Physical Education departments also offer activity courses to undergraduate and graduate students which in many cases fulfill college graduation requirements. The activity area can be extensive with typical offerings such as softball, tennis, swimming, and in some cases skiing, sailing, and rock climbing. Course offerings depend on faculty expertise, facilities, and budget. It should be noted that it is not advisable to approach the athletic department at your local college. The mission of an athletic department at a university is very different than physical education.
Physical education is an academic department offering a major subject area toward a degree.
The athletic department mission is typically to oversee the intercollegiate sports programs. In other words the athletic department services, the athletes and the competitive side of sports. The physical education department provides a teaching and learning environment and is not limited to sports, but will also include exercise science, athletic training, and teaching. The martial arts have become a very popular course offering at colleges throughout the United States. From the physical education department point of view they provide students with an alternative from the typical offerings and yet provide all the physical and mental attributes that a quality physical education course should provide.