PETE Admissions

Students typically enter UW–Madison as Pre-Physical Education students (PED), spend the first two years completing liberal studies, general education, and science core requirements, and declare Physical Education during the sophomore year for the final two years on campus.

On-campus students starting at UW-Madison in other majors can move to Pre-Physical Education by completing a Pre-Professional Declaration. A GPA of 2.75, based on all UW–Madison coursework or the last 60 credits, is required to transfer into Pre-Physical Education.  It is not necessary to be a Pre-Physical Education student before declaring Physical Education.

Physical Education currently accepts declarations twice a year, from February 1 – May 1, and again from June 1 – August 1. The on-campus declaration form is located on the School of Education’s Undergraduate Admissions page, along with information about the declaration period, deadline, and current eligibility requirements. Students should consult this site prior to submitting a declaration as this information may be modified from one declaration period to the next.

Off-campus students wishing to transfer directly into Physical Education should complete the on-campus declaration and must also be admitted to UW-Madison. See Transfer Students and Students with a Bachelor’s Degree, below.

Eligibility Requirements:

• Meet with a Physical Education or School of Education Student Services advisor during the declaration period. See Overview page for contact information.
• Earn 40 or more credits by the end of the declaration semester.
• Have second year academic standing, including at least two semesters of enrollment in a higher education setting prior to the declaration semester. The two-semester calculation excludes summer enrollment and college-level coursework taken while in high school.
• Earn a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA based on all college coursework attempted or a 2.75 last 60 credits GPA by the end of the term prior to the declaration semester. This GPA must be maintained at the end of the declaration semester.¹

Last 60 Credits Rule – Two grade point averages may be calculated to determine a candidate’s eligibility to declare Physical Education. A GPA may be calculated using (1) UW-Madison and all other all transferable college level coursework attempted and (2) the last 60 credits attempted. The higher GPA of these two calculations will be used for determining eligibility. Once declared, students must earn a semester GPA of 2.75 each semester after declaration. More information on this rule is available here.

Students will be provisionally accepted in the spring and summer, pending the completion of all eligibility requirements by the end of the declaration semester.

Transfer Students and Students with a Previous Degree

Transfer students and students who already hold a Bachelor’s degree must be admitted to UW-Madison to enroll in a School of Education program. Admission to the campus has its own application, admission process, and application deadlines; see Office of Admissions and Recruitment for campus application information.

Students wishing to enter directly into Physical Education should complete both the on-campus declaration and the UW-Madison application. All eligibility criteria must be met. Transfers who do not meet the declaration eligibility criteria will be admitted to UW-Madison with the Pre-Physical Education designation.

An applicant with a previous undergraduate degree will be admitted to Physical Education as a second degree candidate or as a School of Education “Special Student,” depending on their academic background. Admission as an Education Special Student indicates that the student has an interest in pursuing teacher certification in Physical Education and studied this subject area extensively during their initial degree. A student enrolls in Physical Education as a Special Student to complete the requirements that were not taken during the first degree; these are assessed on a case by case basis. Another degree is not awarded for this “certification only” coursework.

Second degree candidates in the School of Education are changing their academic direction and wish to complete a degree that is unrelated to their first. A large number of credits are usually required to complete the new degree requirements and a second degree is awarded upon its completion; more information is available here.

All off-campus students are strongly advised to meet with an advisor in the School of Education Student Services office in advance of their declaration. Consultations with advisors are available in person, virtually, or via telephone; email soeacademicservices@education.wisc.edu or call 608-262-1651 to schedule an appointment.

Pursuant to State of Wisconsin law PI 34.018(2), the School of Education is required to administer a background check on all students entering teacher education programs. This check is intended to determine if the applicant has engaged in any behavior that endangers the health, welfare, safety, or education of PK-12 pupils. Local school districts frequently conduct background checks on teacher education students prior to the start of their in-classroom field work, and the Department of Public Instruction (DPI) will also conduct a background check on each applicant for a Wisconsin educator license.

Students should be aware that background checks may be initiated by other agencies or organizations when they are seeking employment or a professional license. School administrators have the authority to determine the appropriateness of a student placement and may choose not to permit a placement based on a student’s background check results.

An individual who has been deemed ineligible to participate in field or clinical experiences based on the results of their background check may not be able to complete the requirements for their degree or certification. Students with questions about these processes should contact the Teacher Education Center, tec@education.wisc.edu.

All undergraduate students in the School of Education are served by three offices devoted to academic and/or career advising. Each student in the School of Education is assigned at least one advisor and is encouraged to meet with the advisor on a regular basis. Students will also be assigned a faculty or staff advisor when admitted to the professional component of their degree program. Departmental advisors provide more in-depth knowledge of the major and of courses offered by the department.