Physical Education Department
Park Center, Room 1126
607-753-5577
Fax: 607-753-5975

Overview

Inspire today's youth to enjoy the benefits of an active and healthy life. Be a positive role model for people of all ages. Share your love of physical activity and fitness with upcoming generations. Become a leader and advocate for constructive change in the physical education profession by studying for the M.S.Ed. in physical education at SUNY Cortland. Your graduate-level course work is informed by the highest standards, including those of the Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE America), Adapted Physical Education National Standards (APENS) and the New York State Learning Standards in Physical Education.

Choose from the following concentrations:

• Adapted Physical Education (on-campus, evening program)
• Coaching Pedagogy (summer program)

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

1. Identify and design strategies and interventions that support student learning.  They assume leadership roles by engaging in professional activities such as presenting at workshops, sharing data with colleagues, and contributing to school improvement and renewal.                                           
2. Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the school, family, and community contexts in which they work.  They collaborate with the professional community to create meaningful learning experiences for all students.                                                                                               
3. Develop expertise in certain aspects of professional and pedagogical knowledge based on their research and experiences.  They are able to analyze education research and policies and can explain the implications for their own practice and the profession.                                                                  
4. Demonstrate a thorough understanding for the major concepts and theories related to assessing student learning and regularly apply these in their practice.  They analyze student, classroom, and school performance data and make data driven decisions about strategies for teaching and learning so that all students learn.

Program Highlights

Beyond the graduate-level core courses in physical education, you'll explore topics that are specific to each concentration.

Adapted Physical Education  [ADPE]

This concentration offers graduate-level study in adapted physical education, instructional strategies and curriculum and measurement in adapted physical education, as well as course work in inclusive outdoor education, positive behavior management and discipline in physical education and preschool movement programs. This program can be taken on a full-time or part-time basis. Courses are delivered on campus on weekday evenings.

Coaching Pedagogy [COAP] 

This concentration provides knowledge and skills that apply to both coaching and teaching physical education with an emphasis on teaching, research methodologies and applications of current technology. This is a hybrid program that combines online and on-campus course work over three consecutive summers. Topics include lifespan motor development, digital video analysis, sport skill analysis, sports conditioning, principles of coaching, behavior in sport and inclusive coaching methods and programs.

Culminating Experience

When you select the concentration in adapted physical education, you may choose to sit for a comprehensive examination or waive the examination requirement and complete a culminating master's thesis. The concentration in coaching pedagogy requires you to sit for a comprehensive examination.

Environmental Facilities

Take advantage of SUNY Cortland's exceptional outdoor education resources for research, workshops and classes at The William H. Parks Family Center for Environmental and Outdoor Education at Raquette Lake in the Adirondacks. This unique learning environment includes Camp Huntington, the only National Historic Landmark in the SUNY system.

Career Potential

When you achieve the M.S.Ed. in physical education from SUNY Cortland, you'll be well prepared for a career as a physical education teacher or a coach or for positions that combine the two responsibilities.

Graduate Admission

Evaluation Policy

At the State University of New York College at Cortland we seek a diverse and academically strong student body. Our admission policy and practice will not discriminate on the basis of age, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, national origin or marital status.

Required Materials

1. Completed online Graduate School Application - Apply Now
2. Official transcripts from all institutions of higher learning attended to be forwarded directly to the SUNY Cortland Graduate Admissions Office
   Note: candidates for admission must present evidence of bachelor's degree conferral prior to the start of their academic program.
3. A resume, which must include the contact information for three references. One of those contacts must be a public school employee (submitted online with the application)
4. Letter of application indicating why you are interested in the program (submitted online using a recommendation form). A recommendation form is available through the application. 
5. Documentation of initial certification in physical education within six months of starting classes.
6. New York State mandates that all SUNY teacher preparation programs adopt college entrance assessments for admissions consideration.  Effective August 31, 2015 - anyone submitting an application for admission is required to submit scores for either the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or Miller Analogies Test (MAT).

Admissions Criteria

• An undergraduate cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or above (on a 4.0 scale)

• GRE score of 275 (minimum) or MAT score of 375

Deadlines

Fall semester applications: July 1
Spring semester applications: Dec. 1
Summer semester applications: April 1

Applications submitted after the deadline may be considered on a space availability basis.
Please contact the Graduate Admissions Office at 607-753-4800 to check availability.