Sports Studies and Physical Education BEd (Hons) - CK116

The Bachelor of Education Sport Studies and Physical Education degree (BEDSSPE) is a dynamic four-year full-time course which qualifies you to teach physical education and your chosen specialist arts subject (one of the following: English (five spaces), Irish, mathematics, French or history). 

We aim to produce the best educators in physical education, sport and physical activity settings, and in the arts subject areas. Graduates from our course display independent and innovative thinking and are agents of change in the area of sport, physical activity and physical education. 

You will study a wide variety of content areas, including: curriculum; teaching/ coaching and learning; assessment; a range of sport and physical education activities; coaching science; health and wellness; disability; Chinese Studies and lots more. As our staff are experts and leading researchers in their discipline, you have access to the best available knowledge throughout the course. 

There are several teaching, coaching and community placements throughout the course. During these placements, you gain practical experience in using an applied approach. The course works in partnership with schools, clubs and the community which allows you to become part of the teaching and coaching professional community from the beginning. 

You are supported throughout the course within a comprehensive mentoring programme involving buddy mentoring, tutor mentoring and teacher/coach mentors.

Year 1

This is a foundational year. You will study curriculum; teaching and learning; health sociology; psychology; biomechanics; anatomy and physiology. In addition, you will learn about dance, gymnastics, athletics and aquatics and adventure activities, as well as your specialist Arts subject (The Arts subject is studied throughout all four years). During this year, you will complete your first placement under the guidance of a mentor.

Year 2

In this year, you will investigate the teaching of physical education and sport through microteaching; the effects of exercise on the body; curriculum and classroom management. Practical modules in year 2 include dance, gymnastics, badminton, softball, GAA and rugby. The second placement occurs in a school setting where you observe, plan and teach PE in a school under the guidance of a mentor.

Year 3

You will study sports medicine and skill acquisition and research methods. You will also choose from one of the pathways below:

• Coaching Science or
• Health and Physical Activity or
• Comparative Education [Chinese Studies including placement in China]

You will also focus on your specialist Arts subject during your third school-based placement. During this placement, you observe and teach this subject in a school under the supervision of a mentor.

Year 4

You are on school placement teaching PE and your specialist Arts subject for an entire school year [mornings only]. You then return to university for lectures, practicals and workshops in the afternoons. During this year, you engage in action research to improve your teaching practice and learn a wide variety of teaching and assessment strategies. In addition, you continue to learn about disability, sport health and wellness and coaching science to equip you for teaching and coaching in any setting.

See the College Calendar for more detailed information on the Programme and the Book of Modules for a more detailed description of Programme Modules.

• Leaving Cert entry requirements: HC3 in two subjects, and passes in four other subjects at H or O level in the Leaving Certificate from Irish, English, another language, and three other subjects recognised for entry purposes.
• Mature applicants should apply directly through the CAO and must apply for and sit the MSAP exam. There are 10 places available on this course for mature students.
• International Students should visit the International Education Website: http://www.ucc.ie/en/study/international/noneu-ug/apply/ .
• FETAC Links Information Booklet.

EU Applicants: Application to the first year of the degree programme is made directly through the Central Applications Office (CAO). Applicants should apply on-line at www.cao.ie. The normal closing date for receipt of completed applications is 1stFebruary of the year of entry. 

Non-EU applicants

You will have approximately 20 hours of lectures/practicals/workshops each week. This will be supported by some weekend courses throughout the year and extra workshops on campus and in our partner schools. 

Costs may include SSPE Sports Clothing approximately €150 for SSPE sports clothing; and €400 for the Assistant Swim Teachers Course. 

There is an optional trip to Chengdu University in China to study Chinese Culture and Sport for one month as part of Comparative Education option and this comes with associated costs.

Students on this programme must be Garda Vetted. See Garda Vetting in the College of Arts, Celtic Studies & Social Sciences for further details. 

A combination of in-class tests, oral presentations, assignments, end-of-year exams, portfolios and reflections, microteaching/microcoaching etc. You will develop invaluable transferable skills of independent, critical thinking by completing these wide-ranging assessment types.

Dr John Bradley – Lecturer - http://publish.ucc.ie/researchprofiles/A013/jbradley

Dr Fiona Chambers – Course Director and Senior Lecturer -http://publish.ucc.ie/researchprofiles/A013/fchambers

Dr Susan Crawford – Lecturer http://research.ucc.ie/researchprofiles/A013/scrawford

Ms Trish Fitzpatrick – Lecturer and Teaching Practice Coordinator

Marie Nash

E: m.nash@ucc.ie

T: +353 (0)21 490 3055