#1 sport science school in the world
#13 worldwide for education
Teaching placements arranged for you by Deakin
Why choose health and physical education at Deakin
Want to create safe, inclusive and engaging learning environments? Study Deakin's Bachelor of Health and Physical Education to develop the critical skills, specialised knowledge and practical classroom experience you’ll need as a secondary health and physical education teacher.
Access industry-standard equipment and state-of-the-art facilities, including our Elite Sports Precinct at the world’s #1 sport science school. Explore the art of movement, learn specialist teaching methods and delve into applied sports science, biomechanics, and motor learning and development at Australia’s #3 university for education and educational research.
We are also the only university in Australia to embed the Berry Street Education Model with trauma informed strategies into all initial teaching education courses preparing you for the modern classroom. With minimum 80 days of professional placements built in, you’ll graduate classroom confident.
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Top-ranked
Study at Australia’s #3 university and #13 worldwide for education and educational research. Learn health and physical education at the world’s #1 sport science school.
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Work experience built-in
80+ days guaranteed placement and one-on-one mentorship arranged by Deakin in our network of 1400 schools.
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Accredited to teach
Graduate with a Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) approved qualification and a recognised Berry Street Education Model certificate.
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Generous financial help
Scholarship support is available toward your initial teaching degree, plus payments for teaching placements and employment-based pathways.
Connected to industry
Deakin’s strong industry connections help shape your learning. Build practical experience in real workplace contexts through work-integrated learning, mentoring and networking opportunities. Industry advisory boards also help shape our degrees, which means what you study is current, relevant and aligned to what your future employers need.
Deakin puts employability first
Career outcomes
Qualify to teach health and physical education in secondary schools and build skills for careers across sport, community and advisory settings. You could also work in coaching, sport management or government.
Physical education teacher
Develop and deliver instructional plans that encourage physical activity through organised games and sports for students aged 5 to 18. You will also help develop students’ self-esteem, healthy lifestyle habits and interpersonal skills.
- $103k
Typical annual salary in Australia
- 3.9/5
Job satisfaction
Coach
Develop athletes’ and teams’ skills through structured training, performance analysis and motivation. You may plan drills, guide game strategies and work with sporting clubs, schools or community programs.
- $80k
Typical annual salary in Australia
- 4.3/5
Job satisfaction
Areas you may work in
- Advisory roles
- Community programs
- Government agencies
- Private academies
- Sport management
- Teaching
Key dates
Direct applications
Trimester 1 2027 applications close 31 January 2027
VTAC
FAQs
Yes – every Deakin student can access work-integrated learning (WIL) in their degree. Each year, more than 30,000+ students complete a placement or internship with partners including Microsoft, KPMG, EY and the National Australia Bank. You can access WIL through placements, industry projects, field-based experiences, simulations and global programs, helping you apply your skills and graduate with the experience and confidence employers value.
DeakinTALENT is Deakin's award-winning career service, and you can access it for life – not just while you're studying. From personalised career coaching sessions and AI-enhanced resume support to a jobs and internships board with employment opportunities, it’s designed to give you the career management skills and connections you need to stand out. Every Deakin degree is built with input from employers, so your course is designed around real workplace needs, now and into the future.
Entry requirements and the minimum ATAR vary by degree and are detailed on the degree page, but if your ATAR is below the cut-off, you still have options. Use the pathway finder tool to find the opportunities available to you, including associate degrees and Deakin Guaranteed ATAR, which offers eligible students a guaranteed entry score that's on average 10 points below the lowest selection rank. If you don't have an ATAR, Deakin Uni Ready is a free, supported program designed to build your skills and confidence and open doors to degrees in arts, health, science and business. Access programs and equity schemes are also available.
At Deakin, employability isn't an add-on – it's built in. Our degrees are designed with industry input, so your skills are aligned to what employers actually need. Every Deakin student can access work-integrated learning through opportunities such as placements, internships and industry projects, helping you build your professional network and practical experience before you even graduate. It's an approach that works: nine out of 10 Deakin graduates get a job within four to six months of finishing their degree.
