The B.S. in Recreation Management degree is designed to prepare students for professional positions developing and managing recreation and park resources located primarily beyond the urban fringe. Students pursuing this degree must chose between an option in Recreation Resources Management or Nature-Based Tourism. The Recreation Resources Management option provides educational background necessary for evaluating and managing lands for their aesthetic and recreational values. The Nature-Based Tourism option is designed to combine an understanding of social, cultural, political, environmental, and economic contexts surrounding tourism in a natural resource setting. All students learn the processes and conceptual skills needed to determine alternative management strategies, make management decisions and carry out management programs. Included are courses leading to an understanding of the basic ecological characteristics of recreational lands. Students also take courses dealing with human behavior and management. Emphasis is placed on presenting problems that would be encountered while managing national parks and forests, state and regional parks, wilderness areas, and other recreation resources of international and national significance. The degree and Recreation Resources Management option are accredited by the National Recreation and Parks Association and the American Association for Leisure and Recreation.

Special Degree Requirements back to top

Refer to graduation requirements listed previously in the catalog including School of Forestry curriculum requirements. See Index.

Students pursuing the B.S. in Recreation Management degree complete the following courses or their equivalent if transferred from another college or university. Transferences and equivalency will be determined by the University and the School of Forestry. In addition, students are required to take a practicum in recreation management, RECM 460. This work-learning experience involves at least 10 weeks full-time equivalent of learning in a professional work environment. RECM 460 has a prerequisite of 400 previous hours of relevant work experience. Electives may be taken at any time, keeping in mind these courses as well as the University's General Education requirements for graduation.

Courses back to top

U=for undergraduate credit only, UG= for undergraduate or graduate credit, G=for graduate credit. R after the credit indicates the course may be repeated for credit to maximum indicated after the R.

U 110S Introduction to Recreation Management 3 cr. Offered autumn. The basic motivations and socio-economic determinants of recreation needs and preferences. History of the development of the resources base, trends in user participation, classification of recreation lands, recreation opportunities and needs, management objectives, economics of outdoor recreation, and definitions of leisure and recreation.

U 180 Careers in Natural Resources 2 cr. Offered autumn and spring. Same as FOR 180, WBIO 180. Subject matter and fields of study within natural resources management. Topics include forestry, wildlife biology, range, water, recreation management, forest products production and other areas of opportunity for students seeking careers in natural resources.

U 195 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

U 210 Nature-Based Tourism 3 cr. Offered spring. Introduction to the tourism and commercial recreation industries. Provides initial link between the natural environment and business operations. Combination of introductory business philosophies, economics, and natural resource management into a framework for future reference and course work.

U 217 Wildland Recreation Management 3 cr. Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., RECM 110 or option in forest resources management. The management of land as an environment for outdoor recreation. Understanding the relationship between the visitor, resource base and management policies. Recreation planning on multiple use forest lands, parks, wilderness areas and private lands.

U 230 Programming in Recreation 3 cr. Offered spring. Prereq., RECM 110S. Principles of program planning for organized offerings in recreation. Selection, adaptation and evaluation of activities.

U 295 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-6) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

UG 370S Conservation of Wilderness, Wild Rivers, and National Parks 3 cr. Offered autumn and spring. Examination of the historical, philosophical, and legislative background for development and management of our national system of wilderness areas, wild and scenic rivers, trails, and national parks; their place in our social structure.

UG 371 Wilderness Issues Lecture Series 1 cr. (R-3) Offered spring. Same as EVST 371. Explores current issues in wilderness preservation, management and research.

UG 380 Recreation Administration and Leadership 4 cr. Offered spring. Prereq., RECM 110S, 217 and 230 or consent of instr. Personnel, leadership, finance, facilities, programs and public relations. Coordination with youth serving institutions, government agencies, and private or commercial organizations.

U 395 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-12) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

U 396 Independent Study 1-6 cr. (R-6) Offered every term.

