Health and Physical Education (HPE)

Visit the Course Schedule Search website to find out when courses will be offered during the academic year.

Read more about the courses within this subject prefix in the descriptions provided below.

HPE 500 - Introduction to Health & Physical Activity Promotion

Credits: 2

This course introduces key concepts in promoting health and physical activity across the lifespan. Students will explore wellness principles, social and behavioral determinants of health, strategies for behavior change, and educational and public health frameworks. Emphasis is placed on understanding how health and physical activity contribute to individual and community well-being. Students will also examine diverse professional roles and career pathways in schools, healthcare, workplaces, and community-based health promotion and recreational settings.

Equivalent(s): KIN 500

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

View Course Learning Outcomes

  1. Explain how health and physical activity promotion contribute to well-being across the lifespan.
  2. Identify and describe determinants of health that influence health and physical activity behaviors.
  3. Compare behavior change theories used in health and physical activity promotion.
  4. Analyze educational and public health frameworks that guide health and physical activity initiatives.
  5. Discuss how social, cultural, and environmental factors shape equitable access to health and physical activity opportunities.
  6. Explore career pathways in health promotion, physical activity, and wellness-related fields.
  7. Evaluate the skills, knowledge, and credentials required for entry into selected career paths.
  8. Reflect on how personal strengths and interests align with professional roles in the field.

View Course Learning Outcomes

HPE 570 - Elementary Physical Education Practicum

Credits: 4

As a prospective teacher, you will be asked to examine, discuss, and implement teaching strategies learned in HPE 610 - Elementary Physical Education Pedagogy. Sixty hours of observation and teaching in the schools will be expected. As this is a "gateway" course to student teaching or the 5th year internship, it is expected that students invest efforts into the development of pedagogical skills needed for effective teaching.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Prerequisite(s): HPE 610 with a minimum grade of D-.

Equivalent(s): KIN 570

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

Special Fee: Yes

HPE 600 - Movement and Gymnastics Exploration

Credits: 4

This course is designed to enhance the students’ knowledge of and ability to demonstrate, implement, and evaluate the movement fundamentals and gymnastics skills and progression that forms the foundation of preschool, elementary, and secondary school physical education content. The course will combine the elements of movement education and gymnastics progressions to develop a basis for students to learn the fundamentals of movement and how to teach them.

Equivalent(s): KIN 600

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HPE 601 - Foundations of Lifetime Physical Activity

Credits: 3

Why do some people stay active for life while others struggle to get moving? This course explores physical activity participation and promotion across the lifespan through a social ecological lens. Students will investigate how beliefs, environments, policies, technologies, and more shape opportunities for movement. Through reflective discussions and within physically active learning across lifetime activities, students will develop foundational knowledge and skills to understand and promote meaningful and sustainable physical activity in diverse communities.

Equivalent(s): KIN 601

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

View Course Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyze individual, social, environmental, and policy-level factors that influence physical activity behaviors across the lifespan using a social ecological framework.
  2. Critically evaluate barriers and facilitators to sustainable physical activity participation in varied community and cultural contexts.
  3. Reflect on personal experiences and beliefs about physical activity to deepen understanding of what makes movement meaningful and sustainable.
  4. Design and implement inclusive and developmentally appropriate movement experiences that reflect principles of meaningful physical activity for diverse populations.
  5. Apply foundational concepts and behavior change theory to support lifetime engagement in physical activity.
  6. Apply current technologies to promote equitable access to lifelong movement opportunities.
  7. Demonstrate competency in a variety of lifetime physical activities through active participation and pedagogical exploration.
  8. Create and present a project or plan aimed at promoting sustainable physical activity within a school or community-based setting.

View Course Learning Outcomes

HPE 603 - Game On! Playing and Leading Team Sports and Activities

Credits: 3

This active, hands-on course engages students in playing and leading team sports and cooperative games using tactical, player-centered approaches. Learning opportunities emphasize small-sided and modified games that encourage students to explore how strategy, skill, communication, and decision-making emerge through play. Foundational instructional practices are introduced to support developmentally appropriate, inclusive experiences. Students gain knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to enjoy as well as lead meaningful physical activity in diverse team-based settings.

Equivalent(s): KIN 603

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

View Course Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply tactical and player-centered instructional approaches to lead small-sided and modified team games and activities.
  2. Demonstrate understanding of game structures, rules, and strategies across a variety of team sports and cooperative activities.
  3. Analyze how skill development, communication, and decision-making emerge through gameplay in diverse team-based contexts.
  4. Create inclusive, developmentally appropriate learning experiences that promote engagement and enjoyment for all participants.
  5. Plan and facilitate team-based physical activity experiences that emphasize exploration, strategy, and meaningful engagement.
  6. Use formative and authentic assessments to evaluate game performance, tactical awareness, and interpersonal skills.
  7. Demonstrate leadership, collaboration, and reflective teaching skills through peer-led instruction and active participation.
  8. Examine the role of games and team sports in fostering social connection, motivation, and lifelong physical activity habits.

