Whether you're considering a teaching career or have set your sights on a job in recreation or sports management, public relations or in the allied health field, we have a program to fit your needs.

Teacher Certification programs
Non-teaching programs
Admission Criteria

Physical education majors may chose between two certification programs:
  • Physical Education and Health - Certifies graduates to teach health and physical education to children in kindergarten through high school, and qualifies them for a New York State coaching license.
  • Physical Education - Certifies graduates to teach physical education in grades K through 12.
All students participate in continuous and extensive clinical and laboratory experiences at Canisius and in the public schools. They do in-school observations, micro teaching, tutoring, and small-group instruction.

Both programs end with a 14-week student teaching experience in the public schools. Each student teacher is given the opportunity to take on the role of a full-time teacher in elementary and high school classrooms and gymnasium settings.

Physical Education majors who wish to pursue a career other than teaching have two options:
  • A major in physical education with a minor in sports psychology
  • A major in physical education with a concentration in sport administration
In each program the student must combine the elected minor with the 12 courses in the Physical Education core.

The sports psychology minor provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of sports, physical activity, exercise and health psychology, and coaching. It prepares students for a vareity of professional careers in coaching or sports psychology, or graduate school.

The sport administration concentration prepares students for positions in recreation or management of sports sports or fitness facilities. Students will also find opportunities in sports marketing, public relations and promotion.

Students seeking admission to the Physical Education program must be approved by the faculty at the successful completion of freshman year.  Acceptance is contingent upon earning a minimum grade of C in BIO 107 and BIO 108 and in all PED/HED courses taken in the first year of study.  Students who do not meet this minimum standard may not take additional major courses, but may retake courses with deficient grades in order to qualify for acceptance into the program.

Students in the teacher certification programs must complete and attain a 2.5 GPA in all major courses before they will be permitted to student teach.