Yes. Most eligible undergraduate students are offered a Commonwealth Supported Place meaning the government subsidises part of your tuition fees. If eligible, you can pay your student contribution using a HECS-HELP loan that you only start repaying once your income is above the repayment threshold. Deakin has scholarships that cater to our diverse student community, ranging from $5,000 per year for high ATAR achievers to $10,000 per year for students facing financial or personal hardship. The University also offers support services including financial counselling, budgeting help and access to short-term, interest-free loans to help you stay on track.
Deakin is the #1 Victorian university for student support and that starts the moment you accept your offer. Orientation is designed to help you feel welcome and get to know your community of classmates and teachers from day one. Across all campuses, there's a vibrant student community with clubs, events and opportunities to build real friendships. Deakin offers a range of services to help students stay healthy and safe, including sport and fitness facilities, free counselling, on-campus medical services and around-the-clock security.
Yes, and it's straightforward. You can transfer to Deakin in a few steps and apply for credit through recognition of prior learning (RPL), so you won't necessarily repeat subjects you've already completed. If you're coming from a TAFE partner, you may get guaranteed entry into second year with guaranteed RPL. Deakin's three-trimester system also means you may be able to start mid-year rather than waiting until March.
Most Deakin courses run across three trimesters per year instead of the traditional two semesters. Trimester 1 begins around March, Trimester 2 around July and Trimester 3 around November, each with roughly 12 weeks of teaching followed by an exam period. This means you can usually start your degree at three different points in the year and have more flexibility to manage your study load. Check the intakes by location section on the course page for details.
*Deakin references data from a range of government, higher education and reputable media sources. Learn more about our achievements on our University rankings page, or explore our sources page for supporting references.
What will I study in the Bachelor of Health and Physical Education?
Build health and physical education expertise, classroom practice and a third teaching area, with 80+ days of professional experience woven through the course.
Build your foundations
Build health and physical education knowledge
Begin with the science and practice behind health and physical education, including movement, sport pedagogy and how the body works.
Start thinking like a teacher
Begin shaping your teacher identity and get early insight into school life through the first five days of professional experience.
Start a third teaching area
Gain broader subject knowledge and more flexibility for future classrooms.
Grow your science and practice knowledge
Study performance science
Build on your foundations through exercise physiology, biomechanics and motor development to understand movement.
Understand learners
Explore youth health, student wellbeing and how the brain learns.
Apply learning in schools
Complete a 20-day placement and keep developing your third teaching area, turning theory into more confident classroom practice.
Shift into curriculum design
Plan for real classrooms
Learn how to design, teach and assess health and physical education in ways that align with secondary and senior secondary contexts.
Tackle contemporary health topics
Study areas such as nutrition, growth, development, and sexuality and relationships education in a teaching context.
Strengthen your teaching method
The third teaching area becomes more curriculum-focused, and a further 15 days in schools help you refine your practice.
Finish career-ready
Teach with greater confidence
Focus on inclusion, diversity, family and community health.
Prepare for the classroom career
Transition-to-profession studies help you move from student to graduate teacher with clearer professional confidence.
Complete your final placement
Finish with 40 days of placement and the Deakin Teaching Performance Assessment, required before graduation and registration.
Course structure
All students are required to meet the University's academic progress and conduct requirements
Units
Compulsory 0-credit point units
To be completed prior to study commencing:
To be completed in the first trimester of study:
To be completed in the first year of study:
Year 1
2 credit points of discipline study units in third teaching method area
Year 2
2 credit points of discipline study units in third teaching method area
Year 3
2 credit points of curriculum study units in third teaching method area
Year 4
Students must complete 4 credit points of discipline study units in a third teaching method area from the following:
Dance* (Burwood only)
Complete four credit points from:
Theatre* (Burwood only)
Complete four credit points from:
English - Children's Literature OR English - Literature
English - Children's Literature *
Select four credit points from:
OR
English - Literature*
History
Select four credit points from:
Food Studies (Available to Burwood students only)
Complete five units from:
Mathematics*
Complete one credit point from:
Plus three credit points from:
Assumed knowledge required: completion of VCE Mathematical Methods units 3 and 4 (or equivalent) is required for this method.
Science (Senior Secondary) in specialist science area Biology
Animal Biology*
Human Biology*
Plant Biology*
Complete two units from:
Plus three credit points from:
Science (Senior Secondary) in specialist science area Chemistry
Chemistry*
Complete three units from:
Plus two credit points from:
*Refer to E377 discipline studies units for available options.
