This programme has been revised in line with Teaching Council requirements. Students who entered First Education prior to 2013/14 follow the curriculum detailed on this page. Students who entered First Education from 2013/14 onwards follow the revised curriculum detailed here. Students repeating Third Education in 2015/16 will also follow the new curriculum detailed here.

The BEd (Hons) (Sports Studies and Physical Education) is a four-year full-time programme leading to the BEd (Hons) Degree (Sports Studies and Physical Education).

During this four-year degree programme, students will study the following:

• The theory and practice of Physical Education, Sport and Physical Activity;
• The theory and practice of Second Level Education;
• A specialist subject from a designated range of subjects in Arts.

On successful completion of the four-year course, BEd (Hons) Sports Studies and Physical Education graduates will be qualified to teach Physical Education and the Arts subject which they have selected from the list of approved subjects. This degree will give graduates a qualification to:

• Teach Physical Education at secondary school level within Ireland;
• Teach their specialist subject at secondary school level within Ireland;
• Coach at primary or secondary school level;
• Act as a sports coach in a club. In this context, students undertaking this degree will also be advised to take specific coaching courses offered by Coaching Ireland in order to gain accreditation within the National Coaching Development Programme.

Note: The BEd (Hons) Sports Studies and Physical Education Degree has been fully ratified by the Teaching Council of Ireland (TCI) as providing appropriate qualifications for teaching of Physical Education and one of the following subjects: English, Irish, French, Mathematics (Mathematical Studies) and History.

Fitness to Practise
Commencing with the 2013/2014 intake of first year students (including repeats), this programme will be subject to the University's Fitness to Practise Policy - full details may be found here.

WORK PLACEMENT/STUDY PLACEMENT

Each year will include placement in a school and/or a club.

Attendance

Regarding attendance requirements, please see the general regulations here.

Programme Aims

All modules in the programme draw from the following core principles i.e. we seek to produce teachers/coaches who:

• Are committed to pupils and pupil learning;
• Have strong pedagogical content knowledge in PE and their arts subject;
• Take responsibility for the management and assessment of pupil learning;
• Are reflective practitioners (at a critical level);
• Are members of learning communities.

Specifically, the SSPE programme team aims to prepare PE teachers/Specialist Subject teachers and Coaches who:

1. Adhere to the Professional Code of Conduct for Teachers (2012) across the Continuum of Teacher Education.
2. Understand PE content, specialist art subject content disciplinary concepts, and tools of inquiry related to the development of a physically educated person.
3. Understand how individuals learn and develop and who can provide opportunities that support the development of the whole person.
4. Understand how culturally diverse individuals differ in their approaches to learning and how they can create learning experiences to meet their needs.
5. Understand individual and group motivation behaviour and can accordingly create a safe learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
6. Use effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication to promote inquiry, collaboration and engagement in physical activity settings and their specialist arts subject.
7. Can effectively utilise appropriate instructional strategies to develop educated individuals and physically educated individuals.
8. Understand and utilise formal and informal assessment strategies to promote development of the whole person through physical activity and their specialist arts subject.
9. Utilise reflective self-evaluation in their dealings with STs, parents, administrators, colleagues, and members of the community to grow professionally.
10. Use information technology to enhance learning and personal professional productivity.
11. Value ‘sport pedagogy’ and foster collaborative interdisciplinary relationships with colleagues, parents/guardians, and community agencies to support the development of a physically educated person.
12. Demonstrate an acceptable level of literacy and numeracy competences (in line with the Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life Policy 2011-2020).
13. Prepare PE teachers/coaches/specialist arts subject teachers who are lifelong learners and take professional responsibility to engage fully in the continuum of teacher education throughout their professional lives.
14. Uphold the Teaching Council Professional Code of Conduct for Teachers (2012).

For 2015/16 only.

Only students who have passed the Third University Examination in Education (Sports Studies and Physical Education) and satisfied all other requirements specified will be permitted to register for Fourth Education (Sports Studies and Physical Education). Such students must attend the prescribed modules to the value of 60 credits.

Programme Requirements for 2015/16 only

Students take 60 credits as follows:

ED4301, ED4304, ED4311, ED4312, ED4313, ED4318 (5 credits per module), ED4320 (20 credits)
plus 5 credits from the following:
ED4309, ED4310, CH3200¹ (5 credits per module)
plus 5 credits from the following:
ED4319, ED4328, ED4329, ED4331, ED4334 (5 credits per module)

Note:¹CH3200 - this module will be completed in the summer between Third and Fourth year with marks going to the fourth year examination board.

Change of Module
Students wishing to register a change of module must do so via the Student Portal or at the Student Records and Examinations Office no later than two weeks after the start of each Semester, i.e. by Friday, 18 September 2015 (Semester 1) or Friday, 22 January 2016 (Semester 2). Semester 1 modules cannot be changed in Semester 2. No changes in registration will be allowed after these deadlines.

