education

The physical education department contributes to the overall mission of Goshen College through the study of human movement in relation to wellness, exercise, sport and recreational activity. This department presents a unique and valuable perspective within the liberal arts education and provides programs specific for those who desire a career in the field of kinesiology. Based on the conviction that exercise and physical activity make a significant contribution to the health, growth and development of each individual, the physical education program is viewed as a valuable and integral part of the total curriculum at Goshen College.

Programs in the physical education department are guided by a philosophy that emphasizes the following: a commitment to the value of physical activity for all people, a scientific understanding of exercise, sport and physical activity, the significance of critical, creative and reflective processes, the importance of integrity and the appreciation of human movement as a form of expression. Moreover, the physical education program encourages majors to develop the knowledge and skills for effective group leadership, teaching, motor skill performance and the application of movement principles. Members of this department are committed to fostering personal, intellectual, spiritual and social growth in all students within the context of human movement.

The physical education department accomplishes this mission through curricular and cocurricular programs. First, the department services the general education curriculum by offering a wellness course which centers on the acquisition of wellness knowledge and the development and implementation of a personalized wellness plan. Second, the department offers a major and a minor in physical education, which prepares graduates for careers in teaching, sport management, personal training, retail sales, broadcasting, reporting and graduate work. Third, the elective physical activity program provides opportunities for students in any major to develop lifetime sport and exercise skills.

Two cocurricular programs, intramurals and athletics, provide many meaningful and intense opportunities for students to grow personally, intellectually, spiritually and socially as well. These programs have a significant impact in the lives of many Goshen College students who participate as leaders, event staff, players and as spectators.