Charting Your Fitness Career: The Benefits of Pursuing a Physical Education Degree

Key Takeaways:

• Versatile Career Paths: A Physical Education degree offers diverse career opportunities in education, sports management, and wellness sectors.

• Comprehensive Skills: The degree provides deep knowledge in physiology, biomechanics, and nutrition, essential for creating effective fitness programs.

• Community Impact: Graduates significantly enhance public health by promoting active lifestyles and managing community fitness initiatives.

A career in physical education extends far beyond the gym; it influences health, well-being, and community engagement. By pursuing a degree in this vibrant field, you prepare not only to teach but to inspire and lead others toward healthier lifestyles.  

That said, this guide outlines the significant benefits of pursuing a physical education degree, highlighting the personal fulfillment that comes from enhancing communal health to the professional growth associated with a thriving industry. 

What Is A Physical Education Degree? 

A physical education degree is an academic program that trains students to promote and teach physical health, fitness, and sports activities. This degree typically covers various disciplines like biomechanics, exercise physiology, sports psychology, and educational pedagogy. The goal is to equip graduates with the skills and knowledge needed to encourage active lifestyles through structured physical activities and informed health choices. 

The curriculum generally includes practical and theoretical components, offering courses on human anatomy, nutrition, sports ethics, and methods of teaching physical education programs across different age groups. Graduates are often prepared for careers as physical education teachers, coaches, sports facilitators, or fitness instructors, and the degree also provides a foundation for further studies in areas like sports management or advanced health sciences. 

Benefits Of Earning A Physical Education Degree 

Earning a physical education degree in Western Colorado or any other state offers numerous benefits that extend beyond the gymnasium or playing field. Here are some of the key advantages: 

Career Opportunities 

A degree in physical education opens up a broad spectrum of career paths. Graduates can become school PE teachers, influencing young minds about the importance of physical health. Additionally, they can pursue careers as sports coaches, helping athletes optimize their performance and achieve their sporting goals.  

Fitness training is another viable path, where professionals work one-on-one with clients to tailor fitness programs to individual needs. Beyond direct sports and fitness roles, opportunities in recreational therapy, sports development, and corporate wellness programs are also prevalent. This degree even lays the groundwork for careers in sports management, where individuals can engage in the organizational and business aspects of sports. 

Enhanced Knowledge And Skills 

Studying for a physical education degree equips individuals with comprehensive knowledge of human physiology, biomechanics, and the psychological aspects of sports and exercise. This foundation is crucial for designing effective physical activity programs that cater to various ages and abilities, ensuring safe and effective exercise regimens. 

Graduates also gain insights into nutrition, helping them to provide holistic health advice. Their training includes learning about the latest technologies and methodologies in sports science, from data analytics to new training equipment, keeping them at the forefront of the field. 

Positive Impact On Community Health 

Physical educators play a vital role in public health. They are on the frontline of the fight against lifestyle-related diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular issues. By promoting active lifestyles and educating people about the value of physical activity, they contribute significantly to the overall health and longevity of the community. This role also extends to organizing community sports events and programs, further fostering a culture of health and fitness. 

Job Satisfaction 

A career in physical education can be gratifying. Professionals in this field often experience the joy of seeing their impact firsthand, whether it's in the improved health of a student or the success of an athlete they coach. The dynamic nature of this field can bring new challenges and achievements every day, contributing to high job satisfaction and a strong sense of accomplishment. 

Flexibility And Variety 

The field of physical education offers great diversity in terms of work environments and job roles. Educators can find themselves working anywhere, from the great outdoors in parks and recreation facilities to indoor environments like gyms and schools. The seasonal nature of sports and school programs can also offer more flexible working hours compared to more conventional careers, which is a significant perk for those seeking a balanced lifestyle. 

Personal Fitness And Wellness 

Individuals in this field are typically very engaged in their physical fitness and wellness, setting a positive example for their students and clients. This professional commitment also benefits personal health, providing a practical and emotional advantage. Staying active is part of the job, helping to maintain personal fitness and well-being. 

Continued Professional Development 

The field of physical education is constantly evolving with new research, strategies, and technologies. This dynamism allows for continuous professional development through workshops, additional certifications, and further education programs. Professionals can specialize in areas such as sports psychology, advanced fitness training, or therapeutic recreation, continually enhancing their skills and advancing their careers. 

