Bachelor of Science in Physical Education and Movement Sciences

Physical Education is an integral part of the education and training of young people. Sport activities, be they competitive or recreational, are a regular feature of our leisure time. Physical activity has moreover become an integral part of the health preservation and the fitness of children, adolescents, adults, senior citizens and persons with a disability. There is, in other words, a clear need for experts: teachers, sports-technical coaches, movement coaches and sports managers. The expansion of the professional field has caused the term “physical education” to make way for a more inclusive one, i.e. “physical education and movement sciences”. The term “movement sciences” contains the core of our study programme: an in-depth academic-scientific study of the human in motion.

• Bachelor

The Bachelor’s curriculum contains a fair number of biomedical and natural science course units. In combination with a broad range of life sciences, they make for a balanced curriculum. You will become intimately acquainted with the practice, theory and methodology of a wide range of sports activities. In each year of the programme, this amounts to eight hours per week. In addition to individual sports activities (athletics, swimming), we also offer interactive (football, handball, basketball and volleyball) and artistic sports activities (gymnastics, dance).

The first two years of the Bachelor’s curriculum focus mainly on a technical and tactical basic training in the various disciplines. The second year also contains a winter sport work placement. The last year of the Bachelor’s curriculum focuses on how to convey the basic skills you have acquired to others in a careful, systematic and didactic manner.

• Master

The Master of Physical Education and Movement Sciences focuses on in-depth research and professional competencies. Your acquired research competencies culminate in a Master’s dissertation. You acquire your professional competencies mainly by means of work placements. The three main subjects differ in their in-depth and specialised set of course units and two extensive main subject-specific work placements.

The Sports Training and Coaching main subject allows for a specialisation in a specific sports branch in order to obtain the highest possible degree as a licensed trainer, or for a specialisation as general (elite) sports coach.

With the Sports Policy and Sports Management main subject you become well-prepared for positions in policy and management of sports organisations like e.g. sports federations, sports clubs, and municipal as well as private sports centres.

If the current social trend related to physical activity and fitness in a health context appeals to you, then our main subject on Physical Activity, Fitness and Health is the right option for you. It focuses on movement coaching of specific target groups as well as fitness coaching, in fitness centres and beyond.

A Bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Movement Sciences also gives access to other Master programmes than the ones mentioned here. Please take a look at the tab “Postgraduate Studies”.

In the past, a degree in Physical Education and Movement Sciences mainly resulted in a teaching job. Nowadays, however, the labour market has widened to include jobs that are typical of the increasingly professionalised world of sports, as well as the recreation and leisure sectors. Examples are: sports officials in municipal sports centres, managers of private sports and recreation centres, PhysEd teacher-animators in holiday resorts or large companies; trainers at sports clubs or sports associations, commercial positions in companies focusing on sports-related products.

A considerable number of our graduates continue in movement science research. Many of them find employment in the business world (ergonomics, commercial positions, ...).

Even in positions that are not at first sight a logical continuation of the programme, our graduates are appreciated for their academic training, their perseverance, their flexibility and their social skills. The assets described above make for graduates who can take on responsibilities individually or in a team, and who are able to communicate appropriately in a multidisciplinary and broad social context.

Consult our brochure on career possibilities(in Dutch).