Physical Education

Degree Type: 

Master of Education

Department: 

Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation

Programme Duration: 

2 years (Standard Entry)

Modes of Study: 

Sandwich

About Programme: 

There is a high demand for postgraduates in Health, Physical Education and Sports. Nationwide, postgraduate personnel are needed as coordinators of Physical Education programmes; curriculum and instruction experts in Physical Education and Sports; managers and administrators of sports. With the upgrading of teacher training colleges to diploma-awarding status, the requirement is that all tutors should have a postgraduate degree. At the moment very few PE teachers in the training colleges possess postgraduate degrees. The M.Ed. programme being run by the Institute of Education to upgrade teacher training college tutors does not provide for Physical Education.

An increase in the demand for postgraduates in Physical Education, Sports and fitness in non-school environments has been observed. This is due to the emergence of a growing market for corporate fitness facilities. This is due to the increased incidence of hypokinetic health conditions that require physical activity to prevent or manage. Most of the existing personnel in this field are holders of first degrees and who need additional expertise in the management of their market driven programmes. Additionally, there is a growing national demand for sports administrators, recreation specialists, sports psychologists, and exercise scientists. So far, there are no postgraduate programmes in Ghana in these areas.

Nationwide, postgraduate personnel are needed to coordinate School Health Programmes, and to act as curriculum and instruction experts in Health Education. With the upgrading of teacher training colleges to diploma-awarding status, the requirement is that all tutors should have a postgraduate degree. Additionally, the introduction of HIV/AIDS as a required course in teacher training colleges requires that personnel be produced to teach the course. Meanwhile, an M.Ed. programme being run by the Institute of Education to upgrade teacher training college tutors does not provide for Health Education.

Although the department is currently running diversified MPhil programmes that meet the qualitative manpower needs of the nation, the academic nature and residential requirement of the programme does not meet the needs of most practicing professionals within the Ghana Education Service. For instance, district and regional coordinators of physical education programme are unable to leave their posts on study leave even if the study leave could be obtained. Indeed, the majority of students enrolling in the MPhil programmes do not obtain study leave and a number of them have had to shuttle between programme and work.

In the light of the foregoing, the department proposed a professional M.Ed. sandwich programme to supplement the regular MPhil programmes. This will help to reduce the problems listed above and also enable the department to respond more quickly to the rising demand for postgraduates in physical education and sports.

 

Target Groups

The following categories of personnel, or those aspiring for such positions, will find this programme useful.

  • Physical Education coordinators
  • School health programme coordinators
  • Physical Education tutors in teacher training colleges
  • Teachers of the HIV/AIDS course in teacher training colleges
  • Physical Education teachers

Entry Requirements: 

Candidates who apply for the M.Ed. programme should meet requirement 1 in addition to 2 or 3

  1. Must be a professionally trained teacher
  2. Must have a good first degree in a health or physical education and a minimum of 2 years’ experience in teaching.
  3. Must have a good first degree but not in health or physical education and minimum of 3 years’ experience in a physical education related job.

Goal / Aim / Objectives: 

The goals of the M.Ed. programme are to:

  1. Produce qualified, competent and confident health, physical education and sports management personnel for educational institutions.
  2. Provide opportunity for specialization in aspects of health and physical education, such as teaching and administration.
  3. Provide customer friendly postgraduate programmes that are convenient for practicing professionals.
  4. Provide quality postgraduate programmes with a high turnout rate.
  5. Generate income to expand and improve upon services provided by the department.

Career Opportunities: 

The goals of the M.Ed. (Physical Education) programme are to:

  1. Produce qualified, competent and confident health, physical education and sports management personnel for educational institutions.
  2. Provide opportunity for specialization in aspects of health and physical education, such as teaching and administration.
  3. Provide customer friendly postgraduate programmes that are convenient for practicing professionals.
  4. Provide quality postgraduate programmes with a high turnout rate.
  5. Generate income to expand and improve upon services provided by the department.

Programme Structure

Level 800

First Semester

EPH 801S: Research Methods in Health and Human Performance
3 Credit(s)

This course is an examination of both quantitative and qualitative approaches to scholarly enquiry. It looks at fundamental designs under each approach and the methodological issues involved. The course is designed to assist students to design, implement and report their research projects. In EPH 801, most illustrations are selected from Health, Physical Education and Recreation.
EPH 841S: Leadership and Administrative Theory and Practice in Physical Education and Sports
3 Credit(s)

The course deals with leadership qualities and skills necessary for administration.  It involves the study of types of administrators and or leaders and their philosophies and theories as applied to physical education and sport.
EPH 845S: Tests and Measurements in Human Performance
3 Credit(s)

Sources of financing P.E. and Sport, i.e government, indirect solicitation, direct solicitation, interest income, sponsorship, and licensing, will be explored.  General principles of marketing and their application to sports will be discussed.
EPH 854S: Sports and Society
3 Credit(s)

This course examines the concept of sport from historical and cultural perspectives. It examines the role of sports in different societies as well as specific major sport events such as school,

African, and Olympic Games.
EPH 874S: Seminar in Assessing Health Needs of School Age Children
3 Credit(s)

Students are taken through the process of identifying health needs of children from pre-school through the teen ages. The course helps students to identify different health needs of students using the broad wellness approach. Health needs will be assessed through the physical, social, emotional, psychological, mental, spiritual and environmental dimensions.

Second Semester

EPH 803S: Introduction of Computer Application in Health,Physical Education and Recreation
3 Credit(s)

This is basically a computer literacy course. It aims at equipping students with various intermediate techniques of analysing and reporting data. The course involves a practical component that interfaces students with extensive use of computer data analysis tools, such as SPSS. It also involves word processing, spreadsheet, CD-ROM, the use of internet tools for research and information (such as supercourse, listservs, and database search), and e-mail. The main emphasis of the course is to explore how teaching and learning can be done effectively with available computer services.
EPH 843S: Analysis of Human Movement and Behaviour in Exercise and Sports
3 Credit(s)

The objective of the course is to help students use both qualitative and quantitative Procedures to analyse human movement in activities of daily living and in specialized Skills in exercise and sport. Additionally psychological factors affecting sport will also be discussed.
EPH 844S: Curriculum and Instruction in Health and Physical Education
3 Credit(s)

The course examines the major theories of curriculum planning, implementation and evaluation, Political, economic, philosophical and sociological implication in curriculum development are examined.  Practical examination of curricula and curricular issues from pre-school to university level are discussed.  The course considers traditional and contemporary methods of instruction.  Emphasis is placed onthe development of interactive learning strategies.  A variety of methods of evaluating student learning are presented.
EPH 846S: Organization and Administration of Physical Education and Sports Programmes
3 Credit(s)

Administrative tasks involving office management as well as preparing the financial budget and supervising expenditures, scheduling contests, purchasing and maintaining equipment etc. Organization will cover competitions, rules and regulations, scheduling, league and tournament methods national competitions and festivals.
EPH 863S: Nutrition, Exercise and Health
3 Credit(s)

The course is an examination of the interrelation between nutrition and health. The course will discuss both macro and micro nutrients, effects of their deficiency or excess, and ways to prevent or correct such problems. Issues will be related to different age groups, occupations, geographic locations, etc.