Safety and Self-Defense Classes

The HUPD offers various safety and self-defense classes. The classes are taught by HUPD officers and are open to all members of the Harvard University community. The purpose of the classes are to empower students, faculty, and staff to combat various types of assaults by providing them with realistic self-defense tactics and techniques. The classes cover safety awareness, risk reduction, and risk avoidance and provide attendees with the knowledge to make educated decisions about safety and resistance.

Safety and Self-Defense Classes Offered by HUPD:

  • Basic Safety and Awareness
  • Basic Safety and Awareness for Children
  • Self-defense
  • Practical

For more information about the safety and self-defense classes please email the Safety and Self-Defense Coordinator at hupdselfdefense@hupd.harvard.edu

There are no courses currently being offered.

Sign up to register for Safety and Self-Defense classes

Basic Safety and Awareness

This is a presentation offered upon request to all Harvard University community members. Harvard University is set in an open and densely populated environment, and this presentation is to familiarize the audience with basic safety and awareness methods and encourage them to play a role in keeping our campus safe. This presentation can be tailored for the audience in content and length. In the past these have been utilized in a large part of orientations for students and staff. However we often provide speakers regularly for staff or department meetings.

  • No classes being offered at this time.

Basic Safety and Awareness for Children

This class is offered upon request to pre-K to K aged children. This course was designed by and is taught by HUPD officers. The course will review basic safety and awareness principles for young children. Topics include, but are not limited to: “stranger danger”, knowing who to call in an emergency, what constitutes an emergency, etc. Typically this course is taught at the childcare centers, but is open to requests from the Harvard community.

  • No classes being offered at this time.

Self-Defense

This course is open to all  Harvard affiliates/partners. The course will meet once for 3-4 hours. The course is taught by HUPD officers and tailored towards violence both women and men could encounter. The course will review basic safety and awareness principles and introduce basic options for physical self-defense.

  • No classes being offered at this time.
Practical

The basic self-defense course is a prerequisite to this course. This is a one-time course lasting approximately 3-4 hours depending on the number of participants. In this course, students will review previously learned techniques and then have the opportunity to apply them in real life scenarios. This portion of the course is the most popular among our participants. Space is limited to 20 participants and on a first come first serve basis. A small waiting list will be maintained for cancellations.

  • No classes being offered at this time.