PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER EDUCATION (PETE)
Become a physical education teacher educator.
Welcome
The Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE) is a concentration within the Kinesiology Ph.D. program. Within the PETE Ph.D. concentration, students can specialize in adapted physical education and general physical education pedagogy. The foundation of our strong pedagogical curriculum is instructional models. Coursework focuses on models of teacher education, supervision in teacher education, teaching and learning in health, physical education and adapted physical education, research methods and design, and statistics. Students have the opportunity to pursue additional courses to support their studies in PETE including but not exclusively in areas of technology in education, special education, coaching, motor learning and development, or sport and exercise psychology.
Using a scaffolded approach, students gain critical research experience and skills with personal mentoring with faculty in many different areas such as but not limited to adapted physical education, disability sport, teaching effectiveness and student learning across different instructional modalities, health related fitness assessment and integration of digital technology in physical education teaching and learning before identifying, developing and completing independent research for publication. Students will gain experience writing practitioner-related papers for the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, Strategies, or Palaestra, and independent research studies throughout the program including the successful completion of a comprehensive exam and dissertation.

Focus on Training to be a Scholar and an Educator
Nationally Recognized Faculty: Students in the program will receive training and mentorship from faculty who are nationally and internationally recognized for their work in adapted physical education and disability sport, Instructional innovation in research online teaching and learning in physical education, assessment and use of AI in teaching and learning in physical education.
Practical and Research Experience: Students work one-on-one in a supportive mentoring relationship with a faculty member. Students gain experience writing papers for publication, presenting research at regional, national, and international conferences, presenting professional development workshops to inservice health and physical education teachers, and practicum opportunities teaching and coaching in K-12 school settings.
College Teaching Experience: Students gain experience as the instructor of record developing course content, teaching, creating assignments and assessing students in undergraduate classes. Our students also will supervise student teachers in elementary and secondary school placements supporting the professional development of pre-service teachers.
Professional Service: Our students assume leadership positions within the Department of Kinesiology and Health, the College of Education and Human Development, the community, as peer reviewers of manuscripts submitted for publication to professional journals, and in leadership positions with national professional organizations.
Time to Degree Completion: Our program is designed to take four years. Students are engaged in research and/or teaching starting their first semester in the program. While research expectations are ongoing, the first two years are primarily spent completing coursework within HPE, statistics and measurement, and a minor area of the student’s interest. Upon completion of the coursework, students will present and submit two original student-initiated research papers for their qualifying exams for peer review. The dissertation concludes the program.
Job Placement: Our students find positions as assistant professors in universities, in federal departments of education, and in private industry across the USA and internationally (see the Alumni section).
PHYSICAL EDUCATION RESEARCH FACULTY
Deborah Shapiro
Professor
Undergraduate program coordinator Health and Physical Education program
Research Focus:
- Professional preparation for teachers on inclusion of students with disabilities
- Professional preparation for coaching athletes with disabilities
- Infusion of disability sport in sport management curriculum
Awards:
- Hollis Fait Scholarly Contribution Award,
- William A. Hillman Distinguished Service Award
- ASPIRE award for advocacy

Xiaolu Liu, Ph.D.
Xiaolu Liu
Assistant Professor of Health and Physical Education
Research Focus:
- Physical education teacher preparation for assessment literacy
- Integrating computational thinking and artificial intelligence (AI) literacy into teacher preparation
- Prepare effective and digitally competent physical educators
Awards:
- ICSPAH Outstanding Early Career Research Award

