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This program prepares a graduate to become a professional leader, supervisor and/or administrator within the private for profit, private nonprofit, and the public sectors of the recreation and leisure services field. The program includes preparation for youth programs, community education, municipal and leisure service programs; a broad variety of therapeutic recreation settings including hospitals, long-term care, advocacy organizations, consultant services; a wide variety of commercial recreation and tourism settings, nature and historical interpretation; private and public park systems including park ranger, research, educational outreach, planning, marketing, park operations; and military recreation. The Department offers a professional core that is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions (COAPRT) with four career tracks: Leisure Planning and Management, Therapeutic Recreation, Resource Management, and Leisure Behavior. 

In this major, you'll focus on enhancing the quality of life, and providing social development for people, lifting them up, and creating stronger communities. You'll learn how to combine recreation operations, facilities, marketing, planning, and management to meet the needs of people of all ages and abilities. As a student in the recreation program, you'll spend your time doing what you love—and help others make the most of their free time.

Recreation is a vital part of health and wellness, but a lot of people find it hard to find time for themselves. As a recreation major, you'll help others learn the importance of finding that time.

You'll choose from one of three concentrations in this major: outdoor and environmental recreation, recreation and event management, and therapeutic recreation. Each concentration offers extensive opportunities for hands-on, service-learning-based projects and assignments to put your classroom knowledge to use. The unique natural resources of our region, such as 15 area parks, the Chippewa River, and the Great Lakes, offer many opportunities to gain professional skills and contacts through fieldwork, internships, and volunteering.

Students in the recreation and event management program, the first of its kind in Michigan, participate in community projects at sports and entertainment venues, corporate events, and county parks and recreation. Outdoor and environmental recreation students build leadership skills on our rock climbing wall and plan activities for camps and outdoor education programs. Our therapeutic recreation concentration gives you the knowledge, skills, and experience to become a nationally certified therapeutic recreation specialist providing recreational therapy interventions to people with disabilities in a variety of settings.

Before you start your career, you'll get real-world experience. Lots of it. Finish up your academic career with a 30-week internship, the longest of any recreation program in the nation. Our Center for Leisure Services can help you find a perfect match. You might even earn your mouse ears at Disney World, through the Disney College Program.

Our programs have been accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions for nearly four decades.

As technology, lifestyles, work patterns, values, and the needs of communities change, the recreation, park and tourism profession is challenged to provide even more meaningful leisure opportunities for all people regardless of age, gender, ability, race, and ethnicity.The Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration (RPTA) at Western Illinois University is meeting this challenge by preparing professionals for a variety of demanding and rewarding leisure services.

Recreation Management professionals plan, organize, and lead experiences for people with diverse backgrounds and interests. Experiences range from sports to special events to travel experiences to park visits to afterschool programs to family experiences and beyond! 

They also work in a variety of settings including public recreation departments, parks, sport facilities, community centers, retirement villages, camps, event venues, and tourism attractions. 

Students in this major put theory into practice by completing two internships. There are also opportunities to attend conferences, participate in clubs, and travel through study abroad. These experiences help students develop a professional network that they can call on beyond graduation.

Faculty in Recreation Management have won awards for teaching, research, and service. They also conduct and publish research as well as write industry-leading textbooks. 

Mason undergraduate students, with the exception of those enrolled in the  Health, Fitness, and Recreation Resources, BS  with a concentration in either Parks and Outdoor Recreation or Therapeutic Recreation.

The Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management prepares students for a variety of careers in the public, private and non-profit sectors. The curriculum provides broad exposure to the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to create, manage, lead and operate in organizations, agencies and businesses that provide leisure and leisure-related experiences, services, environments and therapeutic interventions. Students choose from one of two concentration areas: (1) Parks, Recreation and Tourism Concentration with an emphasis area in Community Recreation and Sport Management; Parks and Conservation Area Management; or Travel and Tourism; or (2) Recreational Therapy (RT). These concentration areas offer the flexibility to accommodate each student's career objectives in positions in community recreation, campus recreation, sports and athletics management, event and experience planning and management, commercial recreation and tourism, park and conservation area management, interpretation and management of natural, historic, and cultural sites, rehabilitation services, recreational therapy, programs for people with disabilities, senior citizens or other special populations, camp administration, travel industry, resort management, convention and visitor bureaus, conference and meeting planning, and community tourism development to name a few.

Open many doors for future employment through your field experiences. Our graduates go on to work in recreation, service and agency settings.

Customize your education. This emphasis has comprehensive and non-comprehensive degree options. Choose the one that suits your goal. 

The Bachelor of Science Degree in Outdoor Recreation in Parks and Tourism (ORPT) is an interdisciplinary degree program offered by the Department of Kinesiology and Outdoor Recreation within the College of Education and Human Development. The interdisciplinary nature of the program includes coursework from Agriculture Science; Biology; Communication; Geology; and Hotel, Resort, and Hospitality Management.

