Physical Education Credential FAQs
Student teaching is a five period, five days a week, 20 week commitment. Once you have completed your course work (physical education and professional education) you will enroll in 15 units of student teaching during a single semester. You are expected to be at the school for 5 periods (3 periods for teaching, 1 for observation and 1 for preparation). You may choose to student teach at the middle school or high school level. You must teach two different grades within that level. You will ultimately be responsible for creating lessons, teaching classes and grading student work. You will observe your master teacher and other teachers in the school. You will learn how a school works by attending department and faculty meetings and conferences, and other extra-curricular events.
During student teaching you will be observed by a university supervisor (at least six times by each your supervisor). You will also participate in the student teaching seminar on campus.
In addition you will need to be concurrently enrolled in the seminar class EDSS 473P. This three unit class meets periodically during the course of the semester.
If you are employed when it comes time to student teach you can petition to complete student teaching while on the job. A list of conditions must be met when using a job for student teaching.
Click on Internships to access information on the requirements for seeking an internship.
The "Preliminary Credential" is what you will have earned after completing required physical education classes, education classes, health science for secondary teachers, the constitution requirement and student teaching. The preliminary credential is your first credential. You then have 5 additional years to earn the "Clear Credential." Requirements for the Professional Clear Credential include:
- Complete a minimum of thirty post baccalaureate units of study. (The courses you've taken for the credential 'count' if they are post baccalaureate hours.)
- Meet a computer literacy requirement, by course or equivalency.
- Meet a "mainstreaming" requirement, most often via EDSP 355B. (EDSP 355B can be taken before being accepted into the single subject credential program, it does not have EDSS 300P as a prerequisite.)
Not necessarily - eventually you must apply to the university, but you may choose to enroll in EDSS 300P through the College of Professional and Continuing Education (Although priority is given to enrolled CSULB students).
Open University offers the opportunity for anyone to enroll in a course without being admitted to the university. You can take courses on a space-available basis and earn college credit during the Fall and Spring semesters.
Click on Open University to access how you can enroll in classes at CSULB
Once you decide to apply to the program to earn your credential, you will apply to CSULB to take your classes.
A GPA of 2.67 is required to enter the Single Subject Credential Program. In Physical Education we look at your overall GPA as well as your GPA in upper division physical education courses. We expect you to have a 2.67 GPA in both areas. If your GPA is below 2.67 you must petition to enter the program. In most cases, your petition is looked upon favorably if your GPA for the last 60 units of college credit is above a 2.75. Your petition is reviewed by the KPE pedagogy faculty and the Single Subject Credential Program Petition Committee. Students can be admitted, provisionally admitted or rejected at this point. Please note that you must have a 2.50 GPA to be admitted to the university as a post baccalaureate student. Admission to the university does not guarantee admission to the Single Subject Credential Program.
Requirements for the APE Specialist Credential include of 27 units of specific coursework in APE (See list of coursework below). In addition a candidate must hold a 5-Year Preliminary Teaching Credential (usually a single subject teaching credential). Candidates are advised that they must hold a teaching credential that authorizes the teaching of physical education (Single Subject in Physical Education, Multiple Subject, Standard Secondary with a major or minor in Physical Education, Standard Elementary with an academic major or minor in Physical Education, Standard Early Childhood, Special Secondary in Physical Education, General Secondary, General Junior High School, General Elementary, General Kindergarten Primary). Candidates without an authorization to teach Physical Education can either take a series of prerequisite physical education core courses as determined by the APE Coordinator (preferred option) or pass all parts of the CSET Physical Education for subject matter competency in Physical Education (Additional coursework is required for the APE Specialist Credential). Also required is successful completion of the California Basic Education Skills Test (CBEST) and an overall GPA of 2.75 and a 3.0 in courses in the APE Program.
Adapted Physical Education Specialist Advisor: Dr. Melissa Bittner
CSULB offers a comprehensive program in APE.
The Kinesiology department site at /colleges/chhs/departments/kin/
go to undergraduate degree programs and under BA Kinesiology, next go to APE links and then go to APE downloads.
