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kin@umn.edu

School of Kinesiology
220 Cooke Hall
1900 University Ave. SE
Minneapolis, MN 55455
USA

Phone: 612-625-5300
Fax: 612-626-7700

kin@umn.edu

Physical education

Master of education/initial licensure
(Minnesota state licensure in physical education)

The physical education initial licensure program is designed to help you become an inquiring, analytical, and reflective professional educator who can teach in various venues of the physical education classroom and who is prepared for leadership roles in the schools.

Information session: Before applying to this program, applicants are strongly encouraged to attend an information session for an overview of admission and program requirements. Hour-long sessions are held at Student Services. Register online.

Program

Master of education (M.Ed.)/initial licensure programs are for individuals with bachelor’s degrees who want to become licensed teachers. These graduate-level programs provide rigorous, professional teacher preparation in accordance with Standards of Effective Practice for Teachers (SEPT) and content standards adopted in fall 1998 by the Minnesota Board of Teaching.

Physical education students enter a 12-month program integrating educational theory with classroom practice. This program is offered by the School of Kinesiology at the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD). Three distinct, 10-week teaching experiences create a strong experiential base on which to apply the principles and methods learned in University classes.

An important advantage of this program is its cohort nature. Students begin classes together and continue through their course of study as a single group, building a valuable sense of community. Throughout their student teaching, pre-service teachers work closely with experienced teachers, observing firsthand the daily rewards and challenges of the profession.

This program includes two components: initial licensure and M.Ed. degree. After successfully completing licensure requirements, which include an “action-research” project, students are recommended for state licensure to teach physical education to grades K-12. After completing a total of 30 semester credits that can be applied to the M.Ed. degree, students are awarded the M.Ed. degree in applied kinesiology. Students have seven years to complete their degree, beginning with the first course(s) used in the program, and must maintain a 2.80 grade point average (GPA) for M.Ed. courses.

Curriculum

Students complete foundations, methods, and clinical experience coursework for licensure. Students are accepted into the program as a single cohort once each year, beginning classes in June and continuing through June, July, or August of the following year (depending on individual course loads throughout the year).

Foundations courses

Throughout the program, students complete courses in foundations of education, including courses on psychological, sociological, philosophical, and theoretical foundations of education. These courses lay the foundation for developing a breadth and depth of knowledge and skills in the field. Inquiry, analysis, and reflection allows prospective teachers to examine educational issues from multiple perspectives. Students must complete:

EDHD 5001—Learning, Cognition, and Assessment (3 cr)
EDHD 5003—Developmental and Individual Differences in Educational Contexts (2 cr)
- or three courses from the following list:
- CPSY 2301—Introductory Child Psychology (4 cr)
- CPSY 4303—Adolescent Psychology (4 cr)
- KIN 5103—Developmental/Adapted Physical Education (3 cr)
- KIN 5104—Physical Activities for Persons with Disabilities (3 cr)
EDHD 5005—School and Society (2 cr) EDHD 5009—Human Relations: Applied Skills for School and Society (1 cr)

Summer session (10 weeks)

The curriculum and pedagogy methods courses focus on developing basic instructional techniques and instructional components and knowledge structures for K-6 and 6-12 physical education. Elements of the technology course, which include the use of heart-rate monitors and specific software programs, are integrated into the pedagogy courses.

EDHD 5007—Technology for Teaching and Learning (1.5 cr)
KIN 6151—Theoretical Foundations of Curriculum and Instruction in Physical Education (2 cr)*
KIN 6521—Pedagogy I: Elementary Physical Education (4 cr)*
KIN 6522—Pedagogy II: Secondary Physical Education (4 cr)*
PUBH 6003—Fundamentals of Alcohol and Drug Abuse (1 cr) (may not be applied toward the M.Ed. degree)

* Counts toward M.Ed.

Note: Foundations of education courses may not be applied to the M.Ed. program, but are required for licensure.

Some of these courses may be completed throughout the program, including fall, spring, or summer sessions.

Fall semester

CI 5452—Reading in the Content Areas for Initial Licensure Candidates (1 cr) (can be taken fall or spring semester)
KIN 6596—Clinical Experience I: Physical Education (4 cr)
KIN 5152—Curriculum Development in Physical Education (2 cr)*

KIN 6596 involves participation in full days of pre-school workshops, nine weeks of half-day student teaching in an urban elementary setting, and Monday seminar. KIN 5152 focuses on how to determine and implement a comprehensive and cohesive K-12 physical education curriculum. Foundations, DAPE, or KIN 5981 classes generally round out the student’s individual schedule.