View Course Learning Outcomes

HPE 610 - Teaching Young Children Through Movement

Credits: 4

This course explores the foundations of physical activity for young children, with an emphasis on what to teach and how to create meaningful, developmentally appropriate movement experiences. Using a skill theme and movement concept approach, the course prepares students to support children’s motor development and physical activity experiences in school and community settings through hands-on learning, readings, discussions, assignments, and opportunities to design and lead activities for children. Students will gain practical experience and build confidence in fostering movement skills that promote health, enjoyment, and lifelong engagement in physical activity.

Equivalent(s): KIN 610

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

View Course Learning Outcomes

  1. Define and provide practical examples of skill themes, movement, and fitness concepts.
  2. Explain the need for generic levels of skill proficiencies and how they are used in conjunction with standards and outcomes to build a developmentally appropriate physical education curriculum for children.
  3. Identify and provide developmentally appropriate physical activity and movement tasks based on the observed skill level of children.
  4. Write developmentally appropriate learning objectives and lesson plans using outcomes and assessments to identify learning.
  5. Create a physical activity framework for young children using skill themes and movement concepts to promote lifelong engagement.
  6. Comprehend and utilize technology as a resource to enhance teaching and learning in physical education and physical activity settings.

View Course Learning Outcomes

HPE 648 - Moving Towards Well-Being: Principles of Health Behavior Change for Health and Wellness Educators

Credits: 4

Do you want to help others achieve health and well-being? This class emphasizes a salutogenic approach to examine the foundations of health behavior change across different dimensions of wellness, explores social and environmental factors that can impact health outcomes, and develops the ability to teach others the skills necessary to improve health and well-being in a variety of school, healthcare, fitness, or other settings.

Equivalent(s): KIN 648

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

View Course Learning Outcomes

  1. Analyze how laws, policy, culture, and other factors affect health and well-being outcomes of individuals and communities.
  2. Describe the role of collaboration and partnerships in positively affecting change to improve health and academic outcomes in school and community settings.
  3. Use theories of health behavior and health behavior change in their professional practice.
  4. Use the National Health Education and other standards in their practice.

View Course Learning Outcomes

HPE 653B - Biomechanics of Human Movement

Credits: 2

Principles and methodology of analyzing movement in sport and physical education using principles of biomechanics and physics. Uses videos and field-based methodology to facilitate students' understanding of movement analysis and applying analyses to teaching and coaching.

Prerequisite(s): BMS 507 with a minimum grade of D- and BMS 508 with a minimum grade of D-.

Equivalent(s): KIN 653B

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HPE 655 - Middle School and Secondary Physical Education Pedagogy

Credits: 4

Course content will include concepts related to effective teaching such as: planning, organization, communication, management, modifications, and evaluation. Mosston's spectrum of teaching styles will be discussed in relationship to meeting the individual needs of students. Curriculum models will be discussed in order to show the range of content available to physical educators. Application of theoretical concepts will occur in peer teaching episodes.

Equivalent(s): KIN 655

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HPE 671 - Health Education Pedagogy

Credits: 4

This course provides a foundation for teaching health education in K-12 settings. Aligned with the CDC Characteristics for Effective Health Education, the course builds on previous knowledge of the National Health Education Standards and other appropriate practices while preparing pre-service teachers to increase the health literacy and proficiency levels of their future students.

Equivalent(s): KIN 671

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HPE 675 - Motor Development and Learning Across the Lifespan

Credits: 4

This course examines how humans develop and learn movement skills across the lifespan and how these processes influence physical activity, recreation, and daily life. Drawing on ecological and developmental perspectives, students explore how individual traits, environments, and tasks shape motor behavior and physical activity. Topics include motor development theory, motor learning, physical literacy, and movement constraints. Emphasis is placed on how motor competence supports lifelong physical activity, autonomy, and wellbeing.

Equivalent(s): KIN 675

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

View Course Learning Outcomes

  1. Explain key theories and concepts of motor development and motor learning from ecological and lifespan perspectives.
  2. Analyze how individual characteristics, environmental conditions, and task demands interact to shape motor behavior across different stages of life.
  3. Describe the role of motor competence and physical literacy in supporting autonomy, participation, and well-being across diverse populations.
  4. Identify typical and atypical patterns of motor development and their implications for physical activity, daily living, and quality of life.
  5. Apply motor learning principles to design supportive environments for movement skill acquisition in educational, clinical, and community settings.
  6. Evaluate how physical, cognitive, and psychosocial factors influence motor development and physical activity participation across the lifespan.
  7. Collaborate across disciplines to propose inclusive strategies that promote motor development and meaningful movement in varied populations.
  8. Reflect on professional roles and responsibilities in fostering motor competence and movement opportunities within school, health, and community contexts.

