Healthful Living and Fitness Education majors at University of North Carolina Wilmington are provided with on-campus practicum experiences that prepare them for their internship semester. Additionally, the UNCW Fitness Clinic provides opportunities for students enrolled in PED 415 to work with students with disabilities.
Activities include Adapted Aquatics, Fitness and Physical Activity, Health, and Leisure activities. PED 415 students are assigned to a student with a disability for one-on-one interaction. Assessments in physical fitness, motor skills, health knowledge, and social behavior are conducted. A plan for educational programming in these areas is developed (IEP) and lessons are prepared and implemented to meet the need of each student.
Hands-on training is a central theme in this major. Practicum experiences are embedded into seven courses throughout the program. Students complete the program of study with a 12-hour internship where they are placed into a local school for 15 weeks.