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BA (Hons) Physical Education with Dance

Develop a rare skill set to stand out in your future career. This is one of very few degrees in England to offer in-depth study of both PE and dance, and it's packed with practical sessions for both subjects too.

You'll do sporting activities and dance technique classes in every year of the course

Entry requirements

Three A-levels at grades CCC or above.

Or BTEC triple grades MMM or above.

Or Access 23-45 D/M with min 6D.

And GCSE English Language at grade 4 or grade C or above.

A DBS check is required as is experience in sporting activities and dance.

 

 

UCAS points 96

UCAS code PED1

Duration Three years full-time

Course Summary

This BA (Hons) Physical Education with Dance explores the scientific principles that underpin both PE and dance. You'll learn the methods and practice underpinning effective delivery of PE and dance in school and community settings.

Both the PE and dance elements of the programme are designed to encourage creative and innovative practice, giving you the acquiring the knowledge, skills and understanding to deliver both subjects. You'll learn theory and practice through delivering PE and dance to children and young people in both school settings and in the wider community.

In your second year you carry out a 100 hours placement in a school setting. You can align this with your career aspirations so if you are interested in primary education your placement will be in a primary school setting. Likewise, if you know that you would like to teach in the secondary sector, your placement will be in a secondary school. You may be particularly interested in Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) so there is also an option to spend your placement in a SEND school. You'll do two placements of 50 hours each and you can opt to experience different types of schools.

Each year you will study six modules. Two modules each year are designed specifically for PE with Dance students and the remaining four are shared with BA (Hons) Physical Education as they are relevant to both PE and dance teaching.  To see a snapshot of each module you will study, please scroll down to click on the links.

Why this course at Marjon?

Unique programme that focusses on developing knowledge in both PE and dance.

Numerous opportunities to learn through practice as you work with a range of different children and young people.

Enthusiastic lecturers with considerable experience across a range of related areas.

World class sports facilities including a British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) accredited sports science laboratory.

You'll do sporting activities and dance technique classes in every year of the course.

BOTH physical education and dance within one degree.

Modules for this course

Course Snapshot

“ During the first year you will learn the fundamentals of body movement that underpin all physical activities. You will also learn how to plan and deliver coaching sessions and discover how to self-assess coaching performance. During the second year you will experience dance within musical theatre and explore how this can enhance participation. You will also learn how dance is taught in primary and secondary schools, as well as in the community. In your third year you’ll learn the directing skills to put on shows, and learn about how education engages pupils in schools.”
Erica Eaton-Quinn - Course Leader

Modules

1st Year

Engaging with Learning: Personal and Professional Development
Provides you with the tools you need to produce your best academic work, develops your critical thinking and helps you to move towards your career aspirations.
Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS)
Provides you with a robust understanding of the fundamental movement skills that underpin all sports and physical activities.
Sports Science Principles of Growth & Development
Explores how physical activity and sport can impact upon the growing and developing body.
Sport Coaching and the Coaching Process
You’ll learn to plan coaching sessions, then deliver those sessions, and finally evaluate and reflect upon this process in order to improve practice. All of this will be underpinned by theory about the coaching process.
Dance technique and improvisation (contemporary with a focus on two different styles)
Develop individual creativity through practical experience of contemporary dance technique classes.
Dance, health, safe practice and risk (to include fitness for dance and dance for fitness)
Develop an understanding of how dance can be used to enhance health through participation. Appreciate how dancers can maintain their own health and maximise their fitness for performance. Understand the parameters of risk assessment and safe practice in dance.

