The prevalence of sedentary behavior and its accompanying health consequences is well documented. Conceptual physical education (CPE) courses, which combine activity experiences with a lecture component - also referred to as multidimentional courses, currently exist in a majority of colleges and universities nationwide, and are settings in which large numbers of young adults can be reached with health promotion programs. The assumed objective of CPE is that students will gain knowledge and skills to enable them to lead more healthy and active lifestyles. Much research has been done with regard to factors that show association with adoption and maintenance of physical activity and exercise behavior, but little is known regarding the extent to which theoretical constructs of activity adoption and maintenance are incorporated in these courses. The purpose of this research was to 1) develop a practitioner’s model of CPE instruction based on factors identified in the literature that show association with adoption and maintenance of activity behavior; 2) determine what instructors of CPE courses define as course objectives, content and content delivery methods, and 3) compare reported CPE course characteristics to the practitioner’s model of instruction for the purpose of enabling instructors to enhance the potential of their course to promote students’ long-term activity behavior. Ninety-four of 198 individuals (47%) contacted responded to an internet survey which requested institutional, course, and instructor data from institutions who had previously identified themselves as offering this type of course. These data suggested that several aspects of CPE course instruction are in alignment with what the theoretical literature suggests regarding the promotion of activity behavior. Descriptive results are summarized in a table intended for use as a guide, informed by theory and practice, from which to structure a CPE course to optimize its potential to promote adoption and maintenance of students’ physical activity and exercise behavior. This guide is not intended as a "cookbook" recipe for best practice CPE instruction, but rather a listing of potential choices from which the instructor selects. Appropriate choices of course content, methods, and structure are determined by the characteristics of the particular setting in which the course takes place. Characteristics reported least frequently and suggested for more frequent use in CPE were assessment of students’ perceived pros and cons to exercise, relapse prevention, problem solving, the use of experiential assignments, and student choice of topics, type of activity, or assignments.