View Course Learning Outcomes

HPE 676 - Adventure Activities

Credits: 3

This course provides for the acquisition of knowledge and skills for students to utilize adventure education methods and philosophies when teaching physical education through an experiential pedagogy. Students will be exposed to adventure methodologies: climbing, orienteering, initiatives, low ropes course and high ropes course. Students will realize facilitation and teaching strategies through peer and practice teaching with local students from Oyster River Middle School in Durham.

Equivalent(s): KIN 676

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HPE 694 - Supervised Teaching in Health and Physical Education

Credits: 6

Students in this course will be involved in observing, assisting and teaching health and physical education classes in local schools as their culminating experience in the HPE major. These experiences will be augmented by weekly seminars whereby issues pertaining to focused observations and thoughts related to teaching and learning will be discussed. Throughout the duration of this course, students will be asked to reflect on the teaching they observe as well as their own teaching.

Co-requisite: EDUC 694D

Equivalent(s): KIN 694

Grade Mode: Credit/Fail Grading

HPE 696 - Independent Study in Health and/or Physical Education

Credits: 2-4

An advanced, individual scholarly project under the direct supervision of a faculty member.

Repeat Rule: May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credits. May be repeated up to 4 times.

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HPE 702 - Health Content and Youth Risk Behavior

Credits: 4

Explore topics related to adolescent health, well-being, and risk behaviors that are relevant in the health education classroom today. Grounded in health behavior theories and behavior change, students explore ten dimensions of wellness: Cultural, Emotional, Environmental, Financial, Intellectual, Occupational, Physical, Sexual, Social, and Spiritual. Students develop a content base for teaching Standard 1 of the National Health Education Standards in coordination with the skill standards as outlined by the NH Health Education Curriculum Guidelines.

Equivalent(s): KIN 702

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HPE 712 - Health Education Practicum

Credits: 4

This practicum provides prospective health educators an opportunity to observe, develop, and practice teaching skills and functional information in health education settings. Students are expected to accumulate 60 hours of observing, assisting and teaching experience in a K-12 school or community-based setting. In addition, weekly seminars integrate field experience with lesson planning, current issues in teaching health education, and an understanding of the professional, legal, and ethical considerations pertaining to health education. This serves as an opportunity for refinement and continued development of your skills and attributes for teaching health education. All students seeking to complete the HPE Teacher Licensure track must have a placement in a K-12 school-based health education classroom.

Co-requisite: NUTR 400

Prerequisite(s): HPE 648 with a minimum grade of D- and HPE 671 with a minimum grade of D- and HPE 702 with a minimum grade of D-.

Equivalent(s): KIN 712

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

View Course Learning Outcomes

  1. Create a positive, trauma-informed learning environment that encourages student growth and critical thinking in health education.
  2. Use reflective practices to improve as a health educator.
  3. Design new learning opportunities for students or other participants that help to achieve identified outcomes.
  4. Apply instructional strategies that advance skill development and knowledge acquisition in a variety of topic areas for students/participants.
  5. Demonstrate the ability to effectively use first aid and CPR skills.

View Course Learning Outcomes

HPE 766 - Middle School and Secondary Physical Education Practicum

Credits: 4

Students in this course will be given the opportunity to spend 60 hours in a middle or high school observing, assisting and teaching physical education classes. These experiences will be augmented by weekly seminars whereby issues pertaining to focused observations and thoughts related to teaching and learning will be discussed. A major culminating "I Believe" paper will be required and this course will be the HPE capstone experience.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Prerequisite(s): HPE 655 (may be taken concurrently) with a minimum grade of D-.

Equivalent(s): HPE 666, KIN 666

Grade Mode: Letter Grading

HPE 781 - Introduction to Adapted Physical Education

Credits: 4

This course covers with the skills to adeptly execute diverse physical activity programs tailored to the specific requirements of individuals with disabilities within K-12 school settings. The focus of the course lies in addressing considerations for physical activity programming and understanding the characteristics of individuals dealing with developmental, physical, emotional, sensory, health, learning, and/or multiple disabilities. This course begins with an understanding of the term disability followed by the legal mandates that define school policy and student placement. Throughout the course an overview of disability will be analyzed with readings that include an analysis of the social medical models designed to challenge the social construction of disability and orientations for practice. Classroom time will also include direct teaching of individuals with disabilities in physical activity settings.

Attributes: Writing Intensive Course

Equivalent(s): KIN 781

Grade Mode: Letter Grading