The Health and Physical Education faculty at Binghamton University are strongly committed to teaching the practical skills and behaviors of healthy living with firm cognitive underpinnings. Our unique role on campus is to engage all students in the development of personal tools important for life-long wellness: intellectual, occupational, environmental, emotional/mental, spiritual, social and especially physical.
Some of our goals are to:
We offer a variety of credit courses that satisfy the undergraduate General Education requirements of Activity (Y), Wellness (S) and/or Both (B). These requirements enable us to introduce fundamentals and new experiences to those students who otherwise might not seek them out, and to encourage higher-level skill development and depth of knowledge for more experienced students.
Students may satisfy this two-credit Physical Activity/Wellness requirement in any of the following ways:
With the intent of making it easier to fulfill the graduation requirement, most of these credits are offered through the Department of Health and Physical Education in the form of a 2 credit “B” course. Other departments also have courses that will satisfy either the Physical Activity or the Wellness components of the requirement: Decker School of Nursing, College of Community and Public Affairs, Continuing Education & Outreach, Psychology and Theatre.
The above requirements are applicable to all undergraduate students across the five undergraduate schools. However, there are differences in the application of elective credits that may be applied toward the degree among the five schools. Please contact your school academic advising office for more information.
Graduate students may audit physical education courses on a “space available” basis and are not allowed to advance register.
Transfer credits may be accepted from other academic institutions if the course is equivalent in contact hours and content to that offered at Binghamton University. Credits may not be transferred from non-academic agencies such as health spas, fitness clubs, karate schools, dance schools, etc. Students intending to take a health and/or physical education course at another institution during the summer should receive prior approval from the department chair. A course description, contact hours and credit value for the course are needed to determine if the course credit is transferable.
Teaching assistantships, internships and independent study opportunities (for variable credit) are available through the Health and Physical Education Department faculty.
Students with temporary or permanent physical disabilities, after being examined by the University physician, may be assigned to the ACR (adaptive, corrective, rehabilitative) program or request to have the requirement waived by the Undergraduate University Curriculum Committee (UUCC). Waiving the credit does not grant credit for courses not taken, nor does it reduce the credit hours required for graduation.
Students are encouraged to begin fulfilling the requirement early in their academic career. Postponement may cause scheduling difficulties in the senior year and the requirement will not be waived because of schedule conflicts when previous opportunities to fulfill the requirement were not used. The requirement may not be fulfilled by taking the same course more than once.
Physical education courses are at the beginner skill level unless otherwise specified. Intermediate and advanced courses that do not have specific prerequisites do require some mastery of knowledge and skills. Students should realistically assess their skill level before registering for a course beyond the beginner level. Instructors should be consulted if students are unsure of their qualifications. Students can be dropped from a course by the instructor if their skill level is not appropriate to the class.
Some courses may meet for half the semester only. It is the student’s responsibility to know the start and end dates as listed in Banner. If a course is restricted on Banner, students may attend for the first several class meetings, and instructors will add students through the petition process as vacancies occur through drops or “no-shows.”
Most courses are held in the West Gym with some being held in the East Gym. Students should note the location of the class when they register. All students registered for a health and/or physical education class as of the first day of classes are liable for a physical education fee that is non-refundable once classes begin. In other words, students who advance register for a course must drop it before classes begin if they do not intend to take the class. Students are entitled to a locker and towel service in either gym; however, failure to obtain a locker does not relieve the student of financial responsibility for the fee. Some courses, such as scuba, have additional fees specific to the course.
All Health and Physical Education courses have attendance requirements. It is the policy of Health and Physical Education that any registered student who does not show up for the first two class meetings can be officially dropped from the course by the department at the discretion of the instructor. For more information about courses offered by Health and Physical Education, please visit http://www2.binghamton.edu/health-and-physical-education/.
Instruction is offered in the following areas:
ACR: adaptive, corrective and rehabilitative exercise and recreational activities within the individual’s limitations, as determined in consultation with the University physician.
Aquatics: beginning and intermediate swimming, non-swimmer swimming, scuba, swimming for fitness and Red Cross certification courses in lifeguard training and water safety instructor training.
Health and Wellness Cognitive based courses: contemporary health issues, emergency health care, human sexuality, life skills, nutrition, health, human behavior and society, alternative healing, stress management, men’s wellness, women’s wellness, and other wellness courses including women’s body image (Love Thyself).
Health and Wellness Activity based courses: aerobic exercise, running, karate, physical fitness and wellness, P.L.A.Y. (Pilates and yoga), power yoga, psychophysiological awareness, Rape Aggression Defense for Women (RAD), self-defense for women, Taekwondo, Tai Chi, triathlon training, weight training, cycling and yoga.