Research And Development Opportunities 

A physical education degree can open doors to careers in research and development within the sports and health industries. Graduates can engage in cutting-edge research related to physical fitness, exercise regimens, and sports equipment or techniques. This not only contributes to the broader field by improving practices and outcomes but also positions graduates as experts in their specialties. 

International Career Prospects 

A degree in physical education can also provide international career opportunities. The universal demand for health and fitness professionals allows for the potential to work abroad in various settings, including international schools, global sports organizations, or even with professional athletes from different countries. This broadens cultural perspectives and professional experience, making graduates more versatile and adaptable. 

Conclusion 

For those passionate about making a difference in the lives of others through physical education, this degree is an invaluable step toward achieving those goals. With its broad scope and potential for profound impact, a physical education degree is more than just an academic achievement—it's an investment in a healthier future for oneself and the community.

4 Tips to Prepare for Post-Grad Life

Whether you’re a student on the verge of finishing an undergrad or graduate education, preparing yourself for the real world post-grad is the first step toward shaping the direction of your adult life. While leaving the comforts of college can often be unnerving and a bit intimidating, it’s a necessary leap for making the transition into the rest of your life. In this instance, setting yourself up for success means beginning to prepare well before you finish classes. As you approach the finish line for graduation, here are some tips to help you best prepare for the rest of your life post-grad.

Build a Network 

Whether you’re searching for a job or already in the workforce, knowing the right people is key and can open many doors for your career. Your network can consist of friends, colleagues, professors, past professional relationships, and more which serves as an invaluable source of information and opportunity for your personal and professional development. 

Building a strong network while still in college will only stand to benefit you in future endeavors. You’ll want to foster healthy relationships and keep in touch with those people along the way as you never know who may be a resource for you. In the same vein, you may be useful to others within your network who might return the favor down the road.

While still in school, joining certain clubs and student organizations can help you to grow your network aside from building relationships with your classmates and professors. As you inch closer to graduation, looking into your college’s alumni network is the next step toward expanding your network. This will allow you to reach out to those who’ve followed the same educational path as you but have since gone in many different directions in the real world. Alumni networks can be some of the strongest in the professional sphere, and people are often more than willing to assist in providing guidance for prospective graduates – even using their connections to help you in many cases.

Prepare Your Resume 

In the corporate world, one of the most foundational aspects of your professional life is your resume. While a proper resume is the first step towards securing great job opportunities, a poor resume can close just as many doors. Keeping a solid, updated resume as you juggle everything that college life throws your way is easier said than done but will go a long way towards a more polished and less stress-inducing product later on – as you may struggle to remember all your accomplishments post-graduation.

There’s no one “right” way to format a resume, but the two essential functions you will want your resume to exemplify should include being informative, while also making you stand out amongst other prospective candidates. To help you get started, a quick online search can provide many tips and insights for college students tailoring their resume. 

Basic elements to adhere to are keeping it to a single page, ensuring proper spelling and grammar and maintaining uniformity in formatting. You can take things a step further and elevate your candidacy by tailoring your resume to each different job you apply for, using your various accomplishments to highlight your fit for the role. Taking the time to prepare an excellent resume will provide you with the confidence to seek better job opportunities while differentiating yourself from the rest of the competition. A solid resume and adherence to insightful job hunting tips are great ways to prepare yourself for the employment market.

Shore Up Your Finances

Regardless of where you lie between your collegiate and adult lives, your financial health remains of utmost importance at any stage. Although each college student has a different financial standing, virtually everyone encounters stress when managing money at this pivotal point in their lives. Aspects such as debt and your credit score will continue to affect your life long past graduation. For this reason, taking charge of your financial situation sooner as opposed to after graduation is very important. Doing so makes for a much more seamless transition into life after college.

A great place to start is by conducting a self assessment of your personal finances. By doing this you’ll gain a much better understanding of your monetary situation and can make more informed decisions about your future. As many in college are plagued with student loans and other debts, this should be a major point to focus on. Set yourself a budget and stick to it, focusing on paying down your debt or in some cases, seeking outside resources for managing debt. Your credit score is also extremely important – not only for while you’re in college, but for the rest of your life. For example, there are certain credit score qualifications for buying a home, approval for loans, car leases, rentals, and more. You’ll want to keep an eye on your credit score and continually look to improve it by maintaining best practices such as keeping a strong credit history and low outstanding debts if possible.

Practice Mindfulness

While the lead up to graduation is an exciting time in every college student’s journey, it can also be a major catalyst for stress and anxiety about what comes next. Your mental health is equally important to your physical wellbeing, so taking a proactive approach toward reducing the effects of this stress is crucial to keeping a healthy mind.

