The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of problem-based learning (PBL) on self-direct learning, social problems solving ability and health fitness cognitions on nursing college physical education program. Nursing students from two different classes were voluntarily participated in this study, which consisted of an experimental group (EG, n=47) and a control group (CG, n=45). Qusasi experimental design was adopted to investigate the effects PBL on students' learning. Both EG and CG completed a 12 weeks fitness program (100 minutes/week), while EG intervened with PBL learning and CG with ordinary PE classes. Both groups administered with Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale-PE (SDLRS-PE), Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised (SPSI-R) and Health-Related Fitness Knowledge Test (HRFKT) before and after experiment. The results were as follows: (1) EG scored higher in "favor of learning," "learning motivation" and "creativity of learning" of SDLRS-PE, and scored lower in negative perspective, including "compulsiveness/negative," "avoidance" and total scores of SPSI-R compared to CG. Furthermore, EG scored higher in "health fitness," "aerobic fitness," "strength/muscular endurance," "body composition," "basic nutrition knowledge" and total scores of HRFKT. (2) Some variables in SDLRS-PE were positively and slightly correlated with HRFKT. We suggest that PBL is not only beneficial to students' self-direction, but also showed social problem-solving ability and physical fitness cognitions. We suggest that future studies should focus on the positive effects of PBL teaching on students' physical fitness, cognitions and physical activities, and implement it on PE settings.