Spring Semester (through May term to early June)

CI 5452—Reading in the Content Areas for Initial Licensure Candidates (1 cr) (can be taken fall or spring semester)
KIN 5995—Research Problems in Applied Kinesiology (2 cr)* [“action-research” project completed during spring semester and May session of student teaching (KIN 6597 and 6598 timeframe)]
KIN 6597—Clinical Experience II: Physical Education (4 cr)
KIN 6598—Clinical Experience III: Physical Education (6 cr)* [extends through May session]

KIN 6597 involves another 10-week half-day student teaching experience and Monday seminar. KIN 6598 culminates the three student teaching experience with 10 weeks of full-day student teaching and Monday seminar. The action research project (KIN 5995) is integrated into KIN 6597 and KIN 6598. One or two classes held during the first half of the semester or in the late afternoon or evening may also be taken.

All student teaching experiences link the student with an experienced mentor teacher. Throughout the program, the initial teacher licensure elements of inquiry, analysis, and reflection are reinforced.

M.Ed. completion

The M.Ed. requirement is 30 graduate semester credits (5xxx or higher). At least 20 credits of these must be kinesiology courses, including the following:

KIN 4981—Understanding Kinesiology Research (3 cr)

KIN 5981—Research Methodology in Kinesiology, Recreation, and Sport (3 cr)*

Students complete at least 10 semester credits of graduate electives; these credits are generally in the area of DAPE and coaching and must be approved by the faculty adviser.

See course descriptions and course schedules.

Admission criteria

Admission to the program is based on the following criteria:

Prerequisite courses for content area knowledge:
- Applicants must meet the prerequisite courses to be considered for the initial licensure program and the additional licensure program. Click here to see the list of prerequisite courses.
- A transcript review can be completed before applying. To have your transcript(s) reviewed, please email a copy of all unofficial transcripts to the Prospective Graduate Student Adviser and Recruiter, Jontue Austin.
- Please allow two weeks for a completed transcript review to be emailed to you
- If your transcript is from outside of the United States, you must arrange for a national evaluation (see #3 under the Application materials heading below).
Grade point average (GPA):
- Grade point average (GPA)—2.80 overall GPA and 3.00 GPA in major coursework at the time of application. Bachelor’s degree must be completed at the time of matriculation.
- Bachelor’s degree must be completed at the time the program begins
Classroom hours:
- Minimum requirement is 120 hours in the classroom (60 hours must be in a PE school setting and 60 must be in another leadership experience with children). Competitive applicants have significant experiences with diverse populations both inside and outside of a classroom setting. We consider experiences with diverse populations to be within an environment or situation different from that which you are familiar (e.g., race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, language, religion, geography, sexuality, special needs).
- Must be completed within grades K-12 in a U.S. public or charter school.
- For more information about this requirement, see the Classroom experience website
- These hours are to be documented on the Classroom Hours form.
- This form will be uploaded into the application system when you apply.
Additional related experiences
- Additional related experiences are considered to be outside of a classroom setting and related to the field of teaching.
- Although there is no minimum hour requirement for additional experiences, competitive applicants have significant experiences with diverse populations both inside and outside of a classroom setting. We consider experiences with diverse populations to be within an environment or situation different from that which you are familiar (e.g., race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, language, religion, geography, sexuality, special needs).
- These experiences are outside of the required classroom hours and are to be documented on the Additional Related Experiences form.
- This form will be uploaded into the application system when you apply.
Admission statements
- There are three statements required to complete the application:

QUESTION A: Experience with difference
Please describe a specific experience in your life that required you to navigate through an environment or situation different from that which you are familiar. How did you approach this experience? What did you learn? Note that the experience you describe may reflect difference across dimensions such as race, socio-economic status, gender, language, religion, geography, sexuality, special needs.
QUESTION B: Educational disparities
Disparity in educational outcomes is a major challenge in Minnesota. How do you account for these disparities? How do you view your role as a future educator in addressing educational disparities?
QUESTION C: Becoming a teacher
Discuss your life and work experiences that have influenced your decision to become a teacher.

Each statement should be no longer than 2 double-spaced pages with 12 point font.
We will evaluate your statements to:
- Ensure best fit between applicants and proposed Initial Licensure Program
- Capture ability and experiences not reflected in other admission materials
- Evaluate academic writing skills
These statements will be uploaded into the application system when you apply.

How to apply

1. Apply Online

Be sure to save your PIN number and password, so that you can work on the application over time.
Take your time and follow instructions carefully! Once your application is submitted, you will no longer have access to add/change information or upload required application materials.
As your application is reviewed, you will receive email notifications of your status.
Your application status and decision will be posted in your application account.