In this case, practicing mindfulness means choosing to focus on all of the positive things in your life that have gotten you to where you are – rather than letting the fear of the unknown dictate your approach to the transition into post-graduate life. It’s important to celebrate your successes and the wisdom you’ve gained along the way without giving much thought to any instances of failure. 

Your graduation from college may seem like a routine part of life but it’s really the culmination of all of your educational pursuits. During this time – remember to relax, be humble and appreciate all of the people who have helped you get this far.

The Benefits of a Master's Degree in Today's Job Market

The primary objective of studying for a postgraduate degree is to gain specialized knowledge in an academic area. This area of study is industry-specific and adds to an individual’s expertise and career credibility. For the year 2020 alone, an Insidehighered.com survey discovered that master’s degree enrolment grew by 2.5% in the US, indicating that more people see the need to upgrade from a bachelor’s degree level. If you’re considering taking up a master’s course, here are some benefits you stand to gain in today’s job market.

Career advancement

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The US job market continues to be highly competitive, and unless you have a competitive edge over others, it’s impossible to break through the crowd. Fortunately, a master’s degree helps you stand out as it offers job seekers the opportunity to take on senior positions in management. 

According to 2018 research, more than 74% of US employers revised their requirements for educational standards. They demand that job applicants have at least one master’s degree in a field relevant to the position applied for. Additionally, even for employees already in contract with such companies, the expectation is higher as they’re required to upgrade their educational credentials with a master’s degree to secure their employment. In some industries, such as healthcare, it’s essential to obtain a higher degree for career progression. For example, if you’re interested in public health, consider seizing the opportunity to get a Masters in public health administration to advance your career in that regard.

A strong professional network

When you enroll for a master’s degree, the people you encounter will form part of your professional network. Usually, master’s degree holders are professionals who aim to upgrade themselves where academics are concerned. Therefore, whether you enrolled for an online or on-site program, you stand a chance to connect with a diverse group that enriches your repertoire as an expert in your field. Besides, having a good and expansive network is a way to thrive in a progressive career field.

Enhanced earning potential

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One of the goals of having a career is to make a decent income worth your while, skills, credentials, and experiences. In terms of academic credentials, a master’s degree puts you above persons without any. On average, master’s degree holders earn $77,844 annually, while first-degree holders earn significantly lower ($65,400). Moreover, with a postgraduate degree, you stand a chance of a 23% income rise, depending on the organization you work for. For instance, persons who work with Fortune 100 companies admit that salary increments tend to rely on experience, employee success rate, and high academic credentials.

Furthermore, especially in companies focusing on life sciences and biology, employees with a master’s degree or higher earn about 63% more than those with a bachelor’s degree, a statistic revealed in a 2019 Georgetown Center on Education and Workforce survey. Fortunately, some companies pay for their employees’ postgraduate schooling. Why not take up the opportunity to secure your financial future with a higher paycheck? A college degree is great, but with a master’s, it’s even better.

There are many benefits to having a master’s degree, especially in today’s competitive job market. As people race to have that essential piece of certification that gives them the needed competitive edge over bachelor’s degree holders, you shouldn’t be left out.

End Of College In Sight? Don't Panic!

College always does fly by in the blink of an eye. So quick in fact that many students are left with that flighty panic as the end date creeps up. Maybe you haven’t got an internship, you haven’t applied for a job, not sure about your finances and you’re just not sure what you want to do. Try not to panic. Everyone who goes to college goes through this period of scary uncertainty. Hopefully some of these tips can help you plan the next stage in your life. It’s something to be happy about, and certainly something to look forward to.

What Did Your Idols Do?

Sometimes, looking up at the people you respect most can really help you. You can see what they did after college, how they approached life and what they did to get their working life up off the ground. It can add some levity to the situation. Especially when you see some may have dropped out, or worked minimum wage for a few years. Whether you’re looking at business leaders like Elon Musk, college experts like Stephen Troese or are keen to follow in the footsteps of your favourite celebrity. Knowing what they did can always help take some of the pressure away from where you are, and can also give some insight into what might come next. The point is that everyone does stuff at their own pace. Don’t look at others and benchmark yourself against them. Don’t let what they do, panic you. 

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Go It Alone?

