This study was conducted to describe the perception of parental sex role held by university students and to examine differences in perception of parental sex role according to student characteristics.

The participants were 336 university students in Gangreung city. The instrument of parental sex role was developed by the researcher and consisted of 3 subcategories; general parent role, parental sex role as a father and parental sex role as a mother.

The most positive item of parental sex role as a father is 'the Father's role is teaching about the value of society'. The most positive item of parental sex role as a mother is 'the Mother's role is to be a counselor or friend'. There were significant differences in perception of a father's role according to sex, type of college, fathers who lived with student during childhood, the relationship with the parent, the plan of marriage & having a child, responsibility of child-rearing, and the need for education for the parental role. There were significant differences in perception of the mother's role according to sex, grade, type of college, birth order, type of family, persons who lived with student during childhood, the relationship with the parent, plan of marriage & having a child, responsibility of child-rearing, and the need for education for the parental role.

The parental sex role changes overtime. Thus, it is important to identify university student's perception of parental sex roles as pre-parent preparation for parenting.