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.

Examinations

Full details of regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2016 Book, and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2015/2016.

Three Year Rule

Students must pass the BEd (Sports Studies and Physical Education) examination within three academic years from the date of first registration for Fourth Year. Failure to comply with this rule means that the student will be ineligible to proceed further with his/her studies. Exceptions to this rule may be granted by the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences only for very serious reasons.

Alternative Pathway for students not completing Fourth Education (Sports Studies and Physical Education)
The Bachelor of Sports Studies (Hons) (BSpSt) is an alternative degree pathway for students who do not satisfy the pass standard for the placement module ED4320 in the Summer or a supplemental examination, or who decide not to continue with their professional training in the BEd (Hons) Sports Studies and Physical Education programme. Such students may opt instead to register for the Bachelor of Sports Studies (Hons) (BSpSt), and to complete ED4314 (20 credits) within the restrictions of the three year rule. After successfully completing this module these students will then qualify with a Bachelor of Sports Studies (Hons).

Note: Students who opt for this pathway are not eligible for a professional teaching qualification.

Programme Requirements for students progressing from Third Year - Bachelor of Sports Studies, for 2015/16 only

Students take 60 credits as follows:
ED4301, ED4304 (5 credits per module), ED4314 (20 credits), ED4318, SS3009, SS3011 (5 credits per module), SS3104 (10 credits)
plus 5 credits from the following:
ED4309, ED4310, CH3200¹ (5 credits per module)

Note:¹CH3200 – this module will be completed in the summer between Third and Fourth year with marks going to the fourth year examination board.

Programme Requirements for students who fail ED4320 in the Summer or the supplemental examination in Fourth Education (Sports Studies and Physical Education), or who decide during their Fourth Year not to continue with their professional training in the BEd (Hons) Sports Studies and Physical Education programme and instead to change their registration to the Bachelor of Sports Studies, for 2015/16 only

Students take 60 credits as follows:

ED4301, ED4304, ED4311, ED4312, ED4313, ED4318 (5 credits per module), ED4314 (20 credits)
plus 5 credits from the following:
ED4309, ED4310, CH3200¹ (5 credits per module)
plus 5 credits from the following:
ED4319, ED4328, ED4329, ED4331, ED4334 (5 credits per module)

Note:¹CH3200 – this module will be completed in the summer between Third and Fourth year with marks going to the fourth year examination board.

Module Semester Information may be found here. Module Descriptions may be found here.

Examinations

Full details of regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2016 Book, and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2015/2016.

Three Year Rule

Students must pass the Fourth University Examination in Sports Studies within three academic years from the date of first registration for Fourth Year. Failure to comply with this rule means that the student will be ineligible to proceed further with his/her studies. Exceptions to this rule may be granted by the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences only for very serious reasons.

Programme Learning Outcomes for BEd (Hons) (Sports Studies and Physical Education) (NFQ Level 8, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

Thinking and Knowledge

• Know, understand and critically evaluate evidence relating to relevant issues in education, the arts, physical activity, sport and coaching;
• Know and understand and utilise research methodology, current research and current policy and practice;
• Know, understand and practice innovative curriculum approaches, assessment tools and pedagogies to produce an effective learning environment.

Doing and Skills

• Value continued professional development as life-long learners to inform a critical analysis of individual needs and advance personal practice;
• Critically analyse curriculum policy, practice and contemporary debates in education and physical education to promote lifelong learning goals;
• Recognise and effectively utilise best practice to deliver teaching objectives and learning outcomes and create a stimulating learning environment.

Feelings and Attitudes

• Develop effective skills to embrace the future, problem solve and instigate change in a complex global environment;
• Advocate for the teaching and coaching profession from a critically informed perspective.

Transferable and Key Skills

• Integrate the use of ICT and successful communication skills efficiently and effectively in teaching and learning;
• Demonstrate a clear competency in numeracy and literacy skills in class and within assignments.

Programme Learning Outcomes for BSpSt (Hons) (Bachelor of Sports Studies)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate discipline knowledge in physical activity and sport that enables graduates to work effectively in diverse contexts;
• Evaluate with critical awareness the role physical activity and sport plays in society and in life-long activity patterns;
• Demonstrate and apply curriculum knowledge and processes as appropriate for sports development;
• Critically engage in contemporary debates on issues relating to physical activity and sport;
• Apply intellectual leadership to progress the area of sport, physical activity and health;
• Engage and participate professionally in their community and take responsibility for their own life-long professional learning;
• Demonstrate a clear competency in numeracy and literacy skills in class and within assignments.