2nd Year

Work Based Learning (placement)
100 hour placement in a primary, secondary or special educational needs school where you will engage with both curriculum and extra-curricular activities. This placement can be split to help inform your career aspirations, for example between primary and secondary schools or primary and SEN schools.
Research Methods in Sport & Physical Education
What’s the difference between facts and alternative facts, evidence and fake news? The scientific method. In this module you’ll learn about research and evidence by doing research to produce evidence, and take the first step towards your dissertation.
Learning Theory & the Learner
Develop your understanding of how to plan and assess learning with a focus on the health agenda and its realisation through the school setting.
Planning & Assessment through Physical Activity (with option to deliver health through dance in schools instead of PE)
A consideration of planning and assessing with a focus on children’s and adolescents’ health and wellbeing.
Delivering dance in the school and the community with inclusive practice
Learning a variety of different ways of delivering dance in schools from primary through to secondary, including delivering GCSE and A Level. Explore delivery of dance in a community setting to enhance engagement with physical activity.
Dance and Musical Theatre Styles
Experience dance within Musical Theatre through practices such as jazz and tap. Study, analyse and explore the potential of Musical Theatre to enhance participation.

3rd Year

Dissertation
Overturn orthodoxies, subvert the status quo, or put the evidence into evidenced-based practice when you embrace a quest for new knowledge in the capstone of your studies: the Dissertation.
Pedagogy in Practice
You will be teaching PE lessons to both primary and secondary students supported by keynote lectures.
Thematic Learning in Education
Develop innovative methods of engaging learners with a range of different subjects and concepts such as global citizenship.
Dance and Technology
Explore how technology can be used to enhance dancer performance. Develop knowledge and understanding of how technology can be used in multimedia choreography and performance.
Performance directing others - putting on a children’s show
You’ll work with a group of young people to stage a scripted musical theatre production.

This course is perfect if you're curious about

How can I use dance to develop fundamental movement skills in young children?

Why does engaging with sports and dance have an impact on physical, cognitive and social development?

How can I encourage participation in physical activities in those who tend to disengage?

How can I improve the fitness of my talented dancers and sports performers?

How can I use technology to support performance in both the sports and dance domain?

What might you become?

PE practitioners who have expertise in dance are a relatively rare. You might become a PE or dance specialist in a primary, secondary or a special educational needs school. To work in a state maintained school you will need to follow your degree with a PGCE with PE or School Direct to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). You could also develop a career as a dance teacher or sports coach in a community setting, leisure centre or health and fitness centre.

How you’ll be taught and assessed?

How will you be taught?

Lectures, practical sessions, dance technique classes, peer teaching, delivery in schools and the community, workshops, laboratory sessions and reflective practice.

How will you be assessed?

Reflective journals, essays, practical performance, verbal presentations, written reports,  session planning and reflective evaluations, essays, blogs and examinations.

Course leader

Erica Eaton Quinn

Erica is a qualified teacher, she teaches Physical Education and Dance and is interested in talent identification and development, physical activity and paediatric health and the development of physical literacy in young children.

View full profile

Fees and funding

Fees UK students: £9,250 per annum

Fees for International students: £12,500 per annum

Funding available for this course

 

Additional costs:

 

Lecturers

Frequently asked questions

Q1   Does the course include practical sessions alongside lectures and seminars?

Yes, this is a really practical course. You will often have a theory lecture followed by a practical session to explore what the theory looks like in practice.

Q2   Will I be taking dance classes as a part of my degree?

Yes, in semester A of year one you will be taking the bespoke module, Technique and Improvisation. In this module you will be taking classes in ballet, contemporary dance styles, such as Cunningham and Release, as well as exploring how your body can move in complex ways through improvisation.

Q3   What if I am not sure whether I want to work in the primary, secondary or SEND schools?

This course will be perfect for you as it is designed developmentally.  This means that all the modules you take can be applied to any of these sectors.

Q4   I know I want to teach, but I don’t feel confident yet to plan and deliver PE or dance to a whole class?

Don’t worry, we will build up your knowledge, skills and understanding over the three years to enable you to plan and deliver high quality PE and dance lessons.

Q5   Will I have the opportunity to teach pupils on this course to help me develop expertise?

Yes, you will be teaching pupils in every year of your degree.

Q6   Will I be able to get involved with sports and dance outside my studies?

Yes! We have a wide range of sports teams that you can join to play competitively or for recreation. We also have Dance Society that put on annual production in our Quad Theatre as well as a popular Cheerleading Club. If there is a specific club or society that does not exist, Marjon will support you in creating it.

 

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