Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation

Since Stanford University’s founding in 1891, its leaders have believed that physical activity is valuable for its own sake and deeply complementary to academic and personal development. 

The Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER) provides high-quality academic programs that focus on educating, motivating, and supporting Stanford students to live a healthy, active lifestyle that supports belonging and well-being. 

Academic Courses and Credit Policies

DAPER offers a wide array of activity and wellness classes designed to help students develop physical skills, manage stress, and build healthy habits. These courses are listed under several distinct subject codes:

• Physical Wellness [PHYSWELL]: Focuses on fitness, lifetime sports, yoga, and holistic health practices.

• Outdoor Education [OUTDOOR]: Offered through the Stanford Adventure Program, these classes cover wilderness medicine, outdoor leadership, climbing, and backcountry skills.

• Equestrian [HORSE]: Taught at the historic Stanford Red Barn, these courses cover horsemanship and English riding.

• Athletics [ATHLETIC]: Includes competitive and recreational sports activities.

Note on Partnerships & Credit: DAPER also partners with the School of Medicine to offer select Emergency Medicine [EMED] courses. Most DAPER courses are activity-based and award 1 unit of credit. While there is no limit on the number of classes a student may take, no more than 8 units of activity courses (including DAPER and other university activity classes) may be applied toward undergraduate graduation requirements.

Key Program Areas

To support the diverse interests of the Stanford community, DAPER's Academic Programs consist of three core areas:

• Physical Wellness opens in a new tab: Academic classes are designed to promote lifelong physical literacy, cardiovascular health, strength, and mindfulness.

• Outdoor Education opens in a new tab: Experiential programs that teach environmental stewardship, risk management, and leadership through outdoor adventure and wilderness exploration.

• Equestrian (HORSE) Program opens in a new tab: Structured riding and horsemanship lessons tailored to all skill levels, from beginning riders to advanced competitive athletes.