A maximum of two credit points at level one may be taken under any listed method.
Students must complete 2 credit points of curriculum study units in a third teaching method area from the following:
Dance (Burwood only)
Theatre (Burwood only)
English
History
Food Studies (Burwood only)
Mathematics
Science (Senior Secondary) in specialist science area Biology
Science (Senior Secondary) in specialist science area Chemistry
Professional recognition
This course is accredited by the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) as a nationally accredited course and students are eligible to apply for registration with VIT upon graduation. If you intend to apply for registration in Victoria or interstate you may be required to provide further information.
Applicants are advised to check the registration requirements in their state or territory, carefully.
What to expect while studying
You may be able to study available units in the optional third trimester to fast-track your degree, however your course duration may be extended if there are delays in meeting course requirements, such as completing a placement.
International students are required to study full-time to complete their course within the duration registered on CRICOS.
Teacher Education Graduation requirements
Students undertaking an initial teacher education course must pass an approved literacy and numeracy test in order to be eligible to graduate and apply for teacher registration. Learn more about the literacy and numeracy test.
Working with Children Check
Students will be required to hold a valid Working with Children (WWC) Check prior to undertaking professional placements as part of this course. Learn more about Working with Children Checks.
Interstate applicants must check the requirements and meet all conditions for undertaking professional experience in schools for their state or territory before undertaking professional experience placements as part of this course.
Inherent requirements
It is expected that all students will be able to abide by, and ensure their behaviour is in accordance with the Deakin University initial teacher education inherent requirements.
Immunisations
Immunisation and/or vaccination requirements will be communicated by the Professional Experience Office in line with the Department of Education and Training's directions at the time of placement.
For further information contact the School of Education, Professional Experience Office.
Police record check
Applicants will be required to hold a valid National Police Record Check for professional placements as part of this course. Learn more about the National Police Record Check.
Placement can occur at any time, including during standard holiday breaks. Learn about key dates at Deakin.
This course includes 80-days of supervised professional experience and requires students to successfully complete the Deakin Teaching Performance Assessment (DTPA) in their final year. If a student does not pass the DTPA, they must seek guidance from the Course Director.
Delays in completing the placement could mean that the course will take longer to complete than the stated duration. International students are required to study full-time to complete their course within the duration registered on CRICOS.
Graduation from the course confirms that students have met the Graduate Teacher Standards and achieved all Core Content learning outcomes outlined in Schedule 2.
Students will satisfactorily complete 80-days of professional experience placement in secondary education settings, as outlined below:
Year 1: 5-days in secondary school settings
Year 2: 20-days in secondary school settings
Year 3: 15-days in secondary school settings
Year 4: 2 x 20-days (40-days in total) in secondary school settings
The School of Education Professional Experience Office makes all arrangements for preservice teacher placements. The number of professional experience days align with requirements of external regulatory authorities (Victorian Institute of Teaching VIT).
At Deakin, we're committed to ensuring an inclusive environment that supports all students to belong, thrive and succeed. We work closely with students, where needed, to identify potential barriers to participation and where possible, provide tailored support so students can engage with learning and assessment activities.
If you are neurodivergent, have a disability, health condition or mental health condition that may impact your study or participation in university life, and want to know how Deakin could support you, contact our Domestic students (opens in a new window) or International students (opens in a new window) or Disability Resource Centre (opens email client) teams for a collaborative and confidential discussion. This discussion is to support you to make plans for your studies and future career and will not have any bearing on your application to the course.
When can I start?
When you study depends on your course, location and available intakes. Check the table to see when you can start and how study is offered throughout the year.
