The Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) program of studies leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science in Education is designed to prepare the student to teach physical education in elementary, middle, and/or junior and senior high schools (K-12). The program of studies includes 57 hours of general education coursework and 76 hours of content preparation. Students completing the program are eligible to apply for a teaching license in New Mexico. The PETE faculty strives to equip students with the content and pedagogical content knowledge necessary to smoothly transition from pre-service to in-service teaching.

The PETE program has a sophomore field experience, which requires 36 total hours of practical experience at the elementary and secondary levels. Eighteen hours occur at one of two selected elementary schools and the remaining eighteen hours occur at one of two selected middle school sites. Students assist the physical education teacher throughout the experience. This field experience occurs in the fall semester before screening into the College of Education.

The junior block field experiences are in both the fall and spring semesters. In the fall semester, students enroll in PEP 301, PEP 319, and PEP 444. These courses meet Monday through Friday for a three-hour block of time for ten weeks. For the final six weeks of the semester, students are in either an elementary or a secondary (middle or high school) field experience for 60 hours. In the spring semester, students enroll in PEP 466, PEP 493, and PEP 493 for a daily three-hour block for ten weeks. For the final five weeks of the semester, students are placed in either an elementary or secondary experience for 50 hours. If students were in an elementary placement in the fall semester, then a secondary placement is made in the spring semester.

During the student teaching semester, students enroll in 6 hours of PEP 400 Elementary Student Teaching and 6 hours of PEP 461 Secondary Student Teaching. Students are placed in an elementary experience for eight weeks of daily, full-time teaching. In the fall semester, the elementary experience is the second eight weeks of the semester, and in the spring semester, the experience begins when local school districts return from the winter break in early January. Students are placed in a secondary experience for eight weeks of daily, full-time teaching. In the fall semester, the secondary experience begins when local school districts begin school in August, and in the spring semester, the experience is the last eight weeks of the semester. Students, in consultation with faculty, request a middle school or a high school placement for the secondary experience.

The post-baccalaureate in physical education is designed to prepare students to teach physical education in elementary, middle, and/or junior and senior high schools (K-12). Students completing the post-BA programs are eligible to apply for a teaching license in New Mexico. Students entering the program have a bachelor degree and no prior teaching licensure and desire K-12 licensure. In addition to the K-12 program with no prior licensure, students may receive a secondary license if there is no prior licensure.

The post-BA programs are administered within the initial Physical Education Teacher Education Program at the bachelor level. The courses required for completion are within the 200-400 level courses of the initial licensure program.

The endorsements in physical education are designed for students who hold elementary or secondary licensure and desire to teach physical education at the elementary or secondary level.

The endorsement programs are administered within the initial Physical Education Teacher Education Program. The courses required for completion are within the 200-400 level courses of the initial licensure program.