The Physical Education Department at South Plains College is changing its name to the Kinesiology Department.
The name change will mark the growth of SPC and the Physical Education Department by staying current and helping students transition to universities more easily, according to Marc Moore, associate professor of physical education and chairperson of the Physical Education Department, who said he is proud of the change.
“We’re getting bigger and kind of reaching out now,” Moore explained. “It’s what the universities are doing, and so we are kind of following.”
The name change will take place officially with the start of the 2019 fall semester. The courses will be named with KINE instead of PHED for those looking for physical education courses.
Moore says that the change is a step forward for the department, and will eventually include a broader field of study after the update is made official.
The new kinesiology field of study has not yet been approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, but will hopefully come through some time this summer. The new field of study will include a handful of courses, including “Functional Kinesiology.”
If the courses do get approved, Moore says that he already has somebody with a master’s degree in Sports Medicine that could teach it.
“Athletic training and sports medicine has become pretty big,” Moore said. “Personal trainers, strength coaches and pre-physical therapy as well.”
The name change will reflect SPC’s goals regarding physical education. It will help the department stay current and evolving. Moore emphasized that the growth of the department is important, and a student’s transition to a university should be made easier.
“Also, I expect a lot more out of us, since we’re broadening our horizons,” Moore said. “We are looking toward the future and making sure we go in the right direction.”
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