BA (Hons)

Physical Education with Outdoor Education

Teaching & Learning

Learn how to become an effective practitioner in outdoor physical education. The course develops your knowledge in a variety of disciplinary areas that you can apply to different educational contexts. This opens up opportunities to a wide range of career options, including working specifically in schools or other educational settings.

The tabs below detail what and how you will study in each year of your course. The balance of assessments and overall workload will be informed by your core modules and the option modules you choose to study – the information provided is an indication of what you can expect and may be subject to change. The option modules listed are also an indication of what will be available to you. Their availability is subject to demand and you will be advised which option modules you can choose at the beginning of each year of study.

What you'll learn

You will be supported in the early engagement in and development of self-regulatory, study, research and employability skills.
Explore the history of Lifestyle Sports and appreciate current trends, issues and practices of this recent phenomenon. Participation in the interactive lectures and practical seminars will introduce you to the uniqueness of Lifestyle Sports and enable you to recognise the diversity of sport cultures and practices existing outside of traditional or mainstream sport provision.
Explore the sociological skills necessary to explore and critically analyse the position and nature of Physical Education and Physical Education with Outdoor Education in contemporary society.
Explore aspects of teaching theory and practice as applied to the three activity areas of Outdoor and Adventurous Activity, Games and Dance. The OAA component of the module introduces Outdoor Activities through practice and theory within a residential setting. It will involve you experiencing a range of activities focusing upon safe practice, group work, environmental awareness and personal and social development. You will consider the concept and application of experiential learning through adventure as a medium for personal growth and as a mechanism for orientating new students into Higher Education.
Gain a scientific foundation for exercise physiology, analysing human movement and physical activity. It will equip the you with knowledge, understanding and skills for developing professional practice in Physical Education and Physical Education with Outdoor Education.
Explore aspects of teaching theory and practice as applied to the three activity areas of Athletics, Gymnastics and Aquatics. You will have opportunities to apply principles learnt in Sport Pedagogy 1a within a new set of activity contexts. The module aims to allow you to reflect upon how the Biomechanical and Physiological Principles (learnt within other modules) underpin effective practice within Athletics, Aquatics and Gymnastics. You will reflect upon how their knowledge of teaching, inclusive practice and each activities techniques have developed over the course of the module.
Gain the knowledge, understanding and skills for professional practice in physical education and outdoor education. Study key theories and concepts within motor learning and control, and explores their application to facilitate learning.
You will be supported in the early engagement in and development of self-regulatory, study, research and employability skills.
Explore the history of Lifestyle Sports and appreciate current trends, issues and practices of this recent phenomenon. Participation in the interactive lectures and practical seminars will introduce you to the uniqueness of Lifestyle Sports and enable you to recognise the diversity of sport cultures and practices existing outside of traditional or mainstream sport provision.
Explore the sociological skills necessary to explore and critically analyse the position and nature of Physical Education and Physical Education with Outdoor Education in contemporary society.
Explore aspects of teaching theory and practice as applied to the three activity areas of Outdoor and Adventurous Activity, Games and Dance. The OAA component of the module introduces Outdoor Activities through practice and theory within a residential setting. It will involve you experiencing a range of activities focusing upon safe practice, group work, environmental awareness and personal and social development. You will consider the concept and application of experiential learning through adventure as a medium for personal growth and as a mechanism for orientating new students into Higher Education.
Gain a scientific foundation for exercise physiology, analysing human movement and physical activity. It will equip the you with knowledge, understanding and skills for developing professional practice in Physical Education and Physical Education with Outdoor Education.
Explore aspects of teaching theory and practice as applied to the three activity areas of Athletics, Gymnastics and Aquatics. You will have opportunities to apply principles learnt in Sport Pedagogy 1a within a new set of activity contexts. The module aims to allow you to reflect upon how the Biomechanical and Physiological Principles (learnt within other modules) underpin effective practice within Athletics, Aquatics and Gymnastics. You will reflect upon how their knowledge of teaching, inclusive practice and each activities techniques have developed over the course of the module.
Gain the knowledge, understanding and skills for professional practice in physical education and outdoor education. Study key theories and concepts within motor learning and control, and explores their application to facilitate learning.