U 398 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr. (R-12) Offered every term. Prereq., consent of instr. Extended classroom experience which provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor and the Center for Work-Based Learning.

UG 420 Principles and Techniques of Interpretation in Recreation Area 3 cr. Offered autumn. Prereq., one biology course; one public speaking course. Principles, concepts, techniques essential to providing high quality interpretive programs in natural or cultural history.

U 450 Pre-Practicum Professional Preparation 1 cr. Offered autumn. A pre-practicum class to provide orientation for the practicum, RECM 460, in recreation managment.

U 451 Tourism and Sustainability 3 cr. Offered spring. Prereq., RECM 210 and 217. Theories and conceptual models are applied to analyzing relationships between the integration of planning theories to sustainability concepts.

UG 460 Practicum in Recreation 1-15 cr. (R-15) Offered every term. Prereq., RECM 380, senior standing, and consent of instr. Supervised pre-professional practice in approved recreation management agencies.

UG 481 Managing Wildland Resources and Visitors 4 cr. Offered autumn. Prereq., RECM 217. Balancing the needs of people for recreation with the impact of recreational use.

UG 482 Wilderness and Protected Area Management 3 cr. Offered autumn. Prereq., RECM 217, 370. Examination of the origin, evolution, and application of the park concept on state, federal, and international levels. Evaluation of legislation, philosophy, and policy leading to consideration of goals, objectives, and strategies for park management.

UG 483 Commercial Recreation, Marketing and Tourism 3 cr. Offered autumn. Prereq., RECM 217. Interactions between wildland recreation areas and the private sector are reviewed. Linkages between natural resources and the tourism industry are discussed. Principles of marketing for the private sector within this context are presented.

U 484 Recreation Management Field Techniques 3 cr. Offered autumn. Prereq., RECM 217. Field measurement and management techniques critical in recreation management. Includes measurement of recreation impacts on biophysical and social attributes of recreational settings.

UG 485 Recreation Planning 4 cr. Prereq., RECM 217. Offered autumn. Needs of recreation opportunities and response to those needs through planning, demand assessment and resource analysis.

U 486 Recreation Research and Program Evaluation 3 cr. Offered spring. Prereq., RECM 217. Research and program evaluation methodologies appropriate to understanding effectiveness of recreation management programs. Includes philosophy of science, experimental design, and measurement methods.

U 493 Omnibus Variable cr. (R-10) Offered intermittently. Independent work under the University omnibus option. See index.

UG 495 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-12) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, new courses or one-time offerings of current topics.

U 496 Independent Study Variable cr. (R-6) Offered every term. Prereq., consent of instr. Individual study of research problems.

U 497 Senior Thesis 1-3 cr. (R-3) Offered autumn and spring.
UG 498 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr. (R-15) Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., consent of instr. Extended classroom learning during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from faculty advisor and Center for Work-Based Learning.

G 500 Recreation Research Methods 3 cr. Offered spring odd-numbered years. Prereq., one course in statistics. Methods used in recreation research.

G 594 Graduate Seminar in Recreation 1 cr. (R-3) Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., graduate standing. Presentations by students, staff and guest speakers of issues and topics in their fields.

G 595 Special Topics Variable cr. (R-12) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

G 596 Independent Study Variable cr. (R-10) Offered every term. Prereq., consent of instr. Individual study or research problems.

G 597 Research Variable cr. (R-12) Offered every term. Prereq., graduate standing. Independent graduate research in recreation management.

G 598 Cooperative Education Experience Variable cr. (R-12) Offered every term.
Prereq., consent of instr. Extended classroom experience that provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from faculty advisor and Center for Work-Based Learning.

G 599 Professional Paper Variable cr. (R-15) Offered every term. Preparation of professional paper.

G 697 Research 1-15 cr. (R-15) Offered every term.

G 699 Thesis Variable cr. (R-15) Offered every term. Prereq., graduate standing. Preparation of thesis.