot-cold chamber, an altitude/hypoxic chamber that rises to the equivalent of 5500m, 3D motion analysis, ground reaction force plates, a DXA bone scanner, exercise physiology laboratories, biomechanics laboratories and three biochemistry laboratories.

Placements

Placements are arranged under the guidance of the course leader or academic tutor with the assistance of the careers and employability team who will help ensure the placement location fits your professional development needs and career aspirations.

Placements our students have undertaken include:

• primary, secondary, pupil referral and SEND schools for those interested in a career in education
• outdoor and adventurous activity centres such as Bewl Water and Blacklands Farm – some have travelled to Snowdonia or Devon to specialist camps and activity centres.
• with cadet training centres and St John’s Ambulance Service for those interested in public or military service
• in public and private health and leisure facilities.

We also arrange bespoke placements: recent examples include with Sky Sports (Soccer AM), Fulham Football Club (links to player nutrition, training and HR departments), NHS Cardiac Rehabilitation and East London Community Boxing Development Programme (engaging Asian females in physical activity through boxing).

Placements are undertaken in your final year. The benefits of placements include:

• enhancing your CV
• informing with final year projects
• allowing you to explore a potential specialism
• giving you an opportunity to make professional contacts
• giving you practical experience, increasingly vital in today's competitive graduate jobs market
• developing your personal skills including communication, problem solving and confidence.

Some students are offered a job in their placement company after graduation, or find that their applications are prioritised.

 Staff profiles 

International requirements

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Course fees

Optional field trips, including ski trips and water sports excursions, will cost extra. For more information, see the Visits and contacts section below to contact our enquiries team.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2019–20.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK/EU students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

What's included in the fee?

When costs such as health or DBS checks, or use of specialist materials are incurred as a mandatory requirement of the course they are included in your tuition fee.

You may incur additional costs depending on the optional modules or activities you choose. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. Before you apply check with us for advice about what is included and what optional costs you could face so you can budget accordingly. You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page

See our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as further information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Local area

Campus where this course is taught

Accommodation

Maps

Accommodation

University building

Eastbourne campus map