BA (Hons) Physical Education with Dance

Course Overview

PE practitioners who have expertise in dance are a relatively rare. BA (Hons) Physical Education and Dance offers students the chance to study both PE and dance within one programme, exploring the scientific principles that underpin both PE and dance alongside the methods and practice underpinning effective and meaningful delivery of PE and dance in school and community settings. The course focuses on acquiring the knowledge, skills and understanding to deliver dance in school and in the community. Both the PE and dance elements of the programme are designed to encourage creative and innovative practice. Students will be learning both theory and practice through delivering PE and dance to children and young people in both school settings and in the wider community.

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 experienced across a range of related areas.
World class sports facilities including a British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES) accredited sports science laboratory.
100% satisfaction for the BA (Hons) Physical Education in the National Student Survey (NSS) in 2018 which with this course shares a number of modules.

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?

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Modules

The following modules are compulsory:

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.

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.