2. Submit all six required application materials (see below for instructions)

Application Materials

All applicants must submit the following items with their applications:

Transcripts

Submit official transcripts from all postsecondary institutions you have attended (except the University of Minnesota) to:

CEHD Student Services – ILP Admission
360 Education Sciences Building
56 East River Road
Minneapolis, MN 55455

If you completed coursework at a university outside of the United States, your transcripts must be evaluated by a professional credential evaluation center by requesting a “course-by-course” evaluation. This process can take 4-6 weeks, so please plan in advance.
A suggested provider of this service is Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE). You can, however, use any provider that is an accredited member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

2. Classroom Hours form

The purpose of this form is to record the required classroom hours completed within the appropriate grade level in a U.S. public or charter school.
Complete this form, save it to your computer, and upload it into the application system.
All other experiences need to be listed on the Additional Related Experiences form. (see below)

3. Additional Related Experiences form

The purpose of this form is to document paid or unpaid non-classroom experiences that you consider to be related to your desire to pursue a career in teaching (e.g., tutoring, mentoring, Peace Corps work, volunteer work outside of a classroom, etc.)
Complete this form, save it to your computer, and upload it into the application system.

4. Admission Statements

For information on the admission statement questions, please see the ““Admission Criteria” section.
Be sure to put your name on each page of your statements.
At the top of the statement page, include the question number and title (e.g., Question A: Experience with difference).
Write statements as separate documents (e.g., Question A is one document, Question B is a separate document, etc.), save them separately to your computer, and upload them separately into the application system.
For writing tips, watch the Writing effective personal statements online workshop.
Please visit your writing center for feedback on your statements, as CEHD staff are unable to provide this service.

5. Two Letters of Recommendation

These letters should address your education-related experiences, work style, and personal attributes.
One letter must be from a K-12 site supervisor listed on your Classroom Hours form.
These will be requested and submitted through the application system.

6. Application fee

This fee is charged when you submit your application and is required for each application you submit.
Fees must be paid online with a credit card.

Nonnative English speakers and/or international students

All nonnative English speakers must submit an official score report from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). (Exceptions may be granted for applicants who will have completed 16 semester or 24 quarter credits within the past 24 months in residence as a full-time student at an accredited institution of higher learning in the United States before entering the University of Minnesota.)

Minimum TOEFL score requirements are listed below:

Internet-based test 79-80

Computer-based test 213

Paper-based test 550

Applicants may also be required to demonstrate spoken English proficiency in an Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and/or oral interview with faculty or staff. Contact Student Services for more information.

International applicants who will require an I-20 for a student visa must submit a Financial Certification Statement, which will be mailed to you upon admission to the program.

Timeline

December 15—Priority deadline for admission.All application materials must be submitted by this deadline to be given full consideration for admission. Applications received or completed after this deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis. We are still accepting applications for the 2012 cohort.

February—Submit Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form for financial aid

February/March—Committee review of applications

Late March—Notification of admission decisions

May 1—Deadline for University of Minnesota application for summer financial aid (eligible if FAFSA has been submitted)

Mid-May—Orientation and summer registration

Early June—Summer term begins. To be eligible to start the program in June, the student’s official MTLE Basic Skills test scores must be submitted to Student Services by June 1.

Before you begin the program

Minnesota Teacher Licensure Exam

As of September 2010, the Minnesota Board of Teaching requires licensure applicants to pass the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Exams (MTLE). These tests are offered several times a year; students are responsible for registering for and taking MTLE tests by the required deadlines. The GRE is not required for our teacher licensure programs.

Students must pass the following tests to be recommended by CEHD for teaching licensure:

MTLE Basic Skills Tests. Students must take this test before starting the licensure program. Official test scores must be submitted to Student Services before starting the program.

The following tests must be taken before licensure program completion:

MTLE Content Area Test: Physical Education (Grades K-12)
MTLE Content Area Test: Special Education Core Skills (if pursing a DAPE- Developmental and Adapted Physical Education- license)
MTLE Pedagogy Test : Elementary (Grades K-6) or Secondary (Grades 5-12) (Take just one)

Find out more about the MTLE »

Criminal background check

Before starting student teaching or practica, students are subject to a criminal background check required by the college. The investigation is conducted by a private agency contracted by the college and is designed to meet school district guidelines governing adults with responsibility for children. Decisions about candidate placement will be made by the district approving the assignment. For background check details and fees, contact Bob Utke at CEHD, 612-625-1084, e-mail: stuteach@umn.edu.