The degree program in ORPT is intended to provide students with training that qualifies them to work in a variety of work settings including outdoor recreation management agencies, outdoor and experiential education organizations, outdoor tourism companies, and outdoor recreation service and instruction programs. Employment opportunities typically exist with local, state, and national agencies; protected natural areas; outdoor leadership and service programs; commercial recreation enterprises; and wilderness adventure/therapy organizations. Combined with the broad educational background provided by SUU’s baccalaureate core, this program will give students a wide range of opportunities upon graduation including preparation for graduate studies in fields such as recreation resource management, parks and recreation, tourism, or related areas of graduate study.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Park, Recreation and Tourism Studies with a concentration in Recreational Therapy prepares students for careers as recreational therapists in health and human service settings such as hospitals, geriatric care facilities, and community-based organizations. The degree meets all of the professional certification requirements of the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) for students to become Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRS).

The recreation and leisure studies (RLS) program offers advanced study beyond the baccalaureate level in recreation and leisure studies with emphasis in recreation administration or recreational therapy. The graduate degree offers students the ability to focus on areas of interest while obtaining skills beyond the entry level. Advanced coursework challenges the student to investigate personal philosophies as they relate to the delivery of recreation, sport and leisure services.

The recreation, parks, and tourism resources major prepares students for careers providing outdoor recreation and tourism opportunities for a wide range of public, commercial, and non-profit agencies.  This is a natural resource management degree program, emphasizing the ecological, economic, social, and psychological aspects of managing outdoor recreation and tourism resources.  A required core of natural resource-based recreation and tourism management courses is complemented by forestry and natural resource management emphasis courses and other required University courses.

The Natural Resource Emphasis prepares students to manage large parks, natural areas, and associated visitor facilities. Planning and management of land and water resources to provide outdoor recreation opportunities.

The recreation management industry is expanding and expected to grow faster than average over the next eight years. At Appalachian State University, you’ll prepare for careers in recreation management in one of the country’s most beautiful places for year-round recreation.

The Recreation Management (BS) - Commercial Recreation and Tourism Management degree prepares students to design, manage and deliver services related to the resort, tourism and commercial recreation industries.

Coursework focuses on entrepreneurship, small business management, marketing and management in the recreation context. Students work in a variety of environments including resorts, clubs, for-profit recreation companies, cruise lines, visitor bureaus, hotels and spas as well as social entrepreneurial endeavors. Students also participate in service-learning activities involving the community or have the option to study abroad.

Do you like being outdoors? Thinking and living healthy? Working with others in a meaningful way? A degree in recreation, tourism & nonprofit leadership (RTNL) lets you turn those interests into a career that helps people live healthy and meaningful lifestyles in community, health and human services and nonprofit settings.

One degree, three areas of emphasis — in a nationally recognized and accredited program. Coursework and experiences may guide you toward leading a mission-driven nonprofit, crafting a community tourism plan or working with adult and youth programming, including using recreation as part of therapy. The choices are yours to explore.

As the parks, recreation and leisure services industry continues to grow, there is a growing need for parks, recreation and leisure services professionals who can meet the leadership and management needs of agencies and organizations in the industry. The Recreation Management major is designed to teach students the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to pursue a variety of career opportunities in the industry. Students majoring in Recreation Management complete coursework in the following content areas: recreation programming, festival and special event operations, recreation administration, planning and operating recreation areas and facilities, fundraising and sponsorship development, inclusive recreation, among others. In addition to completing courses specific to the major, students must also earn a minor or certificate that complements their academic and career goals. Examples of complementary minors and certificates that students often choose include: Festival, Event & Entertainment Management; Outdoor Recreation & Education; Ecotourism; Coaching; Fine Arts related minors and certificates; and Business related minors and certificates.

The major in Recreation, Park, and Nonprofit Administration prepares students for numerous and exciting careers in the nonprofit, government, and private sectors. These careers are designed to help individuals, families, and communities improve their quality of life. Students pursue a concentration in: Essentials of Recreation, Parks Events and Tourism (30-36 hours); Comprehensive Study of Recreation, Parks, Events, and Tourism (48 hours); or Nonprofit Administration (48 hours). 

The major requires a minimum of 30-48 semester hours and leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. It is accredited by The Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions.

Key career areas in Recreation and Park Administration include: community recreation, outdoor recreation, recreational sport, event management, tourism, nonprofit organizations, campus recreation, recreation business, and Armed Forces recreation. 

A B.S. in Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management (ORTM) emphasizes stewardship and conservation of natural resources, tourism and outdoor recreation theories and best practices, and entrepreneurial and business management strategies.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

1. Demonstrate the following entry-level knowledge:  a) the nature and scope of the relevant park, recreation, tourism or related professions and their associated industries; b) techniques and processes used by professionals and workers in these industries; and c) the foundation of the profession in history, science and philosophy.
2. Demonstrate the ability to design, implement, and evaluate services that facilitate targeted human experiences and that embrace personal and cultural dimensions of diversity.
3. Demonstrate entry-level knowledge about operations and strategic management/administration in parks, recreation, tourism and/or related professions.
4. Demonstrate the sustained ability to apply the recreation process, use diverse, structured ways of thinking to solve problems related to different facets of professional practice, engage in advocacy, and stimulate innovation.