Beihang University has always been at the forefront in physical education reform. It implements a continuous four-year physical teaching system for undergraduates, and offers more than 50 courses covering various items such as competitive sports (Olympic events) and traditional ethnic sports. In 1989, it was awarded the first prize of the National Teaching Achievement Award. In 2003, "College Physical Education" was rated as a national excellent course and was also included in the textbooks of the Eleventh Five-Year Plan and the Twelfth Five-Year Plan. In 2011, "College Physical Education" was recognized as an excellent textbook in Beijing. In the past three years, the pilot promotion of sports club courses such as volleyball, swimming, and martial arts has achieved remarkable results. Starting from the undergraduates of the 2021 cohort, students can graduate only when they have mastered two sports skills of swimming and Taijiquan, met the physical fitness standards, and completed the required physical education credits. In the postgraduate stage, physical education courses are incorporated into the public course system.

The Department began to enroll postgraduate students majoring in physical education in 2022, with the number of enrollments increasing every year. Among the first batch of postgraduate students, ten participated in their supervisors' scientific research projects, six attended high-level academic forums, and four published papers in high-level journals. The graduates are mainly employed in universities and high schools. Since 2024, the Department has jointly launched the undergraduate major of sports rehabilitation in collaboration with the School of Medical Science and Engineering, with an initial enrollment of 20 students.

The Department holds a wide range of sports events for all faculty and students, aiming at strengthening their physical fitness, cultivating a healthy lifestyle and promoting their all-round development. Every year, more than ten university-level sports events are held, such as the Sports Meeting, the Winter Long-distance Running Festival, and various competitions covering football, basketball, volleyball, badminton, table tennis, frisbee, fencing, swimming and skiing, attracting over 30,000 participants. There are 33 student sports associations and 35 regular student teams. Representing the university, the students have gradually stepped onto the national stage, and have won four championships in national college students' competitions in the past two years.