Basic undergraduate physical activity programs (BUPAPs) play a vital role in providing undergraduates an opportunity to develop sport related skills and healthy lifestyle habits. However, the instructional ability of the graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) who instruct a significant percentage of such courses have historically been challenged by students, faculty, administrators and parents (Savage & Sharpe, 1998; Pruitt, 1996). A program’s organizational culture greatly impacts the socialization and development of its members in relation to their organizational duties and responsibilities. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of the organizational culture of a Research I institution’s basic undergraduate physical activities program (BUPAP) from the viewpoint of graduate teaching assistants and affiliated institutional and departmental administrators. For the purpose of this research both qualitative and quantitative research methods and analysis were utilized. Data collection included: a) semistructured interviews with GTAs and administrators, b) document analysis, and c) field observations. GTAs were administered a survey to obtain data regarding their perspectives on various aspects of the BUPAP’s organizational culture. This research was framed by Tierney’s (1991) organizational culture model which examines six areas of an educational program: a) leadership, b) information, c) socialization, d) environment, e) mission, and f) strategy. Findings from this research demonstrated that the BUPAP did not take an active role in the training, development and supervision of its GTAs as instructors. Secondly, the GTAs formed instructional support systems comprised mostly of their peers and colleagues rather than departmental faculty and the BUPAP administrator. Lastly, recommendations for improvement of the BUPAP included: a) modifying the existing selection process for graduate teaching assistantships, b) providing formal instructional supervision, c) utilizing an evaluation process that obtains multiple sources of data and d) providing more formal instructional training of GTAs. The findings in this study were consistent with research that suggests that GTAs are often under-trained and provided lack adequate instructional supervision and support (Myers, 1995; William & Roach, 1992). This research verified the need for: a) further examination of instructional supervisory practices of GTA programs; b) continued investigation of the impact of prior instructional, athletic, and educational experiences on receptiveness of GTAs to departmental and institutional training and supervision; and c) examination of the effects of self-motivation and self-efficacy on GTA instructional effectiveness.