You can also go to the APE site at /programs/apa/
The site will answer many of your questions and provide you an overview of the APE program.
Students seeking a California Adapted Physical Education Specialist Teaching Credential which is an add on to the Single Subject in Physical Education Credential must complete the following 27 units of coursework:
Each of the following courses are required (total 18 units)
KIN 320 Adapted Physical Education (3) Prerequisites: BIOL 208.
KIN 427/527 Physical and Motor Assessment (3) Prerequisites: KIN 315, 320.
KIN 387 Physical Activity for the Disabled (3) Prerequisites: KIN 320, 427. Corequisite: KPE 489A
KIN 388 Program Planning and Instruction in Adapted Physical Education (3) Prerequisite: KPE 387. Corequisite: KPE 489A
KIN 489A Fieldwork in APE (6) includes teaching in the PMDC and arranging hours in the public schools, usually in conjunction with KIN 387 and 388 for a total of 6 units
Graduate students and teachers may substitute KIN 537 or 538 or 638 for KIN 387 and KIN 388 with approval from the Adapted Physical Education Credential Coordinator. Each course is offered every third semester on rotational basis and at night.
*KIN 537 Adapted Physical Education for Special Populations (3) Foundations in the organization and programming of Adapted Physical Education.
*KIN 538 Motor Dysfunction and the Exceptional Person (3) Prerequisite: A basic undergraduate course in Adapted Physical Education or its equivalent. Recognition, analysis, assessment and remediation of movement problems in individuals with minor nervous system dysfunction.
*KIN 638 Seminar in Adapted Physical Education (3) Prerequisite: KPE 537 or 538, or equivalent. An examination and analysis of current trends in Adapted Physical Education.
EDP 355B Education of Exceptional Individuals
Select two courses from the following courses (6 units):
CD 280 Sign Language
EDP 405 Positive Strategies for Classroom Management
EDP 563 Advanced Methods of Teaching Individuals with Significant Disabilities
*KIN 526 Applied Behavior Analysis in Physical Education
*KIN 538 Motor Dysfunction and the Exceptional Person (3) Prerequisite: KPE 320 or equivalent. See above
*KIN 546 Developmental Aspects of Motor Behavior (3) Prerequisite: KPE 315 or equivalent. The study of the major factors that contribute to the development of motor skillfulness from birth to maturity.
The Kinesiology department currently does accept the CSET (PE) for subject matter competency. However, our preference would be for you to earn a BS / BA degree in Physical Education from CSULB or any other California State University with a CTC-approved Physical Education Program. It is STRONGLY recommended that you take the CSET examination as early as possible as most candidates do NOT pass the CSET examination the first time.
NOTE: As of Summer 2021 the options for attaining subject matter have been modified by the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Currently (July 2021) the specifics of how attaining subject matter from a variety of different options is a bit unclear. Contact the Physical Education Credential Coordinator directly to ask about your circumstances. For example some students with KIN degrees may not have to take all parts of the CSET, but this will be determined on a case by case basis.
In order to submit an application to student teach, students must have completed the subject matter competency requirement (either B.A./B.Sc. in a PETE program at CSULB, B.A. /B.Sc. in Physical Education Teacher Education from a CTC approved CSU program, coursework or transcript evaluation for individuals with Bachalaureate degrees in Kinesiology/Physical Education from other institutions or the completion of all parts of the CSET Physical Education. Since the application deadlines for student teaching are October 1st for the following Spring Semester, and March 15th for the following Summer and/or Fall semesters, students must have passed the CSET Physical Education by these dates. It is strongly recommended/suggested that you take the CSET Physical Education test as early as possible. This test is NOT offered every time other CSET tests are offered. Please check the CSET web site for information on specific test dates for the Physical Education test. (Currently the CSET Physical Education Test is only offered in September, January, March and May).
Passing CSET Test Results (for all three parts of this test) are required to apply to student teach. The application deadlines for student teaching are October 1st for spring semester student teaching and March 15th for fall semester student teaching.
