Becoming a teacher
Field experience and clinical practice
As a student pursuing a career as a health and physical education teacher, you’ll complete field experiences and clinical practice. Some field experiences are embedded within the coursework of WSC’s educator preparation programs. Once you’ve completed the initial field experience requirements, you’ll then complete a semester of clinical practice (student teaching) in a school district chosen with the help of your adviser. During this semester, you’ll work closely with an experienced teacher to gain classroom experience.
Learn more about clinical practice
Northeast Nebraska Teacher Academy (NENTA)
Student teaching is a requirement for teacher certification in all 50 states and provides you with critical real-life experience before gaining a classroom of your own. Only Wayne State College adds to this experience through the Northeast Nebraska Teacher Academy (NENTA), a program that allows you to substitute teach as a junior and get paid, all while still earning your degree.
Topics covered
Health and human performance topics covered
- Human anatomy and physiological processes related to activity and training
- Relationship between nutrition and physiological processes
- Physiological systems and their response to exercise
- Anatomy and mechanics of human movement
- Human needs, interests, and performance in the wellness field
- Testing and measuring motor skills, endurance, and body mechanics
- First aid, CPR, and external defibrillator use for non-healthcare professionals
- Weight training, pickleball, bowling, aerobic dance, tennis, and other fitness activities
- Physical, mental, emotional, psychological, and physiological factors that affect growth, development, and acquisition of motor skills
Health and P.E. topics covered
- Fitness and sports-related activities appropriate for grades K-6
- Developing and implementing health and P.E. programs in elementary and secondary schools
- Adapting health and P.E. curriculum for children with structural, developmental, and perceptual motor problems
- Teaching drug education to K-12 students
- Teaching as a profession
- Human learning processes and behavior
- Instructional design methodologies, implementation, and evaluation
- Educational collaboration and equitable learning opportunities
- Classroom management
Student learning outcomes
Health and physical education
- Demonstrate competence in various motor skills.
- Design short and long-term plans that are linked to program and instructional goals.
- Demonstrate effective instructional cues for teaching physical skills.
Education programs
Teacher candidates who successfully complete an education preparation program at Wayne State will be able to:
- Create environments that support individual and collaborative learning using knowledge of how students grow and develop, along with individual differences and diverse cultures. (InTASC Standards 1-3)
- Plan for instruction by applying content knowledge, a variety of instructional strategies, and multiple methods of assessment to connect concepts for learners in real-world applications. (InTASC Standards 4-8)
- Engage in ongoing professional learning and use evidence to reflect on and adapt practice to meet the needs of each learner. (InTASC Standard 9)
- Seek leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with stakeholders, and to advance the profession. (InTASC Standard 10)
Admission to Wayne State College does not guarantee entry into its educator preparation programs. Students planning to pursue professional education must undergo a background check along with meeting other requirements (benchmarks) and advance through three levels of preparation required to become a teacher.
Level One - Preparing for Teacher Candidacy
In this level, students apply for educator preparation and complete some of the preliminary coursework of the program. Students will need to pass an initial background check as well. View all Level One benchmarks.
Level Two - Preparing for Clinical Practice
In Level Two, students will prepare for student teaching by passing the required courses, meeting evidence to show their readiness, and pass a complete background check. View all Level Two benchmarks.
Level Three - Clinical Practice
Level Three is the final level and includes the successful completion of clinical practice and meeting the degree requirements for graduation from Wayne State. Students will also register to take the Praxis Exam. Passing the Praxis Exam is not a graduation requirement; however, it is required to earn a teaching license for the state in which you want to teach. View all Level Three benchmarks.
Teacher certification
After successfully completing a teacher education program at Wayne State, you’ll submit your application to become a licensed teacher in Nebraska.
State licensure disclosure
Wayne State's Health and Physical Education program is designed to prepare students for teacher licensure or certification in Nebraska. It has not been determined if these programs meet requirements for all other states.
If you are planning to pursue professional licensure or certification in a state other than Nebraska, it is strongly recommended that you contact the appropriate licensing entity in that state to seek information and guidance regarding licensure or certification requirements before beginning an academic program.
Health and P.E. Education Licensure Disclosure for All States About State Authorization and Licensure
Graduates with a degree in Health and Physical Education teach in schools using the skills they learned while at Wayne State College.
Jobs of recent graduates:
- Health and P.E. Teacher – David City Public Schools (David City, Neb.)
- Health and P.E. Teacher (middle school) – Gretna Public Schools (Gretna, Neb.)
- Health and P.E. Teacher – South Sioux Community Schools (South Sioux City, Neb.)
- Health Teacher – Bennington Public Schools (Bennington, Neb.)
- Kids Club Site Director – Elkhorn Public Schools (Elkhorn, Neb.)
