Overall health and well-being is closely associated with consistent and sustained physical activity. Due to many competing factors in today's world, many of our school children are less active than those from 20 years ago. This lack of activity is contributing to the obesity epidemic besieging our nation, creating a shorter life expectancy for these children. Therefore, the nation and our State need well-skilled and educated physical educators who can respond to national and state standards by motivating and leading all school children and youth in physical education and activity and guiding them to be active for life.

The NASPE National Standards lists the following to reflect the ever increasing need for sound physical education: Physical activity is critical to the development and maintenance of good health. The goal of physical education is to develop physically educated individuals who have the knowledge, skills, and confidence to enjoy a lifetime of healthful physical activity.

The Sage College of Albany (SCA) PE four year program provides the coursework, skills, and fieldwork experiences and opportunities necessary for well-prepared physical educators. SCA PE candidates complete the majority of the first two years on the Albany campus. The last two program years are completed on the Troy campus Robison Physical Education Center or in the school settings (practicum and student teaching). SCA students and students entering from articulated two year institutions combine as one cohort in the last two program years.

Students completing SCA PE program should consider continuing at Sage to complete and acquire a master's in School Health Education (requiring a student teaching experience) or Community Health Education: School Health Promotion track (requiring a 210 hour practicum). Both tracks fulfill the master's requirement by NYS Education Department. Those PE students interested in either of these master's should contact the advisors for those programs. Graduates of the SCA PE program are NYS certified in coaching.

Once students are enrolled in the program, they are evaluated at the end of each semester. They continuously develop their portfolio relative to the School of Educations Conceptual Framework and maintain their portfolio via LiveText (SCA PE students are required to purchase LiveText e-portfolio program).

Over the course of their semesters at SCA, students must demonstrate that they know and are able to assist pupils in achieving the New York State Learning Standards in Physical Education as well as demonstrate mastery of the tenets of the Conceptual Framework (full inclusion, valuing diversity, knowledge about best practices and reflection).