Health and Human Development

Introduction

The Department of Health and Human Development offers degree programs for students interested in professions related to kinesiology, P-12 physical education and health, community health education, and recreation.

Faculty

The department currently consists of 15 faculty members whose backgrounds span the entire range of kinesiology and physical education, health education, and recreation. Students are provided opportunities to interact individually with faculty who are involved in community projects and research in public schools, kinesiology, health, and recreation.

Facilities

For students in the kinesiology and physical education programs, exercise physiology and biomechanics laboratories afford students an opportunity for in-depth study in the exercise sciences and health assessment as applied to health and sports science. Considerable practical experience using laboratory and computerized equipment enables students to develop skills in cardiorespiratory, anthropometric, strength and movement analysis, and health appraisals.

Major Programs

Kinesiology and Physical Education

The major programs are varied and include undergraduate student preparation for careers as professional physical and health educators, and undergraduate and graduate kinesiology options. Kinesiology degree completion prepares students for clinical or research graduate school programs or for careers as health fitness instructors in agencies, schools, industries, hospitals and health care facilities. Students are expected to perform community service in all programs. The specializations offered include the following:

Teacher Education P-12 Physical Education and Health
Kinesiology
- Movement Studies
- Health and Fitness Specialist
- Pre-Healthcare Professions
- Pre-Physical Therapy
- Sport Psychology

Kinesiology major application and declaration policy

1. WWU students with at least 75 credits completed and a GPA of at least 2.50 may apply to enter one of the five specializations in the Kinesiology major:

Applications from one student to multiple Kinesiology specializations are not permitted.
At the time of application the 75 or more credits must be recorded in the student’s WWU academic history (WWU transcript) and/or in the student’s WWU transfer equivalency report.
If the student has attended more than one institution then the student’s GPA for purposes of application to the Kinesiology major is calculated as a weighted average of the GPAs obtained at each of the schools attended. (Advanced placement classes are not included in the calculation; running start classes recorded on a community college transcript are included.)
Admission to each specialization will be determined on a space available basis after ranking candidates by GPA, from high to low. GPA admission averages for each specialization will be calculated each year based on the most current data and included in advising material that students can obtain from the Health and Human Development Department or the Kinesiology program website at wwu.edu/hhd/kinesiology.
The application to the Kinesiology major is submitted via a link on the Kinesiology program website at wwu.edu/hhd/kinesiology.
Deadlines for the application each year are as follows:
- Second Friday of classes in fall quarter, for the students entering the major in the subsequent winter quarter.
- Second Friday of classes in winter quarter, for the students entering the major in the subsequent spring quarter.
- Second Friday of classes in spring quarter, for the students entering the major in the subsequent fall quarter.
Transfer students attending a summer transitions program will not be able to apply to the major during the summer transitions program. Transfer students will apply in the fall, winter, or spring quarters according to the deadlines for application.

2. Student applicants are notified of the outcome of their application the soonest possible after the application deadline, well in advance of the registration phase I for the subsequent quarter.

3. Students admitted to the major are assigned to a program academic advisor and are required to meet with the advisor to make a plan of study. Conversion to major status will not be completed without a meeting with a program academic advisor.

4. If a student is denied entry into a Kinesiology major specialization, the student may apply again the next quarter to the same specialization. For example, if a student is not selected in the spring for fall quarter admission to the Pre Health Care Specialization, the student can apply again in the fall to the same Kinesiology Pre-Health Care Specialization.

5. If a student is denied entry into the Kinesiology major, the student may apply again to a different specialization after a delay of one quarter. For example, if a student is not selected in the spring for fall quarter admission to the Pre-Health Care Specialization, the student can apply in the winter to a different Kinesiology specialization. The one-quarter delay is designed to dissuade students from applying to specializations not focused in their area of interest.

6. Once admitted to a specialization, a student wishing to change to a different specialization must apply for admission to the new specialization following the deadlines for application, and can do so while continuing in the present specialization.

Kinesiology and Physical Education Mid-Program Checkpoint

Students seeking to complete a BAE degree in teacher education P-12 physical education and health or a BS in kinesiology within a four-year time span should have completed the following courses by the start of their junior year:

All General University Requirements (GURs)
BIOL 101 or BIOL 205 ; and BIOL 348 preferred

Major omissions from this list will make it difficult or impossible to complete this degree within two additional years.

