Health, Physical Education and Recreation

Acting Chairperson: Professor Jeri Engelking
Graduate Program Director: Associate Professor James A. Richardson

The University of South Dakota
Division of Health, Physical Education, & Recreation
Dakota Dome, Room 221
414 East Clark Street
Vermillion, SD 57069
Phone: 605-677-5336
hper@usd.edu
http://www.usd.edu/hper

Degrees:

Master of Arts in Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Plan A and B

Course Groups in Health, Physical Education and Recreation:

Adapted Physical Education
Athletic Administration
Exercise Science
Pedagogy
Health
Recreation

Graduate Faculty

Associate Professor:

James A. Richardson, Ed.D., University of Arkansas. Specialization: Excercise Science.

Assistant Professor:

Timothy A. Mirtz, Ph.D., University of Kansas. Specialization: Adaptive Physical Education.

Larry Tentinger, Ed.D., The University of South Dakota. Specialization: Recreation and Health.

Program Description

This program prepares graduate students to undertake positions of increased responsibility in programs promoting health and healthy lifestyles, athletic administration, physical education curriculum, exercise science, coaching and recreational administration. The purpose of the HPER curriculum is to enhance competence and knowledge, thus enabling the student to design and implement innovative programs in their area of concentration. Advanced study and research, in addition to other forms of scholarly activities, are provided and encouraged.

The program is housed in the Dakota Dome, which was built in 1979. The Dakota Dome is a 400,000 square feet facility and has a seating for 11,000, five tennis courts, 200-meter track, two racquetball courts, weight room, six lane 25-meter pool, football field (in season), and five basketball courts. Offices and classrooms for the athletic department and physical education are on the second floor of the Dakota Dome.

Admission Requirements

Undergraduate GPA of 2.7 from a regionally accredited university or college.
The GRE General test or Millers Analogy Test is required. A minimum combined score of 900 in the Verbal and Quantitative sections in GRE or Millers Analogy Test (M.A.T) of 45 or above is required.
Prerequisite for the M.A. degree is the completion of a teacher preparation program or a minimum of 20 credit hours in the prefix areas of Health, Physical Education and Recreation or related area.
Additional requirements exist for international students.

- Subject to Division approval, prospective students who do not meet all of the criteria above may be admitted on a provisional basis. Prior to moving from provisionally admitted to fully admitted in the M.A. degree program, 9 hours of graduate credit, including EDER 761 , must be completed successfully.