Admission Criteria for the Physical Education Program

During the second semester of the sophomore year (having completed a minimum of 45 semester hours of college course work), students should apply for admission to the program. Admission is based on a comprehensive review of multiple criteria. The department understands that any single criterion may not reliably predict a student’s potential for success in the program. Students may consider applying even if they fail to meet one of the GPA or testing criteria but feel that other aspects of their experience might compensate.

• A passing score on the Hofstra Writing Proficiency Exam.
• A minimum overall GPA of 3.0 on all course work.
• A minimum GPA of 2.75 on course work in the liberal arts and sciences.
• Successful completion of the following courses: WSC 001 , WSC 002 , RHET 001 , PSY 001 , PSY 153 , BIO 103  or 105 , FDED 111  or 127 , HPR 10, PESP 119 , PESP 012  or 047 , PESP 015A , 2 s.h. of PESP major activity electives, PESP 025 , PESP 159 , PESP 013A  or 167 , PESP 080 .
• Submission of scores on a nationally-normed admissions test (such as the SAT, ACT, AP or IB.

Program Requirements

Pedagogy Sequence Requirements - Total Semester Hours: 18

• PESP 103 - Methods and Materials for Teaching at the Elementary Level Semester Hours: 3
• PESP 104 - Methods and Materials for Teaching at the Secondary Level Semester Hours: 3
• PESP 135 - Tactical Concepts and Teaching Methods for Team Sports Semester Hours: 1
• PESP 136 - Tactical Concepts and Teaching Methods for Individual Sports Semester Hours: 1
• PESP 138A - Methods of Coaching Semester Hours: 3
• PESP 155A - Field Experience: PreK-5th Grade Physical Education Semester Hours: 1.5
• PESP 155B - Field Experience: 6th-12th Grade Physical Education Semester Hours: 1.5
• PESP 170 - Adapted Physical Education Semester Hours: 3
• PESP 170A - Adapted Physical Education Field Experience Semester Hours: 1

Coaching Internship Requirement

Students must complete an independent internship experience coaching a middle school or high school interscholastic team for at least one season (or other similar experience as approved by the program director). A letter from the school district verifying the student’s participation is required for completion of this requirement.

Continuation Requirements

Students who have declared physical education as their major must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.75 in order to continue in the program.

Student Teaching Requirements - Total Semester Hours: 9

To be admitted to student teaching, students must meet the following requirements:

1. Meet all continuation requirements as outlined above;
2. Receive a grade of C- or better in RHET 001 ;
3. Complete FDED 111  or 127 ; CT 102 ; PESP 103 , 104   135 , 136 ,  155A , 155B , 170 , 170A ; no Ds, Fs or unresolved incompletes in major courses;
4. A minimum GPA of 2.75 in required physical education pedagogy courses.

The following student teaching courses are required:

• PESP 130A - Student Teaching Semester Hours: 4.5  
• PESP 130B - Student Teaching Semester Hours: 4.5  

Graduation Requirements

1. Completion of criteria listed above.
2. No grades lower than C- and no unresolved INC grades in physical education skills, content, or pedagogy course work.
3. A minimum GPA of 2.5 or better in overall course work and in physical education content course work.
4. A minimum GPA of 2.75 in physical education skills and pedagogy course work.
5. Successful completion of all other degree requirements.
6. Completion of all required Educational Law Seminars.

All requirements must be completed before the conferral of the degree and recommendation for certification.

Teacher Certification Requirements

Upon the successful completion of a Hofstra state-approved teacher education program, students are eligible for the University’s recommendation for New York state certification. A request for recommendation must be submitted to the Office of Educational Support Services the semester in which the student is graduating. There will be opportunities to attend a certification workshop during the student’s final semester, to receive all the necessary information regarding applying for certification. Individuals who apply directly to New York state for certification are responsible for learning about and satisfying the certification requirements set by the state. It should be noted that such requirements may differ from those in Hofstra’s registered programs.

All prospective early childhood (birth-grade 2), childhood (grades 1-6), adolescent (grades 7-12) and special subject, students with disabilities, gifted, TESOL, bilingual, literacy, speech and language disabilities teachers, as well as school leadership candidates, are required to pass the New York State Certification Examinations (NYSTCE) administered by National Evaluation Systems, Inc., including the Educating All Students Test (EAS), Academic Literacy Skills Test (ALST), Content Specialty Test(s) (CST) and the edTPA. Prospective School Leaders will be required to take the appropriate leadership exams. For more information regarding state testing, please contact the Office of Educational Support Services at 516-463-5747 or visit www.nystce.nesinc.com.

In addition to fulfilling the required courses of study, the Commissioner’s Regulations mandate that all prospective teachers, pupil personnel and education leaders receive instructions regarding:

1. Identification of Child Abuse and Maltreatment
2. Fire and Arson Prevention
3. School Violence Prevention and Intervention
4. Prevention of Alcohol, Tobacco and Drug Abuse
5. Highway and School Safety/Prevention of Child Abduction
6. Training in Harassment, Bullying and Discrimination Prevention and Intervention required under the Dignity for All Students Act (DASA)

New York state legislation also requires all persons seeking certification in special education, speech and language disabilities or school administrators working in special education, to have training in the area of children with autism.

Hofstra University offers the above listed educational law seminars through the Office of Educational Support Services. All of these seminars must be completed before the conferral of the degree and recommendation for certification.

Forms for applying for certification can be found at the Office of Educational Support Services Web page under the certification tab.

Fingerprinting
Chapter 180 of the Laws of 2000, the Schools Against Violence in Education (SAVE), requires that applicants for teaching and administrative and pupil services personnel certification and prospective employees of covered schools (school districts, charter schools and BOCES) must undergo fingerprint supported criminal history background check. However, many school districts and institutions across the metropolitan New York area are now requiring that all student teachers, observers, interns or externs receive fingerprint clearance before they are placed in educational settings that are required for this degree program. Therefore, we recommend that you apply for fingerprint clearance upon acceptance to the program. Fingerprint clearance is also required for New York state certification. For information on how to register to be fingerprinted, visit http://www.hofstra.edu/Academics/colleges/soeahs/CESS/cess_requirements_fingerprints.html.

Footnotes

* Counted in total credits as required liberal arts course. For admission to student teaching, these courses should be used in the computation of grade point average in the required physical education and skills category.