NOTE: The teacher education P-12 option requires a 4½-year commitment, which includes a one-semester student teaching internship. Students must meet the minimum entry requirements of the Woodring College of Education before being considered for admission to the P-12 physical education and health program. Students should first declare a pre-major in this specialization in order to register for required pre-major classes and then apply for entry into the P-12 physical education and health program during the fall quarter of their junior year while they are enrolled in pre-major courses. Students who do not meet the minimum qualifications of the Woodring College of Education cannot apply to be considered for entry into the P-12 physical education and health program.

NOTE: The pre-physical therapy specialization of the kinesiology option requires careful planning if students are to complete the degree in a four-year period. It is suggested that students who are interested in this specialization consult with Dr. Gordon Chalmers, Dr. Dave Suprak, Dr. Michelle Mielke or Dr. Jun San Juan (HHD faculty) during their freshman or sophomore year in order to establish a reasonable plan of study for the completion of this degree.

NOTE: Development Skills/Fitness Leadership - Physical Education Activity Courses

Activity courses, with the exception of varsity sports and those so noted, may not be repeated for credit. Courses offered depend on instructor availability. All 100-level physical activity courses are S/U graded.

Course fees are variable.

Health Education

Health education is a discipline with roots in the behavioral sciences of psychology, sociology, social psychology, and anthropology; the biological sciences; education; and public health. Health educators use multidisciplinary theories and behavioral and organizational change principles to plan, implement, and evaluate interventions that enable individuals, groups, and communities to achieve personal, social, and environmental health. To this end, health educators apply many different methods and strategies to achieve goals: group process, teaching, training, mass media, communication, community organization, organization development, strategic planning, skills training, legislation, policy development, and advocacy. Health educators practice in schools, colleges, work places, medical care settings, public health settings, and community-based agencies and organizations. (Adapted from the Joint Committee on Health Education and Promotion Terminology.)

Health educators are defined by the U.S. Federal Register as individuals who promote, maintain, and improve individual and community health by assisting individuals and communities to adopt healthy behaviors. They collect and analyze data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies, and environments. They may also serve as a resource to assist individuals, other professionals, or the community, and may administer fiscal resources for health education programs.

Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES) are individuals who have met required health education training qualifications and successfully passed a competency-based examination administered by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc. The WWU Community Health major prepares students to meet the eligibility requirements for becoming a Certified Health Education Specialist.

NOTE: Students interested in teaching health education in P-12 schools are referred to the Physical Education and Health major to meet state requirements for teaching Health and Fitness in the state of Washington.

Health Education Mid-Program Checkpoint

Students seeking to complete a BS degree in Community Health within a four-year time span should make normal progress toward the GUR requirements and should apply for pre-major admission to the program during their freshman or sophomore year. Admission is competitive and the number of majors accepted is limited. It is suggested that students interested in Community Health consult the program coordinator (Dr. Ying Li) to establish a reasonable plan of study and be assigned an advisor. The following courses should be completed during the sophomore and junior years and prior to the start of the senior year. Major omissions from this list make it difficult or impossible to complete the degree within the four-year time span.

HLED 150 , HLED 151 , HLED 152 , HLED 345 , HLED 350
BIOL 348 , BIOL 349
CHEM 121 ; CHEM 251 or CHEM 351

Recreation

The curriculum in Recreation offers generalist preparation for a wide range of career entry-level positions including:

Community Recreation
Therapeutic Recreation
Outdoor Recreation
Ecotourism

Students seeking to complete a BA degree in Recreation within a four-year time span should have made normal progress toward the GUR requirements and should apply for admission to the program during fall quarter of their sophomore year. Junior and senior level students are also welcome to apply. Interested students are encouraged to contact the Recreation Program faculty advisors as early as possible to insure timely academic progress.