Starting a business comes naturally to some people. Having that business acumen, the knowhow and the gift of easy communication might see you thrive in the business world. If you’ve studied business in college, or if you’ve decided to focus on entrepreneurship of some sort this might be for you. Whether you’re looking to start a business yourself, go into partnership with a friend or help out with a family business. It can be hard, it can be lonely too. But if you’ve got what it takes, you’ve spotted a gap in the market or have industry knowhow, you can really get into a great position right out of the gate. You don’t have to worry about the stress of getting a job, though of course there are other stresses in owning your own business, no matter what it is. 

Can You Specialize?

You might be at the end of your undergraduate course and not really know what to you. However, if you’ve enjoyed your subject matter, to the point where you want to make a career out of it, you could move on to do a master’s degree, and then perhaps a PHD. It depends what you want and what you’ve got planned. If you’ve done well in your undergraduate degree you might be able to get a scholarship or nursery, even if you didn’t get this in your undergraduate. It’s certainly worth thinking about. However, you don’t want to get into the position where you’re just doing it because you don’t know what you want to do. Only go for it if it’s what you really want.

Annual Trends in Online Education Report

BestColleges.com is an online, college planning resource for current and prospective students. Designed to be the first stop for students planning the next step in their education, they offer information on college programs and financing options.They also offer a number of academic guides to help students succeed once enrolled in school. Recently, they have completed our 2021 Education Trends Survey deep dives into the online education essentials.

For more information, the survey can be found here: https://www.bestcolleges.com/research/annual-trends-in-online-education/

[GIVEAWAY] Get Your Copy of the 1 Page Marketing Plan!

I’m excited to announce a giveaway contest for one of two copies of this awesome book!

I got the two copies of this book a little while ago and listened through the audiobook version recently to get a feel for what this is all about. I very much enjoyed its clear, distilled advice around marketing and building a business. I know this book can be relevant to anyone in higher education as well as those of us trying to grow up our side hustles.

If you’d like to enter in to win one of the two copies, then simply comment on this blog post and/or engage with any of my social media posts about the giveaway. Each share, like, or comment will count as an entry. Tell me what you hope to get out of the book, your favorite movie, or anything else. It all counts! I will announce a winner on this upcoming Friday (11/13).

Thanks for the support as always and best of luck to you all!

Why Are Students So Distracted?

I think that we can all admit, especially now, to being easily distracted.

This especially is relevant when it comes to trying to teach and keep students engaged.

Student attention is the focus on the just released new book Distracted: Why Students Can’t Focus and What You Can Do About it, from author and educator, James Lang.

I’m looking forward to delving more into this book since I’m sure there will be relevant insights about how to engage online students who have so much noise all around them constantly. We need to be able to cut through that in the right ways with the right information in right places. The idea of cultivating attention versus removing distractions feel like such a positive ethos and seems like it would be much more effective. Also, I love that there is a social and community aspect to Lang’s advice here. Getting peer engagement is valuable for so many reasons, so I look forward to seeing what is explored here. I’ve definitely been geeking out lately about the different platforms out there for digital student engagement so this book will resonate for me on that level as well.

You can look forward to more content from me around this book, including a podcast interview with the author in the near future.

Make sure to get your copy now so you’re up to speed on this important topic and let me know what you think of it!

What's Trending? Influencers in Higher Education

A lot of discussion has been happening surrounding influencer marketing in higher education the past few years. A simple search shows it coming up everywhere from Inside Higher Ed, episodes of Higher Ed Live, as well as publications like The Guardian. 

Exploring how to navigate this new marketing avenue can be confusing, intimidating, and tread into some grey areas, but also provide amazing opportunities for institutions.

There are a host of amazing guides popping up out there that can help folks start with this concept, or take it to the next level (see here, here, here, here, here, and here). 

Campus Sonar also gives a great overview of influencer marketing in higher ed, as does EAB. 

Much of this content also makes note of how this type of marketing is proving especially effective with Generation Z students, who have come up immersed in the world of influencers.

The core premise here is anchored by the fact that people trust their peers more than something directly from a brand that is clearly trying to sell them something. This sort of peer to peer recommendation, which is what influencer marketing ultimately boils down to, isn’t anything new. It’s just taking that philosophy and doing it in an intentional way. In the past, this might be more common as word of mouth or reading reviews from others (which of course, people still frequently do). 

While some may think influencer marketing is simple, cheap, and easy, it is not (just like social media marketing). It takes dedicated time, money, and thought to make sure you know what goals you are trying to achieve, and work towards those outcomes in the most effective way possible.

