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The physical and health education programs, along with the developmental/adapted physical education (DAPE) and the coaching certification program, make up the KinTeach graduate program. This program includes both initial and additional licensure programs for individuals with bachelor's degrees who want to become licensed teachers. These graduate-level programs provide rigorous, professional teacher preparation in accordance with the Minnesota Standards for Effective Practice for Teachers and the Content Standards adopted by the Minnesota Board of Teaching. KinTeach students enter a 12-15 month program integrating educational theory with classroom practice. An extended student teaching experience in local districts creates a strong experiential base on which to apply the principles and methods learned in University classes. An important advantage of this program is its cohort nature. Students are accepted into the program as a single cohort each year, beginning classes in June and continuing through June, July, or August of the following year (depending on individual course loads throughout the year). Throughout their student teaching, pre-service teachers work closely with experienced teachers, observing firsthand the daily rewards and challenges of the profession. After completing a total of 30 semester credits that can be applied to the M.Ed. degree, students are awarded the M.Ed. degree in applied kinesiology. The KinTeach program has a reputation of excellence and is respected by our many local districts that host our student teachers. The rigorous nature of the program consistently graduates teachers who are adaptive thinkers and who are prepared to face the challenges of all populations in our schools.

"Our societal struggle with obesity is a very complicated problem to solve--one that is not as simple as eating less and exercising more," said Matt Vollum, KinTeach Program Coordinator. "There are varied subjects that are involved in aiding our obesity problem, including physiology, nutrition, psychology, sociology, family, environment and community. Our graduates seek out positions where they can have an impact on all of these areas, thus making a strong impact on our youth."

The Recreation, Park, and Leisure Studies (RPLS) program is a dynamic undergraduate program designed to prepare students to enter a professional career in a field that provides individuals, families, and communities the opportunity to develop happy, healthy, and satisfying lifestyles. This holistic approach allows us to examine many disciplines as we explore the motivation of individuals within the four domains of physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development across the lifespan--and how people use recreation and leisure in their lives.

This program is designed to provide a strong academic foundation, while using an experiential approach to provide students with the skillsets they will need outside of the classroom in order to move into their career. Field trips, service learning, volunteering, and internships all provide a practical learning environment as students work with professionals in the field. Currently, there are two faculty-led study abroad options to Kenya and Costa Rice, with the goal of adding additional experiences to the program.

Two focus areas, Recreation Administration and Outdoor Recreation, are offered to allow students to individually design their coursework based on their interests and career goals under the guidance of faculty advisers. This approach affords flexibility and specialization within the program.

The Outdoor Recreation focus area is delivered as an immersion semester. This unique program allows students to become fully involved in the Outdoor Recreation experience. Students will study, explore, engage, and learn along with a small cohort of fellow students, allowing for an in-depth immersive experience with a carefully planned curriculum that progressively builds throughout the semester. Hands-on, skill-building opportunities are incorporated into every course. The immersion semester begins with an international experience and ends with a week of leadership development at the beautiful Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. Students work side by side with outdoor professionals in a directed study project to gain valuable experience and insight into the field and network with other professionals.

The RPLS program is also proud to present the popular Gopher Adventure Race. This exciting event, open to students, staff, faculty and alumni, and is planned and operated by seven recreation classes as a unique academic learning tool. As students progress through their coursework, they work on different components of the event in order to have an overall comprehensive learning experience by the completion of the program. What are you waiting for? Get involved! Get Outside!