Basic Instruction Programs at Four-year Colleges and Universities

Abstract

Figure 1. Physical Education Requirement 1988 O ver the years, the basic instruction program (BIP) in physical education (also known as the ~eneral, service, or activities program) has undergone a variety of changes in program focus, course content, and administrative procedures. For example, there was a time when nine out of every ten public colleges and universitie's in the United States required their students to take physical education (Fornia, 1959). Today, institutions of hi~her education are less stringent about requiring students to take physical education. Approximately six out of ten institutions require physical education for all students (Trimble & Hensley, 1984). Additionally, there are fewer institutions requiring students to take specific courses in physical education; rather, where a requirement does exist, students are frequently given the option of electing personal choices from the curricular offerrngs (Oxendine, 1972; Oxendine & Roberts, 1978; Trimble & Hensley, 1984). Since the BI P is most likely physical education's onlv curricular contribution to the u:ursework of the general student, it is imperative that professionals responsible for college and university programs be attuned to the current status and practices of these pro~ram. Interest in basic instruction programs has prompted at least seven related studies at five-to eight-year intervals since the 1950s (Greene, 1955; For n ia , 1959; Oxendine, 1961, 1969, 1972; Oxendine & Roberts, 1978, Trimble & Hensley, 1984). Accordingly, this study continued