In support of healthy individuals, families, and communities, career opportunities in recreation and leisure services are numerous and diverse. The Recreation curriculum prepares students to plan, develop, and administer programs and resources in a variety of settings. The program is designed as four sequential 15-16 credit hour blocks of classes (phases) with students moving through the program as a cohort group. Students enter Phase 1 of the program during spring quarter, typically during sophomore year. The following schedule shows the sequential order of the four program phases:

-	Fall	Winter	Spring	Summer
Fresh	-	-	-	-
Soph	-	-	I	-
Junior	-	II	III	or III
Senior	IV	-	-	-

The phase system allows maximum flexibility for scheduling students’ educational experience to include workshops, field experiences, conferences and seminars both on and off campus. By making use of other departments at Western, statewide recreation resources, and recreation professionals, students are provided with exposure to a wide variety of experiential and service-learning opportunities.

The Recreation Program emphasizes preparation in the broad areas of outdoor recreation, community recreation, therapeutic recreation, and ecotourism. Community and outdoor recreation graduates find employment in federal and state recreation and park agencies, county and community recreation departments, and non-profit agencies serving people from all walks of life. Therapeutic recreation graduates find employment in hospitals; senior centers; nursing homes; mental health agencies; community recreation departments; and federal, state, and private agencies serving persons with disabilities or other adapted recreation needs. Graduates prepared in ecotourism plan and lead trips worldwide or work in destination planning.

The Recreation Program is nationally accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. Students should inquire directly to the Recreation Program office in Bond Hall 418 for current information on admission procedures.

Faculty

KEITH C. RUSSELL (2008) Chair and Professor. BS, Lewis and Clark College; MS, PhD, University of Idaho.
JESSYCA ARTHUR-CAMESELLE (2015) Assistant Professor. BS, College of William and Mary; MEd, PhD, Boston University.
LORRAINE BRILLA (1985) Professor. BS, Pennsylvania State University; MS, Pennsylvania State University; PhD, University of Oregon.
RANDALL T. BURTZ (2003) Associate Professor. BA, MA, Washington State University; PhD, Colorado State University.
HARSH HARISH BUDDHADEV (2015) Assistant Professor. BPhty, Gujarat University; MS, University of North Texas.
GORDON CHALMERS (1996) Professor. BS, Simon Fraser University; MS, PhD, University of California-Los Angeles.
MELISSA D’ELOIA (2015) Assistant Professor. BS, Ohio University; MS, PhD, University of Utah.
JASMINE GOODNOW (2013) Assistant Professor. BS, Brigham Young University; MS, University of Utah; PhD, University of Utah.
KARI JO HILGENDORF (2016) Assistant Professor. BS, Washington State University; PhD, Washington State University.
LINDA A. KEELER (2012) Assistant Professor. BA, Colgate University; MA, University of Maryland; EdD, West Virginia University.
YING LI (2006) Associate Professor. BMEd, Zhejiang College; MS, Zhejiang University; MEd, University of Cincinnati; PhD, University of Florida.
LEAANN MARTIN (1991) Dean and Professor. BS, Southwest Missouri State University; MS, University of Arizona; PhD, University of Texas.
MICHELLE MIELKE (2012) Assistant Professor. BS, Barry University; MS, Florida Atlantic University; PhD, University of Nebraska.
BERNARDO SAN JUAN JR. (2013) Assistant Professor. BS, University of Philippines; MA, San Diego State University; PhD, University of Oregon.
DAVID N. SUPRAK (2008) Associate Professor. BS, Eastern Washington University; MS, Western Washington University; PhD, University of Oregon.
SENNA TOWNER (2014) Assistant Professor. BS, Southern Oregon University; MS, University of Montana; PhD, Oregon State University.

Affiliated Teaching Faculty

WREN CUNNINGHAM (2012) Instructor, BS, MS, Western Washington University; DPT, Duke University.
LINDSAY POYNTER (2010) Instructor. BA, Western Washington University; MA, Naropa University.

Programs

Undergraduate Major

Undergraduate Minor

Sport Psychology Minor

Graduate

Courses

Coaching Development

Courses numbered X37; X97; 300, 400 are described in the University Academic Policies section of this catalog.

Health Education

Courses numbered X37; X97; 300, 400 are described in the University Academic Policies section of this catalog.

Kinesiology

Courses numbered X37; X97; 300, 400, 500 are described in the University Academic Policies section of this catalog.

Physical Education

Courses numbered X37; X97; 300, 400 are described in the University Academic Policies section of this catalog.

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