Program mode works well if you're shooting candid shots, and don't have the time to fiddle with settings. Your flash won't pop up in Program mode (the way it does in Auto), so it works well in places like museums, where flash photography is often prohibited.
If you're new to a digital SLR camera, you'll probably begin in Automatic mode. It's a logical place to start, especially if you know nothing about your camera's settings. Program mode, however, is a great way to move forward.
When you switch your camera to Program mode, it makes its best guess for the aperture/shutter speed combination, based on the amount of light that's hitting the sensor. It isn't entirely foolproof. However, since you're in Program mode, you're able to tinker with those settings if you want to.
While in Program mode, you can make changes to ISO, white balance, and the aperture/shutter speed combination. You can also use the flash if you want, but you'll have to pop it up manually.
This photo was taken in Program mode, and I took some creative liberty with it to demonstrate that you're able to customize the settings. First, I set the ISO to 100, which helps to ensure a clean (non-noisy) image. I could afford to do that, because the scene was already very bright. Second, I set the aperture to f/4.0 because I wanted to shorten the depth of field. Third, I metered the light on the subject, rather than the entire scene. It made the snow whiter, and did an overall better job at exposing the subject than Auto mode did. Finally, there was enough light reflecting up off the snow onto the subject, so I didn't feel it necessary to activate the flash. These are the kinds of things you can do when shooting in Program mode - but only if you'd like.
So, if you're a beginner and just want to experiment with your camera's settings, try Program mode.
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