- P.E. and Social Studies Teacher – Emerson Public Schools (Emerson, Neb.)
- P.E. Teacher – Columbus Public Schools (Columbus, Neb.)
- P.E. Teacher – Fremont Public Schools (Fremont, Neb.)
- P.E. Teacher (high school) – Millard Public Schools (Omaha, Neb.)
- P.E. Teacher (high school) – Omaha Public Schools (Omaha, Neb.)
- P.E. Teacher (elementary) – Lincoln Public Schools (Lincoln, Neb.)
job or grad school placement rate
within six months of graduation
Data based on most recent
employment outcomes survey
After graduating from Wayne State College, recent grads pursued advanced degrees at the following schools:
- School Administration - Athletic Administration (MSE) – Wayne State College (Wayne, Neb.)
- Special Education (MAT) – Black Hills State University (Spearfish, S.D.)
Approved by the Nebraska Department of Education
Wayne State's educator preparation programs are approved by the Nebraska Department of Education.
Transfer to Wayne State
Our generous transfer credit policy will allow you to get credit for what you've already earned.
- If you've taken courses at other institutions, you can transfer those credits to Wayne State.
- Already have an associate degree? Seamlessly transfer your full degree through one of our transfer pathways.
- Military or veteran student? You may be able to get credit for your military experience and training.
I chose my major because I love being active and helping kids, so I decided to combine both! Overall, I want to help kids become more aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Wayne State College does a great job with providing different activities for students to meet one another such as intramurals, clubs, sports, events, fitness, etc. I have become friends with other students and professors. I like how the campus is small enough that professors remember you by name, and they care about your life outside of classes.
Ashten Gibson
Wayne, Nebraska
Major: Health and Physical Education (PK-12), Coaching (7-12)
I chose my major because I love being active and helping kids, so I decided to combine both! Overall, I want to help kids become more aware of the importance of a healthy lifestyle. Wayne State College does a great job with providing different activities for students to meet one another such as intramurals, clubs, sports, events, fitness, etc. I have become friends with other students and professors. I like how the campus is small enough that professors remember you by name, and they care about your life outside of classes.
Ashten Gibson
Wayne, Nebraska
Major: Health and Physical Education (PK-12), Coaching (7-12)
Department faculty
Barbara Engebretsen, Ph.D.
Professor
Dr. Barbara Engebretsen is an exercise science and public and global health professor at Wayne State College. She is active member of professional and service organizations, including the American Physiological Society, American College of Sports Medicine, the American Public Health Association, and Rotary International. She helped developed the Public and Global Health minor and One Health Studies major.
Dr. Kris Fox is an exercise science professor at Wayne State College and teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in applied human and sport physiology, exercise science, and human performance.
Dr. Cameron Geisert is a sports management professor at Wayne State College. His teaching interests are sociology of sport, sport law, sport event and facility management, ethics in sports, and sport marketing.
Dr. Kevin Hill is a physical education professor at Wayne State College. His academic interests include rural health and sport skill instruction, as well as physical and health education.
Dr. Chad Maas is a sports management professor at Wayne State College. He is a certified instructor for Red Cross First Aid and CPR.
Paul McCawley, MSE
Assistant Professor
Paul McCawley is an exercise science professor at Wayne State College. His teaching interests include strength and conditioning, as well as overall health and wellness.
Blaine Meyer teaches sports management at Wayne State College, including courses such as Introduction to Sport Management, Sport Marketing and Promotion, Physical Health and Wellbeing, Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries, Public Relations in Sport, Sport Business, Leadership in Sport Organizations, and Ethics in Sport.
Dr. Bobby Smith is an exercise science professor at Wayne State College. He teaches undergraduate courses in exercise physiology, fitness assessment and evaluation, athletic performance and nutrition, as well as physical health and wellbeing.
Student clubs for health and physical education majors
Exercise is Medicine - Works toward improving the health and well-being of the campus community
Kappa Delta Pi (Kappa Beta Chapter) - The WSC chapter of the KDP international honor society in education
NSEA Aspiring Educators - A professional organization for all education majors
Student Council for Exceptional Children (SCEC) - An education club for all students interested in advocating for children with disabilities
A Top-Ranked Physical Education Teaching Degree
Wayne State was recognized on College Factual's list of Best Physical Education Teaching Schools, coming in at No. 5 overall in the Plains State Region.
A Top Public College in the Midwest
WSC was identified as one of the top public universities in the Midwest for 2025 by U.S. News & World’s Best Colleges ranking report.
A Top Education College of Distinction
Wayne State was recognized as a Top Education College for excelling in our commitment to educating future teachers.
Accredited by CAEP
WSC’s educator preparation programs are nationally accredited by CAEP, providing assurance that our programs meet rigorous standards of excellence.
