ADAPTED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY MINOR
The Adapted Physical Activity (APA) Minor is about empowering people with disabilities through physical activity, sport, fitness, swimming and general movement. It focuses not only on children in schools, but the wide range of places and ages that people with disabilities might need adaptations or accommodations such as pools, fields, courts, classrooms, and fitness centers.
Adapted Physical Activity Minor Advising Sheet
Why Minor in Adapted Physical Activity for Individuals with Disabilities?
- This minor will improve your knowledge, experience, and confidence on of how to adapt physical activities, exercises, games, sports, aquatics and wellness activities for individuals with disabilities. You will learn firsthand how to instruct children and young adults to safely, independently, and successfully participate in inclusive physical activities, physical education, recreation, or competitive sports.
- All student who complete the minor will have:
- A certificate of completion
- Transcript recognition
- 200 hours of adapted physical activity experience
- A Special Olympics Coaching certification
- Experience adapting physical activity for individuals with physical disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, intellectual disabilities (including Down syndrome), and visual impairments.
- All Health and Physical Education Teacher Certification majors who successfully complete the minor will have met the sitting requirements for the National Certified Adapted Physical Educator (CAPE) Exam, provided here at WCU.
- All majors are welcome! You do not need to be an Adapted Physical Activity minor, nor have Formal Admission to Teacher Education in order to volunteer for the programs. You only need to complete the required paperwork for each specific experiential learning experience.
- The minor is labor intensive, but the group of APA minors is likened to a team or mini-family!
- Come join this amazing crew and experience life altering impacts.
Adapted Physical Activity Minor Curriculum and Requirements
- The curriculum for the APA minor stresses learning in context. It mixes theoretical knowledge with hands-on application. APA minors will work one-on-one as a instructor/performance coach to a student in a physical activity setting, lead small group lessons in adapted sport, physical activity and fitness, and will coach Special Olympians.
- In addition, you will have opportunities to participate in wheelchair sports such as Wheelchair Rugby, blind sports such as Goalball, Beep Baseball, Blind Tennis and Blind Soccer. You will get to coach a Special Olympics sport and most importantly teach children and young adults the joy of physical activity participation through the various community programs that this minor has to offer.
- The minor is 18 credits for non-Health and Physical Education (HPE) Majors and 9 additional credits for HPE majors.
- Please visit the Undergraduate Catalog for a listing and description of all required classes.
- All students must be cleared prior to working with school-age children and prior to enrolling in specific courses. For more information, please visit the College of Education.
Sign Me Up
If interested in Adapted Physical Activity Minor (congratulations!),
- Contact Dr. Foster
- Complete and submit the Add a Minor form available from the Registrar