Rachel Gurvitch, PH.D.
Rachel Gurvitch
Associate Professor
Graduate program coordinator of the Health and Physical Education program
Research Focus:
- Teaching effectiveness across different instructional modalities
- Examinations of instructors’ intentions and students’ perceptions towards learning within online instructional settings
- Examination of LMS design and implementation data
- The implication of Cognitive Load Theory on the instructional and learning process
- Examines the impact of teachers’ wellness programs on their instructional effectiveness in school
AREAS OF FOCUS
Teacher Wellness Programming
PETE Doctoral Students
Andrew Corbett is a doctoral student in the Psychology of Physical Activity concentration. Andrew works as an Exercise Physiologist at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Andrew’s research focuses on adaptive sports and sport, exercise, and performance psychology. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) with the National Strength and Conditioning Association and a Certified Mental Performance Consult (CMPC) with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology.
Wellington deLuna is a doctoral student in the PETE concentration with a specialization in adapted physical education. Wellington is a former high school physical education teacher in Puerto Rico and head coach of the Puerto Rican men’s goalball team. Wellington’s research line focuses on social-emotional learning and children with disabilities. Wellington has his Master’s degree in Special Education from a university in Puerto Rico and is funded to pursue a Ph.D. through a doctoral training grant by the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services.
Angela Carmon is a doctoral student in the Physical Education Teacher Education concentration. Angela also teaches as a clinical instructor in the program. Angela’s area of research focuses on the use of AI in teacher preparation. Angela is a certified K-12 health and physical education teacher in Georgia with 24 years of K-12 teaching experience at the elementary, middle and secondary level in health and physical education.
Program Alumni
Gicheol Kim, PhD – Assistant Professor, University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse
Andy Yao – Assistant Professor; San Francisco State University
Marcel Lima – Clinical Assistant Professor, Georgia State University
Myungha Sur – Assistant Professor; University of Wisconsin- Whitewater
Hyokju Maeng – Assistant Professor: Eastern New Mexico University
Funding Opportunities
Graduate Assistantship Opportunities in PETE
An admitted doctoral student’s education can be supported by one of three types of assistantships: Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) or Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) or a Dean’ Research Doctoral Fellowship.
Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA). Admitted students can be assigned an undergraduate class to teach either face to face or online. Classes are assigned based on a student’s background, area of expertise, program needs, and English written and oral fluency (for foreign students). Students receiving a GTA will receive a tuition waiver. As long as a student has a GTA, they will not have to pay in state or non-out of state tuition. Students are still responsible each semester for fees (e.g., recreation, athletics, technology). In addition to the tuition waiver, students also receive a small teaching stipend each semester. Students on a GTA are encouraged to seek a university approved teaching certificate through the Center for Teaching, Learning and Online Education (CETLOE).
The following is a list of Coaching, Health and Physical Education undergraduate classes that may be taught by a doctoral student.
KH 2130 Introduction to Kinesiology and Health
KH 2122 Applied Health and Wellness
KH 2211 Movement Sciences for the Practitioner
KH 3010 Skill Themes and Movement Concepts
KH 3040 Net Wall Games
KH 3030 Invasion Games
KH 3090 Strength and Conditioning for Teaching and Coaching
KH 3360 Disability Sport and Physical Activity
KH 3375 Safety and Injury Prevention
KH 3630 Principles and Philosophy of Coaching
KH 3635 Coaching Athletes with Disabilities
KH 4510, 4520, 4540 Methods classes in elementary, secondary, and adapted physical education
KH 4710/4720/7000 Student Teaching Supervision
Graduate Research Assistant (GRA). Admitted students can be assigned a GRA to work with an HPE research faculty on the faculty’s research agenda. GRA funding can come from internal money sponsored by the Department or through funding from faculty’s external grants. Students receiving a GRA will receive a tuition waiver. As long as a student has a GRA, they will not have to pay resident or non-resident tuition. Students are still responsible each semester for fees (e.g., recreation, athletics, technology). In addition to the tuition waiver, students on a GRA also receive monthly stipend.
Apply to the Program
If you have a passion for preparing the next generation of health and physical education teachers and want to work in a university setting or private industry, the PhD, in Kinesiology with a concentration in Physical Education Teacher Education program may be right for you.
To apply to the program you will need to meet the following prerequisites
Required:
- Hold a K-12 teaching certificate
- Hold a Master’s degree in health and physical education or a related field
Recommended
- 1 or more years of part-time or full-time K-12 health and physical education teaching experience
Steps in the Application Process
- Review the information on the research team and research tabs to identify a professor whose work aligns with your research interests.
- Email the respective professor(s) to inquire about openings in the PhD Program.
- Set up a virtual meeting with the respective faculty before applying to the program.
- Apply to the program.
Part-time PhD Students
A selected number of PhD students will be admitted to the PETE program on a part-time basis. Priority will be given to students living in the Metro Atlanta Area and the state of Georgia.
Contact Us
Deborah Shapiro, Ph.D.
Rachel Gurvitch Ed.D
Physical Education Teacher Education (PETE)
Georgia State University Sports Arena
125 Decatur St. SE, Suite 137
Atlanta, GA 30303