The Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) program at the University of Memphis is led by a vibrant and productive faculty that is nationally and internationally recognized for its scholarship. We are also highly engaged in our local community, specifically with the local school districts, the YMCA, City of Memphis Parks, and even the Memphis Grizzlies. Our programs are fully accredited by NCATE and the State of Tennessee. We provide research and service learning opportunities for students in our large partnership network. We offer financial support for students and prepare them for numerous career opportunities.

Future undergraduate students have the option of taking the PETE licensure or the non-licensure track. The licensure program prepares students to become physically literate teachers and coaches who are trained in the best practices of Physical Education and Wellness. There are multiple field experience opportunities with some of the finest teachers in the local schools. And the new Ready2Teach Residency program, which is a full-year student teaching experience, emulates an authentic school year starting at the very first day of school. This superior student teaching opportunity grooms our students to be effective teachers in a comprehensive manner.

Our non-licensure PETE option, the Community PE program, involves some of the same courses that the licensure students take, and prepares that student to teach and coach children physical activity patterns in community settings (i.e., YMCAs, local Parks & Recreation programs, Boys & Girls Clubs).

The PETE graduate program is a research-based master’s degree that builds on the student’s undergraduate experience. Higher level physical education content is focused on, research methods are cultivated, and the culminating experience is an applied project or thesis based on the student’s research topic interests. Numerous former graduate students have published in high tiered journals and/or presented their cutting edge research at local, state, and national meetings.