Degree Requirements
A minor in Athletic Coaching would better prepare undergraduate students interested in coaching either as a full-time position, a part-time position or as a volunteer. Additionally, a coaching minor may help students interested in graduate education earn an assistantship as an athletic coaching graduate assistant. Currently, a number of SMGT, PETE and other students coach on a part-time or volunteer basis and many ESU Athletic Teams have student managers from a number of majors across campus.
In addition to student interest in Athletic Coaching, many state and national organizations have created standards to assess the quality of training and continuing education for coaches in the United States. Currently the U.S. is the only major economic country that does not have mandatory training standards for athletic coaches and “a majority of youth sports coaches are ill equipped for their role” (Sage & Eitzen, 2013, p. 86). Organizations working to improve training standards include Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association, Inc. (PIAA), Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE), and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NAAIA).
The Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE; previously known as National Association of Sport and Physical Education (NASPE)) has developed National Standards of Sport Coaches (see http://www.shapeamerica.org/standards/coaching/coachingstandards.cfm), which overviews eight domains of coaching with standards and benchmarks in each domain. A solid minor in Athletic Coaching would include coursework from four departments (i.e., ATEP, EXSC, SMGT, PETE) to meet SHAPE’s domains. This proposed Athletic Coaching Minor will require students to take coursework across the four departments, while still providing much flexibility to meet the students’ interests and needs.
Requirements List:
22 credits
| SMGT 209 | Principles of Coaching | 3 credits |
| SMGT 404 | Philosophical Concepts of Movement and Sport | 3 credits |
| SMGT 406 | Theory and Techniques of Coaching | 3 credits |
| Total Credit Hours: | 9 |
Choose one:
| ATEP 230 | Prevention and Management of Sport and Fitness Injuries | 3 credits |
| ATEP 240 | Acute Care Athletic Injuries | 3 credits |
| Total Credit Hours: | 3 |
Choose one:
| EXSC 492 | Principles of Performance Enhancement for Performance Coaching | 3 credits |
| EXSC 493 | Therapeutic and Physiological Foundations for the Coach | 3 credits |
| Total Credit Hours: | 3 |
Choose one:
| PETE 344 | Motor Learning and Development | 3 credits |
| SMGT 402 | Psychology of Sport and Exercise | 3 credits |
| EXSC 402 | Psychology of Sport and Exercise | 3 credits |
| Total Credit Hours: | 3 |
Choose one:
| PETE 305 | A Tactical Approach to Teaching Games I | 1 credit |
| PETE 306 | A Tactical Approach to Teaching Games II | 1 credit |
| EXSC 411 | Motor Learning & Development | 3 credits |
| Total Credit Hours: | 1-3 |
Choose one:
| EXSC 410 | Organization and Administration of Exercise and Wellness Programs | 3 credits |
| PETE 445 | Organization and Administration of Physical Education | 2 credits |
| SMGT 445 | Organization and Administration of Sport Operations | 3 credits |
| PETE 344 | Motor Learning and Development | 3 credits |
| ATEP 431 | Organization and Administration in Athletic Training | 3 credits |
| EXSC 411 | Motor Learning & Development | 3 credits |
| Total Credit Hours: | 2-3 |
Additional Coursework if needed to reach 22 credits include the additional course options:
| ATEP 120 | Physical Conditioning | 1 credit |
| ATEP 121 | Aerobic Fitness Activities | 1 credits |
| ATEP 122 | Strength Training | 1 credit |
| ATEP 330 | Injury Prevention and Reconditioning Workshop | 2 credits |
| ATEP 340 | Illness Prevention and Health Promotion Workshop | 2 credits |
| EXSC 120 | Physical Conditioning | 1 credit |
| EXSC 121 | Aerobic Fitness Activities | 1 credits |
| EXSC 122 | Strength Training | 1 credit |
| EXSC 202 | Kinesiology - Applied Anatomy | 3 credits |
| EXSC 203 | Kinesiology - Mechanical Analysis | 3 credits |
| EXSC 310 | Exercise Physiology I | 3 credits |
| EXSC 447 | Sports Nutrition | 3 credits |
| PETE 220 | Physical Conditioning | 1 credit |
| PETE 253 | Aquatics | 1 credit |
| PETE 302 | Psychosocial Aspects of Activity | 2 credits |
| PETE 453 | Water Safety Instructor | 1 credit |
| SMGT 302 | Psychosocial Aspects of Activity | 3 credits |
| SMGT 304 | Historical Concepts of Movement and Sport | 3 credits |
| SMGT 347 | Introduction to Sport Law | 3 credits |
| SMGT 403 | WS: Women Sport and the Body | 3 credits |
| SMGT 405 | Comparative and International Issue in Sport and Physical Activity | 3 credits |
Other courses may be taken with approval of minor advisor.
Additional Requirements:
1. A 2.5 overall GPA
2. "C" or better in all minor courses
3. At least one course must be taken in each of the four departments: ATEP, EXSC, PETE, SMGT