Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science (B.E.S.S.) Major in Exercise and Sports Science (Teacher Certification in Physical Education, Early Childhood through Grade Twelve)

Minimum required: 120 semester credit hours

Admission Requirement

  1. All students pursuing teacher certification must apply and be accepted to the Office of Educator Preparation.

General Requirements

  1. This degree program is designed to fully prepare students for all-level teacher certification in Physical Education as well as provide initial preparation for a potential second certification area; as such, students are required to declare and complete both a minor in Education and a second minor tied directly to an additional teaching certification area. The degree plan below accounts for 18 credit hours within the second minor; certain minors, however, may increase the total number of credit hours required for degree completion. This program does not allow for declaration of Second Teaching Fields. Consult an academic advisor for a list of allowable minors.
  2. To satisfy graduation requirements for teacher certification, students must have an Overall GPA of at least 2.75, as well as grades of “C” or better in all courses within the Major(s), Teaching Field(s), Certification area(s), and/or in the Education Minor.
  3. Students entering Texas State with fewer than 16 hours completed after high school graduation will be required to take US 1100. All others will be exempt from taking this course, but will be required to earn an additional free elective, if needed, to reach the 120 minimum total hour requirement for the awarding of a degree.
  4. To complete the predetermined sequence of courses in 4 years, students will most likely need to attend summer sessions.

  5. The general education core curriculum courses are listed in the degree plan below along with the statewide component code number. See the General Education Core Curriculum section of this catalog for the Texas State requirements and options in the core curriculum, including Honors courses.

  6. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) requires multiple background checks for progression through the Educator Preparation Program. Based on information recorded in your criminal history, you may be ineligible for issuance of a teaching certificate upon completion of the Educator Preparation Program. If you have a criminal history, you may obtain a Preliminary Criminal History Evaluation from TEA. For more information, go to:  https://tea.texas.gov/Texas_Educators/Investigations/Preliminary_Criminal_History_Evaluation-FAQs/.

Course Requirements 

Freshman
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
COMM 1310 (Component Area Option Code 090/091 [TCCN SPCH 1311])3ENG 1320 (Communication Component Code 010 [TCCN ENGL 1302])3
ENG 1310 (Communication Component Code 010 [TCCN ENGL 1301])3MATH 1315 (Mathematics Component Code 020 [TCCN MATH 1314])3
ESS 13103Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0303
POSI 2310 (Government/Political Science Component Code 070 [TCCN GOVT 2306])3PHIL 1305 (Language, Philosophy, and Culture Component Code 040 [TCCN PHIL 1301 or 2306])3
Life and Physical Sciences Component Code 0303ART 2313, DAN 2313, MU 2313, or TH 2313 (Creative Arts Component Code 050 [TCCN HUMA 1315])3
US 11001POSI 2320 (Government/Political Science Component Code 070 [TCCN GOVT 2305])3
 16 18
Sophomore
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
ESS 23213ESS/PFW Major Activity (taken twice)22
BIO 2430 (TCCN BIOL 2404)14ESS 117321
American History Component Code 0603American History Component Code 0603
ESS 23203Minor or Second Teaching Field6
ESS 11001Social and Behavioral Sciences Component Code 0803
ESS 11791ENG Literature (Component Area Option Code 090/094) [TCCN ENGL 2322, 2323, 2332, 2333, 2327 or 2328]3
Minor or Second Teaching Field3 
 18 18
Junior
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
ESS 33293ESS 33203
ESS 33253ESS 33173
Minor or Second Teaching Field6ESS 31171
 H.S. Field-Based Block:9
  
  
  
 12 16
Senior
First SemesterHoursSecond SemesterHours
ESS 43233EDST 43803
ESS 46246EDST 43813
ESS 31801 
ESS Advanced Elective33 
Minor or Second Teaching Field3 
 16 6
Total Hours: 120
1

While not recommended, previously completed courses in some areas can be substituted for the following degree requirements:

2

ESS/PFW Activity/Practicum. Students are required to take three one hour ESS/PFW Major Activity courses in the following specific areas: Team Sports, Individual Sports, and Conditioning. Chose one of the three areas to serve as a practicum (ESS 1173).

3

 ESS Advanced Elective course must be chosen from:  ESS 3321, ESS 3323, ESS 3340, and ESS 4337.