2025-2026
Health and Physical Education, Bachelor of Science in Education (NEXT STEP Pathway)
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Science in Education, Health and Physical Education Major (Reynolds Community College)
Associate degree
Associate of Science in Education, Health and Physical Education Major
Completing the associate degree will waive VCU's general education requirements.
Program description
The purpose of the B.S.Ed. in Health and Physical Education degree is to prepare students to serve as health and physical education teachers in PreK-12 schools, as well as to serve as educators and leaders in schools and community-based settings. The program will focus on providing students with the knowledge and experiences they need to successfully implement national and state health and physical education standards.
Students will complete course work enabling them to be successful in a variety of learning environments. Graduates will be prepared to work in public and private elementary, middle and high schools across Virginia, with particular focus in urban and high-need areas. The health and physical education program consists of rigorous course work and field experiences that will enable graduates to be leaders in the profession.
Successful completion of the program will result in licensure for health and physical education (PK-12).
Career opportunities
Graduates typically work in public or private school systems, child care centers, and youth service organizations. Teaching in public schools requires licensure. Be sure to explore the certification requirements in the state you want to teach in as they can differ across states. Graduates can also find work with programs such as Richmond Teacher Residency, Americorps, America Reads or The Literacy Lab. Learn more and explore potential career pathways at https://www.teach.org/.
Bachelor-level job titles
- Athletic Coach
- Childcare Worker
- Health Educator
- Physical Education Teacher
- PreSchool or Child Care Center Director
- Recreation Worker
- Recreation Worker
- Teacher Assistant
Contact information
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Guaranteed transfer admission requirements
Students are guaranteed admission to this degree program with:
- Completion of the associate degree
- Minimum GPA of 2.5
- All courses completed with a "C" grade or better
- Following admission to VCU, students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.8 for subsequent admission to the VCU teacher preparation program and a 3.0 GPA for admission to clinical internship
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
- Quantitative Foundations requirement only
Science required
- 5+ additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
- No
Additional tuition/fees
- Yes
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
- Advancement to Teacher Preparation requires 2.8 cumulative GPA. Acceptance to Clinical Internship (Student Teaching) requires 3.0 cumulative GPA.
VCU Major Maps
Transfer major map
2025-2026
Health and Physical Education, Bachelor of Science in Education (NEXT STEP Pathway)
Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Education, Health and Physical Education Major)
| MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING | GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY | DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY | EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS | PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Register for SDV 100 or SDV 101.
- Schedule an advising appointment with your Reynolds advisor and review your Reynolds advising workbook.
- Be prepared for academic challenges in your classes and use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Explore financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Explore the School of Education website.
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Volunteer for service learning or community service projects.
- Find out if you are eligible for the NEXT STEP VCU program.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Attend cultural events at community college and VCU to celebrate diversity.
- Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
- Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
- Consider learning a foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Familiarize yourself with Handshake and explore Career Pathways on the VCU Career Services’ Website.
- Browse careers and occupations related to health and physical education.
- Explore iGrad to look into building a career and financial future.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
- Take a career assessment to explore job options.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
- Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
- Create a weekly and monthly budget.
- Prepare for a career after college by creating a brand for yourself.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Schedule an advising appointment with your Reynolds advisor.
- Meet with your NEXT STEP advisor or submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
- Research scholarship opportunities and explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Be prepared for academic challenges. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
- Research housing options for next year.
- Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU School of Education, consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
- Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
- Check out the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (OMSA) and follow @vcuomsa.
- Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
- Find out about VCU REAL and learn about VCU's REAL graduation requirement.
- Use Handshake to explore jobs and internships that match your interests and skills.
- If your GPA is 3.5 or higher, consider applying for the VCU Honors College.
- Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
- Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
- Explore the types of aid available at VCU.
- Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
Recommended courses
2025-2026
Health and Physical Education, Bachelor of Science in Education (NEXT STEP Pathway)
Reynolds Community College (Associate of Science in Education, Health and Physical Education Major)
| Course | Title | Equivalent course | Credits | Requirements |
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| Year 1 | ||||
| SDV 101 (or SDV 100) | Orientation to Teacher Preparation | UNIV 101 | 1 | Elective |
| ENG 111 | College Composition I | UNIV 111 | 3 | General education |
| MTH | Select one: MTH 154 (recommended), MTH 161, or MTH 167 | MATH equivalent | 3 to 5 | General education |
| BIO 101 | General Biology I | BIOL/Z 151 | 4 | Major |
| HLT 110 | Personal and Community Health | HPEX 1XX | 3 | Elective |
| ENG 112 | College Composition II | UNIV 200 | 3 | General education |
| MTH 155 | Statistical Reasoning | STAT 208 | 3 | Elective |
| BIO 141 | Human Anatomy & Physiology I (Both BIOL 141 and 142 must be completed to transfer as VCU equivalents.) | BIOL 205 + PHIS/Z 206 | 4 | Major |
| EDU 200 | Foundations of Education | TEDU 101 | 3 | Major |
| EDU 280 | Introduction to Instructional Technologies | TEDU 510 | 3 | Major |
| Year 2 | ||||
| Select one: ART 100, ART 101, ART 102, CST 151, MUST 121, or MUS 221 | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| UCGS Literature Elective | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| EDU 250 | Foundations of Exceptional Education | SEDP 330 | 3 | Major |
| BIO 142 | Human Anatomy & Physiology II (Both BIOL 141 and 142 must be completed to transfer as VCU equivalents.) | BIOL 205 + PHIS/Z 206 | 4 | Major |
| CST 100 or CST 110 | Principles of Public Speaking or Introduction to Human Communication | SPCH | 3 | General education |
| PSY 230 | Developmental Psychology (substitutes for VCU requirement EDUS 301) | PSYC 304 | 3 | Major |
| EDU 204 | Teaching in a Diverse Society | EDUS 202 | 3 | Major |
| UCGS Social/Behavioral Sciences Elective (ECO 150, 201 or 202, GEO 200 or 210, PLS 135) | VCU equivalent | 3 | General education | |
| HLT 230 | Principles of Nutrition and Human Development | BIOL 217 | 3 | Elective |
| Reynolds credits transferred to VCU | 58 to 60 | |||
| Course | Title | Credits | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 3 | |||
| Students must achieve a 2.8 GPA to be admitted to the teacher preparation program. | |||
| HPED 201 | Assessment and Technology in Health and Physical Education | 3 | Major |
| HPED 303 | Teaching Team and Individual Sports for Lifetime Fitness | 3 | Major |
| TEDU 413 | Curriculum Methods and Instructional Models | 3 | Major |
| HPED 103 | Lifetime Fitness, Wellness and Nutrition | 3 | Major |
| HPED 102 | Health Education as a Discipline | 3 | Major |
| EDUS 304 | Educational Psychology for Teacher Preparation | 3 | Major |
| HPED 300 | Adapted Physical Education | 3 | Major |
| HPED 301 | Biomechanics of Teaching Movement Skills | 3 | Major |
| HPED 302 | Elementary Methods of Physical Education | 2 | Major |
| HPEX 372 | Survey of Kinesiology and Physiology of Exercise | 3 | Major |
| TEDU/SEDP 410 | Building a Community of Learners: Classroom Management | 3 | Major |
| Year 4 | |||
| Students must achieve a 3.0 GPA to be admitted to clinical internship. | |||
| HPED 304 | Secondary Methods of Physical Education | 2 | Major |
| HPED 314 | Practicum for Health an Physical Education | 2 | Major |
| HPED 403 | Teaching Health Education | 2 | Major |
| SEDP 401 | Assessment in Diverse Settings | 3 | Major |
| TEDU 562 | Reading Instruction in the Content Areas | 3 | Major |
| HPED 204 | Outdoor Education | 3 | Major |
| HPED 205 | History and Philosophy of Health and Physical Education | 3 | Major |
| HPED 200 | Motor Learning and Performance | 3 | Major |
| HPED 202 | Health Education Content | 3 | Major |
| HPED 402 | Becoming a Health and Physical Education Professional | 1 | Major |
| HPED 493 | Field Experience I | 4 | Major |
| HPED 495 | Field Experience II | 4 | Major |
| TEDU 405 | Seminar for Student Teaching | 1 | Major |
| TEDU 452 | Teaching Multilingual Learners | 2 | Major |
| Credits completed at VCU | 68 | ||
| Minimum credits required for bachelor's degree | 120 | ||