Health, Exercise Science, and Secondary Education

Mikaele Iosia, Chairperson

The Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) has granted national accreditation to the Lee University Athletic Training Education Program. The accreditation was granted in July 2011 through 2020-2021. Lee University is recognized by the Board of Certification, Inc. to offer continuing education for certified athletic trainers. All admissions materials, BOC Passage Rates, and student documents can be found in Lee University’s intranet.

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Health and Exercise Science

Professor Mark Wickam
Associate Professor Mikaele Iosia
Assistant Professor Kay McDaniel
Senior Lecturer Pam Womack

Secondary Education

Professors Charles Carrick, William Estes, Eric Moyen, George Nerren and Gary Riggins

Athletic Training

Associate Professor DeWayne Knight
Assistant Professor Taz Kicklighter and Kelly Lumpkin

Disciplines

Athletic Training
Exercise Physiology
Wellness Education (Health/PE Teacher Licensure K-12)
Physical Education with Recreation Emphasis
Secondary Education
Sports Management

The Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Secondary Education prepares students for careers in secondary education, wellness education (health/PE, grades K- 12 licensure), physical education with recreation emphasis, exercise physiology, sports management, and athletic training. In addition to major classes, the department offers a variety of activity, sport, and lifetime fitness classes.

The secondary education faculty work extensively with other departments on campus and the state of Tennessee to secure teacher licensure for students admitted to the Teacher Education Program. All students seeking licensure in a secondary education area (other than wellness education ) will declare their major in the College of Arts and Science or the School of Music. Initial licensure areas include art, biology, business, business technology, chemistry, communication, English, French, history, mathematics, instrumental music, psychology, Spanish, TESOL, theatre, vocal/general music and wellness education. Numerous add-on licenses are available. For a complete list, see the add-on endorsement section at the end of the introduction to the Helen DeVos College of Education in this catalog.

The exercise science degree is designed for students who wish to promote exercise and physically active lifestyles to serve the wide range of audiences from an individual with Type II diabetes to athletes training to improve performance. Our graduates work in diverse settings such as fitness facilities, corporate wellness programs, and performance training centers. Students are encouraged to join professional organizations and seek certifications such as the American College of Sports Medicine’s Health Fitness Specialist (HFS) or the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).

The teacher licensure in Wellness Education (Health/PE, Grades K-12) prepares professionals for successful and productive careers in teaching grades K-12. The program emphasizes knowledge of the human body, self-care, and techniques to motivate all students to lead healthy and productive lives. Students are encouraged (but not required) to become certified in both fields prior to graduation.

A physical education degree with an emphasis in recreation is offered for students wanting to work in various recreational settings. A leadership track prepares students for careers in city and county agencies, YMCAs or on college campuses. A second track focuses on outdoor recreational experiences emphasizing safety, skills, and teaching styles in canoeing, backpacking and several other outdoor venues.

The Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) prepares students for a career as a health-care professional in athletic training. A certified athletic trainer has numerous employment possibilities, including college and university intercollegiate athletic programs, interscholastic athletics, professional sports, corporations and in clinic and hospital-based programs. Athletic training students will have the opportunity to develop applied technical and clinical skills while working with the athletic programs at Lee University and in our affiliated sites such as local high schools, orthopedic clinics, and Physical Therapy Centers.

Lee University’s ATEP is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs through the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education. The accreditation status is awarded through 2021. The BOC Program Pass Rates can be found on the Lee University Athletic Training’s website - http://www.leeuniversity.edu/academics/education/hesse/athletic-training.aspx

The Sports Management degree integrates courses from the department along with the departments of Communication and Business. This major prepares students for sports related industries that include professional organizations, intercollegiate athletics, amateur sports organizations, and community sports organizations. Clinical placements and a semester-long internship are negotiated with the student, department, and placement providers to meet the interests and goals of the student.

Programs of Study

The Department of Health, Exercise Science and Secondary Education offers the following programs of study:

Degree	Major	Code
B.S.	Athletic Training	ATEPR.BS
B.S.	Exercise Physiology	EXSCI.BS
B.S.	Wellness Education (Health/PE Teacher Licensure, Grades K-12)	HLTWL.BST
B.S.	Physical Education with Recreation Emphasis	PHYED.BS
B.S.	Sports Management	SPMGT.BS

Admission to the Athletic Training Education Program

The Athletic Training curriculum is highly competitive. Entry into this phase of the athletic training curriculum is NOT guaranteed upon completion of the preprofessional phase during the sophomore year. The determining factors include the success of the pre-professional experience, meeting all academic prerequisites, completion of the clinical proficiencies and how many students are currently enrolled in the program. The number of students admitted into the program varies from year to year with the usual cohort numbering between five and eight.

Freshman students enrolled in ATEP 199, ATEP 115 or ATEP 353 are required to attend OSHA and HIPAA training to accumulate clinical observation hours.

Students may apply for admission to the Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) in the middle of their Sophomore year. Selection is centered on academic achievement and athletic training experiences. Academic achievement involves successful completion of BIOL 109 and/or HSCI-292 and ATEP-200 (with at least a B), and maintaining an over-all grade point average of 2.75 on a 4-point scale. The athletic training experiences include working under the direct supervision of a certified athletic trainer and completing clinical proficiencies. Applications are available from the Director of the Athletic Training Education Program or online in the Student Handbook and must be completed and submitted on evalue.net by December 1 each semester.

The following requirements need to be met in order to apply to the curriculum phase of the athletic training program. Applicants must:

Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 for ALL course work attempted
Major in Athletic Training
Have completed 4 credit hours of basic college level human anatomy or biology (ex. HSCI-292 or BIOL 109) with a grade of “C” or higher
Have completed a basic college-level First Aid (ATEP-353) with a grade of “B” or higher and have a current CPR card (by American Red Cross, American Heart Association or equivalent)
Have completed an introduction to athletic training course (ATEP-199) and a basic college-level athletic training course (ex. ATEP-200) with a grade of “B” or higher
Pass an entrance exam with a score of 85% or better

The second category of prerequisites is the athletic training experiences. The four requirements are:

Obtain 2 recommendations from a National Athletic Trainers Association Board of Certification (NATABOC) Certified Athletic Trainer who knows the student and his/her interest and commitment toward athletic training studies.
Completion of clinical proficiencies outlined in ATEP 199, ATEP 200 and ATEP 353.
An acknowledgement of the student’s ability to meet the demands of the program-with or without accommodations-as presented in the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) Education Council’s technical standards.
Provide documentation of at least 90 hours of clinical observation.

In addition to the two categories of prerequisites, professional goals and work experience related to any allied health field (e.g. rescue squad, physical therapy aide, etc.) are taken into consideration when weighing athletic training experiences. Students will be notified, in writing, of the outcome of their application. If the application is accepted, the student will begin the curriculum phase.

The Athletic Training Student Handbook is offered online and contains details on these and other policies and procedures of the Athletic Training Education Program.

Once an applicant is accepted to the Professional aspect of Athletic Training Education, the student will begin clinical rotations with affiliated sites. Each clinical rotation has additional lab fees. The student is responsible for travel (no more than 30 miles) to reach their assigned site. Since some high school sites require a background check prior to beginning that clinical rotation, all students must provide a background check as part of their application.

Endorsements

A student in any Teacher Education program may add additional endorsements or licensure areas in Health Education or Physical Education. Information regarding required classes, hours, and Praxis II tests may be obtained in the Teacher Education Office.

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