Your course learning outcomes describe the knowledge, skills and capabilities you’ll develop and be able to demonstrate by the time you graduate. Built into your course through your units and assessments, they provide a clear picture of what you’ll be equipped to know, understand and do – preparing you to apply your learning with confidence beyond university.
| Course Learning Outcomes |
|---|
| Apply coherent discipline-specific theoretical knowledge and capabilities in health, physical education and one other teaching area to contemporary curriculum design, pedagogy and assessment for teaching and learning in ways that align with the Australian Professional Standards for Graduate Teachers. |
| Use a range of communication skills and technologies to plan and teach for learning (including knowledge and skills) in the classroom and the broader school community. |
| Employ a range of technologies to collect, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information for the purposes of teaching and learning in a rapidly-changing global environment. |
| Use critical and analytical skills to determine solutions to unpredictable and sometimes complex problems in teaching, learning and assessment practices and to adapt these solutions to diverse contexts. |
| Demonstrate the capacity to know students and how they learn (including identifying their prior knowledge, learning strengths and weaknesses) to develop a creative solution to teaching and learning using a range of effective strategies. |
| Engage in reflective practice to plan an deliver coherent teaching and learning experiences for students in Health, Physical Education and one other teaching area. Make well-developed responsible judgements in professional practice in Health and Physical Education teaching contexts. |
| Work and learn collaboratively with colleagues and other professionals and members of the wider community in ways that align with the codes of conduct and ethics of the profession. |
| Apply culturally responsive, critically reflective and embodied self-knowledge of decolonial praxis in the design, delivery and evaluation of teaching and learning that honours and respects the educational expectations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students and diverse learners, families and communities. |
Approved at Faculty Board 2025
- Award granted
- Bachelor of Health and Physical Education
- Year
2027 course information
- VTAC code
- 1400314281 - Waurn Ponds (Geelong), Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
1400514281 - Burwood (Melbourne), Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) - Deakin code
- E377
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) recognition
The award conferred upon completion is recognised in the Australian Qualifications Framework at Level 7
Fees
Estimated tuition fee
$7,352
for 1 yr full-time - Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP)
The estimated tuition (student contribution) fee above is based on a typical first-year full-time enrolment of 8 credit points and is provided as a guide only. Your student contribution is determined by the units you enrol in and will vary depending on the units you choose, your study load, the course duration, and any approved recognition of prior learning. You may also be eligible for a HECS-HELP loan to defer payment of all or part of your student contribution.
Check your eligibility or learn more about CSP or HECS-HELP.
Scholarships
A Deakin scholarship can open the door to new opportunities. Whether you have something unique to offer or simply need a bit of extra support to reach your goals, we’re here to help. Scholarships can assist with course fees, living costs and study materials – so you can focus on achieving your best.
Commonwealth Teaching Scholarship
The Commonwealth Teaching Scholarships Program provides up to $40,000 to new undergraduate teacher education students. In return for a scholarship, recipients need to teach in government schools or government-run early learning settings after finishing their degree.
If you're eligible, the Commonwealth Prac Payment (CPP) can help with the costs of completing a mandatory placement as part of your course.
Victorian Government paid teaching placement
Take your teaching placement to a regional or remote Victorian Government school and receive $100-200 per day through the Victorian Government Pre-service Teacher Placement Grant.
Applications for 2027 are open
Ready to take the next step? Apply now to start your journey at Deakin and get ready for what’s next.
Key dates
Direct applications
Trimester 1 2027 applications close 31 January 2027
VTAC
Apply now
Apply direct
Simply create an account in the Deakin Application Portal, enter your personal and educational details, upload your supporting documents and submit your application.
Apply through VTAC
Applications are open. Apply through VTAC if you're:
- currently in Year 12 and applying for Trimester 1 or Semester 1
- applying for multiple undergraduate courses
Need help? Follow our step-by-step undergraduate guide to prepare and submit your application.
Recognition of prior learning
We value your previous study and experience. Recognition of prior learning enables you to get credit for what you've already achieved. When you apply, we'll consider your previous study and experience for recognition of prior learning.
From 2026, all accredited Initial Teacher Education programs in Australia must deliver mandated Core Content requirements aligned with the AITSL Graduate Teacher Standards, which must be demonstrated within an accredited program for teacher registration eligibility. As the Bachelor of Health and Physical Education has been redesigned to meet these national requirements, Recognition of Prior Learning is not available for the units within this course. You can also refer to the recognition of prior learning (RPL) system which outlines the credit that may be granted towards a Deakin University degree.
Not sure if you'll meet entry requirements?
Deakin offers a range of pathways into the Bachelor of Health and Physical Education to suit your background and goals. Explore the pathways finder to see how previous study, diplomas or alternative qualifications can lead you into the course.