One of the challenges of institutions of higher learning is to prepare competent physical education professionals who are aptly qualified for their future career and dedicated to improving professional practice in their field of expertise. Therefore, the present study, based on the professional competence model proposed by Cheetham & Chivers (1996, 1998), aims to verify the competencies observed by 46 graduates of the Bachelor of Physical Education course at a public university of Santa Catarina, Brazil, over the course of the subject pertaining to outdoor adventure sports. An exploratory descriptive investigation with qualitative approach was conducted, and the content analysis technique was used. The main results indicate that the subject contributed to the graduates' perception of competencies at different levels and to an understanding of the current job market.
Professional competence; Physical Education; Sports