To get some insight into the influencer experience, check out the interview with Angela Maiers, who is a speaker, author, and former educator who also is acquainted with the world of influencers.

Working with student influencers is similar to what many might know as being a “social media ambassador”. Higher education professionals may already dabble lightly with something like this, but going in on formal influencer marketing may require you to pay these ambassadors and bring them in for meetings to go over strategy and performance. You may also need to be competing for these students’ time and wallets, since other established companies are vying for these students’ audience as well.

It is important to recognize those students who are arriving at your institution with a sizable audience to make sure they are at least supported if not brought in to work with you in a more formal capacity. They’ll be making content with or without you, so it is good to at least be aware of what they’re talking about, or better yet, collaborating with you on their messaging and given access to promote anything you’re looking to spread the word on.

Engaging with your student influencers should also make sure they feel welcomed and like they have a purpose on campus. Otherwise, they may feel like school is getting in the way of their content creation and influencing (Wired asks, do influencers even need college?). 

Influencer marketing is a bold new world for most higher ed institutions, but being able to share out authentic stories with alumni, parents, prospective students, and the whole campus community, gives these venerable organizations a way to grow their own influence in a measured way. By connecting with people in a more personal, human way, we can aim to make higher education less mystified and more accessible to more people. That’s something I think we can all get behind.

Reflections from OLC Accelerate 2019

I recently went to my first higher ed technology conference, the 2019 Online Learning Consortium (OLC) Accelerate conference which was held in Orlando, FL. It was my first national conference in several years, so I was excited in general to get back but this was also an opportunity for me to see how something more directly connected to my current work felt. I was not disappointed.

The conference was a decent size, with over 1,000 people on site (and more attending virtually, more on that later). It had people from all over the country and from all aspects of digital education.

Here are a few of my major takeaways:

Parity for All (Almost)

A big difference with this event than prior student affairs conferences I’ve been to (ACPA from 2013-15) is that there was a good mixture of those who worked on campuses and with them. It wasn’t just the vendors, it was those who were interested in connecting with other professionals from the vast ecosystem of digital education. I was one of those people. Our programs utilize a deep and diverse stack of tools to augment our student experience so it was great to be able to talk with folks from our current partners as well as meet with those from organizations we’re considering working with. I even got to see some of my campus based colleagues. Higher education is made up of partnerships with outside organizations in pretty much every functional area. Digital education programs have some of their own unique aspects in this regard, but we also touch every aspect of student support as well. The only thing that bummed me out was that OLC still does differentiate registration price between campus based professionals and those with companies. I’m looking forward to going to SXSW EDU next year which is one flat rate for all registrants, which is refreshing.

Sponsor/Vendor Presence

So following up on my prior point, there was a ubiquitous presence of sponsors and vendor set up at the conference looking to make connections and build their business. There was a lot of interesting tools and organizations to check out, and there was a deep integration of sponsors into socials, programming, and different raffles incentivizing engagement. I feel like higher ed can be a little resistant to stuff like this, but OLC feels like it thrives on making meaningful partnerships with these organizations that partner with campuses. Seeing that this was possible in this way reframed this for me. It really helped to have this funding since the whole conference experience benefitted. There were fun social events put on by vendors, awesome raffle prizes, and even monitors provided for their “discovery sessions” (basically poster sessions but with your computer) so that the audience could more easily view the content.

Live-streaming!

Something else that was refreshingly ubiquitous at this conference that I haven’t seen as much myself was the proliferation of live-streaming for sessions. I know more and more “virtual tickets” for conferences are popping up, but the way it was done for this conference was having people volunteer to be Session Chairs for each live-streamed presentation. They were able to manage the chat and relay questions live to the presenter(s). I imagine this is becoming more common, but seeing it firsthand was new for me, and I appreciated how they integrated this in for sessions and as a meaningful volunteering opportunity.

Overall Relaxed Vibe

As one might expect with a technology conference, this event had a laid back style and flow. There was a lot of different stuff going on at once and people tended to show up in more casual dress. They also served snacks and drinks throughout the time of the conference, which was a nice touch. Since it was held at a hotel near the Disney parks, they utilized those as an evening option for attendees to have fun and socialize after full days of educational content. I felt very at home with this overall experience, which I hadn’t really encountered at any conference before.

I’m very grateful I had the chance to attend this conference. I was also able to present a few discovery sessions in addition to the presentations I attended. I got a lot of helpful context and information to add to my ongoing development in this space. I look forward to hopefully attending again next year as I work to make OLC my new professional home!