The University of Jaffna was initially established in 1974 as the Jaffna campus of the University of Sri Lanka. The Jaffna campus was inaugurated with two faculties, the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Humanities. In the gazette notification of the establishment of the Jaffna campus, it was mentioned that the campus would be established with three faculties Humanities, Law and Science, and another one department of study; Physical Education. At the inception of the campus in 1974, only the faculties of humanities and science were founded to admit undergraduate students.  On the first of January 1979, the Jaffna campus of the University of Sri Lanka became an autonomous University with the University Act (no.16 of 1978) and was named as University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka. Since then the University of Jaffna has grown steadily and at present, it has Ten faculties.

Upon receiving a large number of requests from various sectors to commence a Physical Education Degree Programme, the Physical Education Unit (Academic), University of Jaffna was founded in October 1998 with Academic and Non-Academic cadre provision from the UGC. Since then a self-financing two-year Diploma Programme in Physical Education at the University of Jaffna has been offered and fifty students are admitted annually. The Physical Education Unit was administered by the Coordinator under the direct supervision and control of the Vice-Chancellor, University of Jaffna. In 2003, to cater to the emerging needs of the Sports and Leisure world, Physical Education Unit (Academic) was renamed as Sports Science Unit and working towards starting Bachelor of Physical Education and Sports for the increasing demand of physical educationists in Sri Lanka.  At present Sports, Science Unit has four approved cadre provisions and three of them are Senior Lecturers with Ph.D. In the 2020, Sports Science Unit accommodated by the Faculty of Allied Health Science University of Jaffna and has been obtained Approval to offer a Bachelor of Science Honours in  Physical Education with an annual intake of 50 Students.

At present The University of Jaffna offers Bachelor of Science Honours in Physical Education and Higher Diploma in Physical Education.

The vision of the Degree Programme

“Aspire to be a center for excellence in Physical Education and Sports in Sri Lanka”

The mission of the Degree Programme

“To enhance healthy life, motor quality, and better sports performance through the application of scientific fundamentals of physical activity”