Doctoral Degrees in Physical Education
In every school district in the United States, there are physical education curricula that are developed by experts in child development, education, and physical health. If you want to contribute to the research that goes into curriculum development or find more effective ways to teach children at different grade levels, you may wish to earn a doctoral degree in physical education. This degree may give you the chance to study physical health at an in-depth level and design your own research.
Requirements for Doctorate Programs in Physical Education
To get accepted to a doctoral program in this field, you must have a Bachelor’s degree. Preferably, it should be in a related field, although job experience in this field may suffice if you have an unrelated Bachelor’s degree. Furthermore, you should know how you want to use a doctoral degree. Many schools require you to submit your areas of research interest when you apply, in an effort to ensure your goals are aligned with what the university offers. Research the schools on our site by contacting them today, so that you can find the best fit for your Doctoral Degree in Phys. Ed.
Before you begin conducting your own research in the field of physical education, you may take a variety of classes that go into the science behind this field. Some of the teaching courses required in this field of study include Mechanics of Motor Skill Acquisition, Educational Psychology of Physical Education, Analysis of Instructional Behavior in Physical Education, and Development of Skilled Sport Performance. You may also take courses that teach you different research methods. Courses in this area include Educational Statistics, Qualitative Research in Education, Design & Analysis of Experiments, and Research Methods in Physical Education.
To complete a doctoral degree, you must conduct your own research and create a thesis. Before you are awarded your degree, you must defend your thesis and its findings. This process can be fairly lengthy, often requiring up to seven years of full-time study and research.
Consider applying for different types of financial aid to make your doctoral degree more affordable. You may apply for the Tobin Sorenson Physical Education Scholarship, which is worth $1,000 per student. CANFIT also awards several physical education scholarships each school year. If you take on a research or teaching role in the public service sector after graduation, you may be able to get some of your student loans forgiven through thePublic Service Loan Forgiveness Program.
Career and Salary Outlook
You may work in a classroom or research setting after completing this degree. O*Net reports an average annual salary of $53,590 per year for elementary school teachers and an average salary of $53,940 per year for middle school teachers.
A doctoral degree can be beneficial in many ways. If you want to explore the world of physical education through teaching and research, look at our school listings to contact doctoral programs near you.