What you'll learn

Develop your awareness of the industry profile and employment landscape in BA Physical Education and Physical Education and Outdoor Education. It will provide you with a range of opportunities to enhance your employability through the development of transferable and specific skills. You will be encouraged to broaden your network of contacts and audit, manage and reflect upon the advancement of your individual employability skills, expectations and requirements to support your development as professional graduates.
Build upon your research and study skills acquired at Year One to enable you to be consumers of research for use across your Year Two modules and in preparation for completing a Year 3 Final Year Project in your chosen topic.
Gain an in-depth understanding of the learning theories and student-centred teaching models that are used for teaching games and sports. It will promote an inclusive teaching and learning environment and cater for a diverse range of learners.
Develop your awareness of the industry profile and employment landscape in BA Physical Education and Physical Education and Outdoor Education. It will provide you with a range of opportunities to enhance your employability through the development of transferable and specific skills. You will be encouraged to broaden your network of contacts and audit, manage and reflect upon the advancement of your individual employability skills, expectations and requirements to support your development as professional graduates.
Build upon your research and study skills acquired at Year One to enable you to be consumers of research for use across your Year Two modules and in preparation for completing a Year 3 Final Year Project in your chosen topic.
Gain an in-depth understanding of the learning theories and student-centred teaching models that are used for teaching games and sports. It will promote an inclusive teaching and learning environment and cater for a diverse range of learners.

Option modules may include

Study the concept of outdoor adventure through participation in a range of practically based outdoor and adventurous activities. These experiences are underpinned by a critical theoretical framework related to the use of outdoor adventure exposure for generating holistic skill development, ecological awareness and therapeutic benefits.
Explore the concept and application of Outdoor and Adventurous Activities adapted to meet specific needs. Through formal and interactive teaching and experiential learning, you will have the opportunity to engage with, facilitate, evaluate and analyse a range of adapted adventure activities. This will include adventurous activities being adapted for access, ability and performance.
Broaden your knowledge of psychology by exploring the discipline of social psychology. You will study key theories and concepts within social psychology and gain the knowledge, understanding and skills for professional practice in physical education and outdoor education.
You will build on Year One's Applied Human Movement expertise and create training schedules to instigate physiological, anatomical or mechanical change. These changes will be for either health or performance gains.
Further develop your knowledge of social theory and its application to the study of physical education, sport and physical activity.
Experience and assess a range of practical activities across the inclusion spectrum. You will examine the ways in which simplified, modified and adapted activities chosen from games, gymnastics, athletics and aquatics, can provide opportunities for a range of abilities and achieve a variety of desired outcomes.
Gain the opportunity to teach physical education to primary aged children. You will also learn about aspects of physical and psychosocial child development appropriate to this age group. You will be encouraged to develop your skills of teaching, planning, observation and reflection through a placement in a school or similar physical education/ youth sport context.
Gain a multi-disciplinary understanding of the role active learning can play in the promotion of physical activity and academic performance in young people. You will learn about the development of the brain and the role that physical activity can play in enhancing cognition at both the acute and chronic level. This basic science understanding will underpin the development and delivery of active learning programmes. Current programmes will be reviewed after which, you will be expected to design and deliver your own programmes.
Study the concept of outdoor adventure through participation in a range of practically based outdoor and adventurous activities. These experiences are underpinned by a critical theoretical framework related to the use of outdoor adventure exposure for generating holistic skill development, ecological awareness and therapeutic benefits.
Explore the concept and application of Outdoor and Adventurous Activities adapted to meet specific needs. Through formal and interactive teaching and experiential learning, you will have the opportunity to engage with, facilitate, evaluate and analyse a range of adapted adventure activities. This will include adventurous activities being adapted for access, ability and performance.
Broaden your knowledge of psychology by exploring the discipline of social psychology. You will study key theories and concepts within social psychology and gain the knowledge, understanding and skills for professional practice in physical education and outdoor education.
You will build on Year One's Applied Human Movement expertise and create training schedules to instigate physiological, anatomical or mechanical change. These changes will be for either health or performance gains.
Further develop your knowledge of social theory and its application to the study of physical education, sport and physical activity.
Experience and assess a range of practical activities across the inclusion spectrum. You will examine the ways in which simplified, modified and adapted activities chosen from games, gymnastics, athletics and aquatics, can provide opportunities for a range of abilities and achieve a variety of desired outcomes.
Gain the opportunity to teach physical education to primary aged children. You will also learn about aspects of physical and psychosocial child development appropriate to this age group. You will be encouraged to develop your skills of teaching, planning, observation and reflection through a placement in a school or similar physical education/ youth sport context.
Gain a multi-disciplinary understanding of the role active learning can play in the promotion of physical activity and academic performance in young people. You will learn about the development of the brain and the role that physical activity can play in enhancing cognition at both the acute and chronic level. This basic science understanding will underpin the development and delivery of active learning programmes. Current programmes will be reviewed after which, you will be expected to design and deliver your own programmes.

