At a time of increasing concerns about physical activity and health, the MA Physical Education programme explores the issues around physical activity and how to support the development of physical literacy from early childhood, through to later life in the home, school and community.

The modules in the programme will help you to develop an understanding of how we can increase participation in physical activity and how we develop physical competence and motivation at all levels. The programme explores a personal philosophy in relation to physical education, sport and physical literacy. You will study how to lead and manage areas of work in relation to the development of health and wellbeing and how to conduct research. You will also examine and evaluates how work in the field has an impact on pupil outcomes and physical activity levels and how to develop this.

This programme is the only one of its kind in the UK and is supported by the Wales Institute for Physical Literacy. The programme is designed to be flexible to relate to the broad range of different contexts which all contribute to the development of physical literacy. The team of tutors that contribute to the programme are experts in the field.

There is an option to apply for the Wales Institute for Physical Literacy Bursary for the value of full Dissertation fees.

Course Overview

In a time of increasing interest in health and well-being this programme is designed to enable practitioners to understand how they can contribute to this important agenda. The modules explore how physical competence is related to life-long physical activity and holistic well-being. Beginning in early childhood students study how physical competence develops, can progressed and refined into adulthood and maintained into old age. Links between physical competence, self-esteem and mental health are considered in light of the philosophical underpinnings of physical literacy. Theories of motivation in physical activity are explored and applied to physical education and sport contexts. All of the study on the programme is contextualised in the broader field of physical literacy. Students are able to consider their own personal philosophies and how they can support physical literacy in physical education, sport, community and leisure contexts.

The programme is the only one of its kind in the UK and attracts students from all over Wales, the UK, Europe and North America.

Assessment

Assessments are varied to enable students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways. These include, Seminar papers and presentations, Essays, Video analysis and oral lab exam, reflective journal and blogging.

Career Opportunities

Typically, holders of the qualification will be able to:

• Deal with complex issues both systematically and creatively, make sound judgements in the absence of complete data, and communicate their conclusions clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences
• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving problems, and act autonomously in planning and implementing tasks at a professional or equivalent level
• Continue to advance their knowledge and understanding, and to develop new skills to a high level.