BA (Hons)Physical Education

Core modules

Research and Study Skills in Education

You will have come to university with a desire to develop your study skills and further your knowledge within your particular area of study. This module will introduce you to key research and study skills required to successfully achieve this. You will be challenged to explore your existing ideas and encouraged to seek out new information in order to develop your understanding of knowledge generation. This module is integral to your course studies and it will help prepare you for your ‘research journey’ at university. It aims to ignite a research and study spark in you, and inspire you to want to find out more.

The Principles of Teaching and Learning

This module will look to develop your confidence and skill in lesson planning and practical delivery. It is important to ensure that lessons are safe, progressive, and purposeful for all participants. In this module, you will explore theory and apply this in practice to provide the best possible sessions for your participants in the future. You will have the opportunity to gain essential experience in a supportive environment delivering to your peers, where you will appraise your newly acquired skills.

Physical Education in Theory

This module will encourage you to question your own knowledge and experience and begin to develop a evidence base for the meaning of teaching and learning through PE.

Developing Children across the Curriculum

By the end of this module you will be able to demonstrate an enhanced understanding of the complex factors that contribute to changes in physiological and psychological responses within children as they move through childhood into adulthood, including examining issues of growth, maturation, physical, cognitive and emotional development across children and young people.

Social and Cultural Issues

In this module, you will study the evolution and development of sport, the historical processes which have affected the inclusive and/or exclusive nature of sport, social concepts such as social class, race and ethnicity, sex and gender, and disability, and how social issues affect the accessibility for specific social groups to participate in sport.

Physical Education in Practice

Core modules

Teaching in the Curriculum

This module will develop your academic understanding of the curriculum and the wider factors within education that impact on it. It will identify key areas within curriculum design and encourage you to consider the wider implications such as participation, inclusion and development.

Skill Acquisition in Children

This module will develop your knowledge and understanding of the acquisition of human movement and how young people develop motor patterns. It will provide you with the theoretical and practical basis for educating children and offer ‘real world’ learning opportunities through experiences with local schools, organisations, or youth groups.

Sociology of Education

This module builds upon knowledge developed in 'Social and Cultural Issues'. In this module, you will consider the role and purpose of education and critically analyse the ways in which it is designed, organised and delivered. To do this, you will be introduced to a variety of sociological theories and apply these to educational practices, systems and inequalities related to your specific area of study.

Research Methods in Education

This module aims to introduce you to skills necessary to design, analyse, interpret and report research. The module will provide an opportunity for you to understand research philosophy, develop further research skills in the form of quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis techniques, and lead to the planning of an independent piece of research that is based on contemporary research and is both methodologically and ethically sound.

Teaching Children in Physical Education

This module will provide first-hand experience in developing children during school curriculum time. While teaching in a school, students will also learn and dissect creative pedagogies that can be applied to allow every child to achieve in education.

Policy and Practice in Education

This module offers you the opportunity to learn about how policy has developed over the years and engage in discussion across a wide range of topical policy issues that influence professional practice. You will be encouraged to apply critical thinking and ask yourself: 'why do we have policy and what is its key priority'? The learning will encourage interactive discussion around the policy decisions made at central government level and the subsequent implementation within and across educational institutions. You will learn how to interpret key policy documents and government guidance and critically analyse its application. In support of the assessment and your future teaching career, you will be tasked to develop an evidence based portfolio.

Core modules

Dissertation

In this module, you will research in a discipline related to your degree programme. You will synthesise knowledge from other modules to support the development of a research project that is relevant to your subject area. You will work with a supervisor and will utilise a range of research and academic skills to produce a written dissertation that demonstrates a systematic approach to the research process.

Contemporary issues in Education

You will learn about how education is political and socially constructed, questioning your assumptions about education for all and considering patterns in underachievement. Drawing on relevant educational and sociological theories you will develop a broader understanding of the contemporary issues in education.

Applied Pedagogy in Physical education

This module will support you to break away from dated and fragmented views of education. You will learn to synthesise knowledge of child development, psychology and social science into Physical Education, changing your personal view of the subject.

Physical Literacy

This module will build on your existing knowledge and further develop your understanding of physical literacy. It investigates the philosophy of physical literacy and the development of physical movement patterns across the life course.

PE in Practice

You will be supported through a physical education, youth sport or school sport placement or your current employment if you are currently working within a school environment.