Physical Education

Haverford College's Athletic Department is committed to the belief that physical education is an integral component of each student's liberal arts education and offers a wide range of athletic opportunities — Intercollegiate Varsity Teams, Competitive Club Teams, Intramural Programs, Instructional Classes, and Recreational Activities — designed to meet the diverse and changing interests of its students body within the college's mission of excellence and individual growth.

The Athletic Department will provide facilities, guidance, instruction and other resources to create, support and maintain a broad based offering of programs to promote the health and fitness needs throughout Haverford's student, faculty and staff community. The Athletic Department will encourage each student's involvement in physical activities in order to promote and establish a foundation for a lifelong commitment to and involvement in fitness and health.

Requirement

All students at Haverford are required to participate in the physical education program during their first two years of College in partial fulfillment of their degree. For physical education purposes, the academic year is divided into 4 quarters. Students must complete 6 quarters of physical education, one of which is the "Intro To Fitness" class, prior to the start of junior year. "Intro To Fitness": covers a wide variety of material designed to provide students with the knowledge needed to incorporate fitness and proper nutrition into their lives at Haverford and beyond. Varsity athletes who complete their in-season fitness workouts under the supervision of the Head Coach and Fitness Center Director will satisfy the "Intro To Fitness" requirement.

Alternative methods to satisfy the physical education requirement are available for students with medical conditions preventing exercise. Please contact Susan McCabe (610-896-1117 or (smccabe1@haverford.edu).

The physical education requirement does not carry academic credit.

Students interested in coordinating an established or creating a new intramural league should contact Susan McCabe. Students interested in teaching a physical education class should contact Susan McCabe. Credit is offered in both instances.

Students who have earned three credits and completed their first year can earn an independent study – community service credit – through 8th Dimension. A maximum of one community service credit may be used to fulfill the physical education requirement.

Attendance rather than proficiency is the basis for granting credit. A student is allowed as many absences in a quarter as a class meets per week. All cases of failure to fulfill the physical education requirement will be reviewed by the Dean of the College and the Director of Athletics. Students who do not complete their physical education requirement by the end of sophomore year will retain sophomore status for all ensuing room draws until the requirement is completed. Please note that you run the risk of your transcript not being released if your graduation requirements have not been met.

If you have any questions, please contact Susan McCabe. The office is located on the second floor of the GIAC.