The Chinese University of Hong Kong

The Department of Sports Science and Physical Education (SSPE)

The Department of Sports Science and Physical Education (SSPE) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong has been highly successful in attracting excellent students to its programmes through a limited quota system enabling only the most successful high school students to apply. A decade has now passed since the Department began offering an undergraduate degree in Education with a specialization in Physical Education and Sports Science. During this time, more than 400 graduates have attracted the attention of the Hong Kong school principals who have appointed our students as physical education specialist teachers in Hong Kong primary and secondary schools. In addition, a smaller number have pursued post-graduate education at the Masters and Doctoral level and some have chosen prominent universities in the UK and USA to study.

Students attending the degree courses offered by the department enjoy low student-professor ratios thus enabling the staff to provide individual attention to student needs in an interactive and co-operative atmosphere. The four-year full-time degree programme leads to a Bachelor of Education Honours Degree. The mission of the Department and the philosophy underlying the degree in Sports Science and Physical Education (SSPE) reflect the belief that physical activity is good for one’s mental and physical health. The SSPE programme provides a multi-disciplinary approach involving biological and behavioural sciences and is devoted to providing students with a sound basis to develop health-related physical education.

New post-graduate programmes have been added to provide students with an opportunity to continue their studies to obtain further training and to gain greater understanding of the field. A Post-Graduate Diploma in Exercise Science and Physical Education (PG. Dip.) has been introduced to provide in-service personnel with an opportunity to resume study while continuing to maintain their career responsibilities. The diploma is also an invitation to upgrade to further study at the masters level. The Department also invites in-service teachers to apply to enter the Master of Education in Sports Science and Physical Education (M.Ed.) to enrich their professional career by updating and familiarizing themselves with current educational thought. In addition, a Masters of Science in Exercise Science (M. Sc.) invites in-service personnel from a wide range of the helping professions to study exercise science with a view to incorporating exercise into their professional programmes. Finally, a Master of Arts in Sport Studies (M.A.) has been added to the wide range of course offerings. This course provides a deeper understanding and knowledge in the provision and practice of sport at the professional, recreational and elite levels and will serve the specific needs of sport administrators, promoters, or high performance coaches. All post-graduate courses of study are organized to provide maximum flexibility and to optimize course content to meet the individual needs of professional men and women in the sport, exercise and physical education teaching fields.

In order to inform our teaching, all staff members are engaged in research projects that investigate issues specifically related to physical activity and its influence on health. All staff are committed to producing evidence-based papers that are published in seminal journals in the fields associated with physical education, exercise, sport and health. Consequently, our research serves to ensure that learning experiences will reflect current theories and applications particularly as they affect the changing needs of Hong Kong society.

The B.Ed. programme in Physical Education and Sports Science offered by the Department aims at training physical education teachers, coaches, and sports management personnel for local academic institutions, as well as government and private organisations. Students can choose to train as generalists in sports and physical education, or specialise in areas of Exercise Physiology, Sports Biomechanics, Sports Psychology, Sports Management, Physical Education Curriculum, Sports Pedagogy, Health and Fitness and Test and Measurement. Those interested in research can take the research method course and conduct research on topics of their choice. This programme leads to the award of a BEd degree and an equivalent of a Postgraduate-Diploma-in-Education qualification.

The Department of Sports Science and Physical Education also offers PGDE, M.Ed., M.Sc., M.Phil. and Ph.D. degree programmes in a full- and part-time basis. Research students can specialize in the areas of Sports Psychology, Sports Biomechanics, Sports Sociology, Sports Pedagogy, Health and Fitness and Exercise Physiology.

Facilities

There are 2 well-equipped laboratories in the Department, namely Sports Biomechanics Laboratory, Exercise Physiology Laboratory.

The University provides a variety of sports facilities, including a swimming pool, a 400-metre all-weather track, 2 soccer pitches, 12 tennis courts and 9 squash courts. Each of 3 indoor gymnasium houses basketball courts, volleyball courts, handball courts, badminton courts, dance studios and table-tennis rooms. There are 4 weight training rooms, sports fields for archery and a water sports centre.

Career Development / Prospects

• Physical Education teachers in primary / secondary schools

• Physical Education instructors at tertiary institutions

• Administrators in Government subvented / national sports associations

• Physical training officers, inspectors or officers in disciplinary forces

• Executives in fitness and leisure industries

• Supervisors / officers in private and commercial sectors

• Further study on higher degree in Sports Science and Physical Education