After you've met the subject matter competency requirements (by taking coursework or by passing the CSET in Physical Education) you will need to take a methods course in that subject area (EDSS 450P for Physical Education at CSULB). You CANNOT enroll in EDSS 450P without having met the subject matter program requirements (Specific Degree in that Subject area or CSET Passing Results for all three parts of the CSET PE examination). You will be permitted to enroll in EDSS 450P if there are seats available for this course. For the past 2 years (2019-2021) there has been 1 section of EDSS 450P offered in the Fall and 2 sections in the Spring. Therefore if you cannot enroll in a Fall section, you'd be able to enroll in one of the two sections offered in the Spring.
After passing EDSS 450P (methods course in physical education at CSULB) you can then apply to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing for an added authorization to teach Physical Education.
See CTC web site link below.
For individuals with a multiple subject or single subject credentials, the added authorization to teach physical education in California is obtained by first, passing all parts of the CSET (physical education) and then taking a methods course (EDSS 450P - Wed evenings) and passing that course. Multiple subject credential holders must pass all parts of the CSET prior to enrolling in EDSS 450P. In the past we have offered 1 section of EDSS 450P in the Fall and 1/2 sections in the Spring (depending upon enrollment needs).
See CTC web site link below.
Sometimes students enter our program while already teaching on an emergency permit, or begin teaching on the emergency permit while still in the program. While our preference would certainly be for you to earn a credential before entering the classroom, we understand that the teacher shortage has lured many people into the classroom before they complete a credential program. If you are already teaching and want to continue teaching you will need to earn a credential. We will do what we can to help you to do so while teaching. You should know, however, that it will take longer, and there may be difficulties along the way. You will earn your credential more slowly because you cannot complete as many classes as a full time student. Most classes are difficult to find offered at times you are available to take them. Additionally, our department has several special requirements for an emergency credential student teacher. We require:
- A 3.0 overall GPA,
- You must submit a videotape of yourself teaching,
- You must submit two letters of support from your principal and department chairperson /
on-campus mentor, - You must submit a written letter explaining why we should consider allowing you to
student teach while employed under an emergency credential, - Your teaching site must be approved by Dr. Williams (reasonable sized co-ed
classes, adequate amount of equipment, a CA framework program, etc.), - You must have 2 full time years of teaching physical education at your present site.
Another option would be to do your traditional student teaching over the summer at a site assigned by Dr. Williams. The Kinseiology department has several special requirements for a summer student teacher:
- A 3.0 overall GPA,
- You must submit a videotape of yourself teaching,
* You must submit two letters of support from your principal and department chairperson /
on-campus mentor, - You must submit a written letter explaining why we should consider allowing you to
student teach during the summer - You must have 1 full time year teaching physical education at your present site.
- There must be an adequate summer sight available and a University faculty member
available to supervise you during the summer. - This option is only available to those who hold teaching jobs for the following fall.
All materials must be submitted to Dr. Williams two weeks prior to the deadline to apply to student teach (October 1 for Spring and March 1 for Fall Student Teaching). All submitted materials will be reviewed by the Physical Education Teacher Education faculty. Dr. Williams will contact you with our decision.
For the academic year 2024-25
e-mail Dr Emyr Williams emyr.williams@csulb.edufor information.
Office hours
Wednesdays 1:30pm-3:30pm in person and zoom
Tuesdays 11:00am-1:00pm (zoom only and by appointment only)
To schedule an office hour appointment go to the following links.
https://calendly.com/emyr-williams-office-hour-schedule/2425
Zoom appointments need to be scheduled 2 days in advance.
From the 405 or 605 take route 22 (7th Street) West. CSULB is located on 7th Street & Bellflower Blvd. Take 7th Street to Bellflower Blvd. Make a right on Bellflower Blvd. Enter campus by making a right on State University Drive. Make your thrid left off State University Dr. Follow the road downhill.. There are metered parking spaces to the left of the parking lot. After parking your car you can proceed to HS2 (keep the administration building on your right and walk through the parking lot. When you come to the gym - keep the gym on your left. You will see HHS1 on your right - HHS2 is after HHS1. Directions to campus & a map of campus. Dr. Williams' office is room #207 in HS2 building. This is upstairs.