What you'll learn

Undertake an extended and largely independent piece of work that demonstrates research skills, critical thinking, and an awareness of ethical methodological approaches to study. You are provided with a choice of project types that reflect the key knowledge, skills and attributes of graduate careers associated with your course.
Advance your knowledge of two teaching models, Sport Education and Cooperative Learning, within practical contexts. You will consider the learning theories that underpin these models, and apply these theoretical principles in practice.
Undertake an extended and largely independent piece of work that demonstrates research skills, critical thinking, and an awareness of ethical methodological approaches to study. You are provided with a choice of project types that reflect the key knowledge, skills and attributes of graduate careers associated with your course.
Advance your knowledge of two teaching models, Sport Education and Cooperative Learning, within practical contexts. You will consider the learning theories that underpin these models, and apply these theoretical principles in practice.

Option modules may include

Learn experientially within an outdoor residential setting, as you develop the skills required to plan, deliver and evaluate teaching and learning within a residential programme. Through directed learning and in-field experiential tasks, you will critically evaluate the use of the outdoors as a mechanism for personal growth and holistic development of a variety of client groups.
Develop leadership skills that can be applied within and beyond this module, specifically in outdoors settings. This module will teach you how to lead and contribute to a team in a range of environments. You'll undertake an adventurous journey for a minimum of three days and 2 nights, using the skills and abilities of your group to complete your activities. You'll also explore and evaluate a range of leadership and teamwork theories through practical involvement across a range of settings.
Apply a critical lens to the tools for analysing human movement, and use this to form the basis of an intervention focused upon developing health or performance.
Gain a socio-cultural understanding of the nature of contemporary policy and practice in physical education and youth sport. You will engage with the critical evaluation and analysis of physical education and youth sport within schools and the broader community.
Apply learned theory and principles of applied psychology, including the identification of a range of valid solutions to complex problems in the area of physical education, outdoor education and health and reflect on the appropriateness of theory, practice and outcomes. Through directed learning, autonomous work and collaborative learning, you will critically evaluate the use of psychology for the holistic development of a variety of client groups.
Develop your understanding and awareness of the role of physical activity for at risk populations. You will experience physical activity and how it might support various at risk populations and develop your critical understanding of how to design, implement and evaluate interventions.
Gain practical experience using the wide network of Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) schools available through a strong network of partnerships built over many years. You will gain the opportunity to assist in schools specifically considering the physical education needs of diverse populations. You will be equipped to ensure students are equipped to consider and meet the needs of those with whom they are working.
Build on your knowledge and skills of subject teaching while having the opportunity to develop your professional practice and ability to critically reflect through an extended school placement.
Learn experientially within an outdoor residential setting, as you develop the skills required to plan, deliver and evaluate teaching and learning within a residential programme. Through directed learning and in-field experiential tasks, you will critically evaluate the use of the outdoors as a mechanism for personal growth and holistic development of a variety of client groups.
Develop leadership skills that can be applied within and beyond this module, specifically in outdoors settings. This module will teach you how to lead and contribute to a team in a range of environments. You'll undertake an adventurous journey for a minimum of three days and 2 nights, using the skills and abilities of your group to complete your activities. You'll also explore and evaluate a range of leadership and teamwork theories through practical involvement across a range of settings.
Apply a critical lens to the tools for analysing human movement, and use this to form the basis of an intervention focused upon developing health or performance.
Gain a socio-cultural understanding of the nature of contemporary policy and practice in physical education and youth sport. You will engage with the critical evaluation and analysis of physical education and youth sport within schools and the broader community.
Apply learned theory and principles of applied psychology, including the identification of a range of valid solutions to complex problems in the area of physical education, outdoor education and health and reflect on the appropriateness of theory, practice and outcomes. Through directed learning, autonomous work and collaborative learning, you will critically evaluate the use of psychology for the holistic development of a variety of client groups.
Develop your understanding and awareness of the role of physical activity for at risk populations. You will experience physical activity and how it might support various at risk populations and develop your critical understanding of how to design, implement and evaluate interventions.
Gain practical experience using the wide network of Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) schools available through a strong network of partnerships built over many years. You will gain the opportunity to assist in schools specifically considering the physical education needs of diverse populations. You will be equipped to ensure students are equipped to consider and meet the needs of those with whom they are working.
Build on your knowledge and skills of subject teaching while having the opportunity to develop your professional practice and ability to critically reflect through an extended school placement.