Major Undergraduate

Health and Physical Education


Study mode
Full Time Part Time
Study mode
Full Time
Murdoch code
MJ-HPE
What is a Major?
A major is your primary area of focus within a degree. It determines the core subjects you'll study and the skills you'll master.

Major overview

Become a PE teacher and inspire students to live active, healthy lifestyles 

Passionate about sport, movement and helping others stay active? Turn that energy into a teaching career with the Health and Physical Education Teaching major in our Bachelor of Education (Secondary Teaching). Taught by educators who care, this major qualifies you to teach health and physical education to secondary students from Years 7 to 10, as well as health studies and physical education for Years 11 and 12. 

You’ll build the knowledge and practical teaching skills needed to deliver engaging health and physical education programs that help students to develop confidence, teamwork and lifelong healthy habits. 

To broaden your teaching opportunities, you’ll also select a second teaching area from English, Mathematics, Humanities and Social Sciences or Secondary Education Support. 

Build classroom confidence early in your secondary education degree using SimLab™ virtual classroom technology where you’ll practise leading lessons, managing behaviour and responding to classroom challenges before stepping into your first school placement. 

You’ll then apply what you’ve learned through placements across a wide range of education settings, including metropolitan, rural or remote schools as well as international, multicultural, hospital, private and state school environments. 

Throughout your teaching degree, you’ll develop the knowledge and skills needed to lead engaging physical education programs and support student wellbeing. By the time you graduate, you’ll also have built an online teaching portfolio showcasing your lesson plans, teaching resources and reflections to share with future employers as you launch your teaching career.
Engineering students inspecting electrical switchgear on campus

3 reasons to study health and physical education teaching at Murdoch University

  • Practise teaching in SimLab™, a virtual classroom environment where you can rehearse real teaching scenarios before entering your first school placement. 
  • Develop teaching experience in diverse learning environments through placements that may include metropolitan, rural, remote, international, multicultural, hospital, private and state school settings. 
  • Showcase your teaching skills with a professional online portfolio featuring lesson plans, teaching resources and reflections to share with future employers.

What you’ll learn

  • Plan and deliver engaging health and physical education programs for secondary school students. 
  • Support students to develop teamwork, resilience and lifelong healthy habits through movement and sport. 
  • Adapt teaching approaches to support students with different abilities and learning needs. 
  • Lead safe, inclusive physical activity environments in school and sport settings. 
  • Evaluate and reflect on your teaching practice while developing a professional teaching portfolio.

I think if you want to make change, then you need to be looking for places that enable you to show that you care. And Murdoch did that. Murdoch did that for me.

Jason Pitman, Education
Read full student story

Jason, Murdoch Student, with teaching staff in Murdoch building
Education student with children playing sports

Your future career in teaching 

Become a high school PE teacher and help students build the skills and confidence to lead healthy, active lives. With the HPE Teaching major, you’ll be qualified to teach health and physical education in secondary schools while drawing on your second teaching area to expand your career opportunities. 

Graduates from this course pursue careers across government and independent schools, specialist education programs and diverse learning environments. 

Potential roles include: 

  • Health and physical education teacher 
  • Secondary school PE teacher 
  • Sport or wellbeing coordinator 
  • Curriculum or subject coordinator 
  • Head of Learning Area (HOLA)
For more details about our Health and Physical Education Teaching major, download our information pack.

Start dates

Starting period Location Face to Face Online Mixed mode
Semester 1, 2026 Murdoch Yes No No
Semester 2, 2026 Murdoch Yes No No
Semester 1, 2027 Murdoch Yes No No
Semester 2, 2027 Murdoch Yes No No

View the dates for our teaching periods or find out more about attendance modes.

Major Structure

Visit the Course Handbook - Get detailed information on units, prerequisites, and pathways.

To help plan the structure of your course, search for our suggested course plans.

Unit code Unit name Credit points

How to Apply

Majors are part of a degree and can't be applied on their own. Apply for a related degree first, then choose your major once enrolled.

Undergraduate Course

Bachelor of Education (Secondary Teaching)

Ready to inspire the next generation? This teaching degree will give you valuable experience and a competitive edge to launch your secondary teaching career.

Have a question? Get in touch.

1300 687 3624

1300 687 3624

1300 687 3624

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