Members of each club sports team line up by the Wildcat statue in their respective uniforms

Courses and Requirements

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Academic Departments

The college maintains a physical education requirement for graduation; however, the program carries no academic credit.

A total of three courses are required: Two (2) Lifetime Activity credits (2**, 3**, and 5** level courses), and one team sport credit (PE 4**).

Lifetime Activity Requirement

Earning Lifetime Credit During Fall 2024

Option 1: Register for a PE Class

  • Register for a PE/Wellness class that meets every week. This is similar to a traditional class in that it meets on the same day/time, at the same location, and the roster does not change.
  • Attending 90% of scheduled classes is required to earn one (1) lifetime activity credit.

Option 2: Online or Off-Campus Classes

  • Use a streaming website, fitness app, or pre-recorded classes to “attend” class.
    • Some examples are Beach Body, Peloton, YouTube Channel, Fitness Blender, Yoga with Adriene, etc. These are just examples. If you’re unsure whether something is acceptable, please contact Sandy Helfgott (sahelfgott@davidson.edu).
  • Several local studios and gyms offer 51 students a substantial discount. Some examples are CycleBar, Orange Theory, CrossFit 51, CrossFit 926, and Yoga on 51.
  • Students use the  (must use the provided spreadsheet) to track their participation and it is their responsibility to turn in the log at the end of the semester.

Team Sport Requirement

One credit is required. You can fulfill the team sport requirement through , club sports, or intramural participation. Varsity athletes must be listed on the team's official NCAA roster, while club sport and intramural athletes are required to participate in 75 percent of the scheduled games and/or practices. Contact Allen Sutton (agsutton@davidson.edu) or Stephen Crespi (stcrespi@davidson.edu) for more information about club and intramural sports. 

Varsity Athletes

All students who complete four years as a varsity athlete will be awarded two lifetime credits and their team sport credit. Athletes competing for less than four years will receive a lifetime and team credit and are required to take a P.E. course to fulfill the second lifetime credit. For a more specific breakdown, please read the following

Class Registration