Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences - BS with Certificate
The undergraduate curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences provides students with an education in recreation, park and tourism sciences, with an emphasis on problem-solving skills, development of an international perspective and the application of scientific principles to managerial problems. The first two years of studies build a foundation that spans a wide range of disciplines and bodies of knowledge in the arts and sciences and provide the student with an introduction to the history and concepts of recreation, park and tourism sciences. The second two years prepare students with the knowledge and skills for both entry-level positions and for future professional growth in the field. In addition to core courses, students must fulfill requirements for at least one certificate, but may earn additional certificates.
Through the curriculum, students develop the depth and breadth of knowledge needed to scientifically investigate and select among alternatives as well as the intellectual skills to organize and integrate their knowledge in new and more effective patterns. An education in recreation, park and tourism sciences prepares students to become professionals with the capacity to learn from life and throughout life.
Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences majors must complete at least one of the following certificate options:
Community Recreation and Park Administration Certificate
Management of recreation, park and leisure-service agencies requires expertise in problem-solving, decision-making, assessment of social and environmental impacts, personnel, public relations, volunteer management, financing and fund-raising, marketing of services, and needs assessments. Skills in working with people in the legal and political environment are necessary, as well as the ability to assess and work with other organizations for cooperative developments in recreation and tourism. Utilizing computer based decision-aids, students in this emphasis prepare for managerial careers with public recreation and park agencies, youth agencies, not-for-profit recreation agencies, and commercial recreation enterprises.
Parks and Conservation Certificate
This option focuses on management of natural and cultural resources associated with conserving parks, and other protected areas, while also providing for their use by people. Land managers and related professionals operate within a variety of forums that require the integration of concepts in the environmental, social and behavioral sciences, along with policy and administrative decision-making. Necessary skills include computer applications for natural resource management, planning and design related to natural and cultural resources. Students with an option in this field look forward to careers with both public and private employers in the recreation, park and tourism fields, including state and federal agencies and private enterprises, non-profit organizations, camps and environmental education programs.
Tourism Management Certificate
Tourism is one of the world’s largest and most diverse industries. To help students prepare for tourism careers, this option area introduces issues pertaining to the management, development, and promotion of places and events as tourism attractions. Courses in tourism are designed to collectively build understanding about the links that exist between local places, host populations, and various public, private and special interest groups. Students also develop competencies in assessing economic, environmental, social and political impacts of tourism, as well as in tourism marketing. Students in this option can pursue careers in private sector enterprises, government agencies, convention and visitor bureaus, and other tourism-related service organizations.
Youth Development Certificate
This option focuses on programs and services that contribute to the development of young people’s personal, physical, social and educational abilities. Youth workers are program developers, leaders and managers who need to be able to work with youth, families, organizations and communities. Coursework in this option focuses on positive youth development, program planning and evaluation, methods for working with young people, and societal factors that both contribute to and inhibit the development of young people. Students with an option in this field look forward to careers with non-profit, public and for-profit agencies that supply youth development opportunities for young people. Settings include after-school programs, community programs, camps, outdoor adventure and church-related recreation programs.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | Semester Credit Hours | |
| ENGL 103 or ENGL 104 | Introduction to Rhetoric and Composition or Composition and Rhetoric | 3 |
| HIST 105 | History of the United States | 3 |
| RPTS 201 | Foundations of Recreation, Parks and Tourism | 3 |
| Social and behavioral sciences 1 | 3 | |
| General elective 1,2 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| HIST 106 | History of the United States | 3 |
| RPTS 230 | Computer Applications in Recreation, Parks and Tourism | 3 |
| Creative arts 1 | 3 | |
| Language, philosophy and culture 1 | 3 | |
| General elective 1,2 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Summer | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences 3 | ||
| Business Calculus | ||
| Explorations in Mathematics | ||
| Introduction to Logic | ||
| Elementary Statistical Inference | ||
| Semester Credit Hours | 3 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| RPTS 302 | Application of Tourism Principles | 3 |
| RPTS 311 | Planning and Implementation of Events and Programs | 3 |
| Government/Political science | 3 | |
| RPTS Certificate 4 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Spring | ||
| Government/Political science | 3 | |
| Life and physical sciences | 4 | |
| RPTS Certificate 4 | 3 | |
| General elective 1,2 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Summer | ||
| ACCT 209 | Survey of Accounting Principles | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Mathematics for Business and Social Sciences 3 | ||
| Business Calculus | ||
| Explorations in Mathematics | ||
| Introduction to Logic | ||
| Elementary Statistical Inference | ||
| Semester Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| RPTS 336 | Research and Analysis in Recreation and Tourism | 3 |
| RPTS 340 | Recreation, Parks, Tourism and Diverse Populations | 3 |
| RPTS 481 | Seminar | 1 |
| RPTS Certificate 4 | 3 | |
| General elective 1,2 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| RENR 205 | Fundamentals of Ecology | 3 |
| RPTS Certificate 4 | 3 | |
| Departmental elective | 3 | |
| General elective 1,2 | 3 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Summer | ||
| RPTS 484 | Internship | 6 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 6 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall | ||
| COMM 203 | Public Speaking | 3 |
| RENR 215 | Fundamentals of Ecology--Laboratory | 1 |
| RPTS Certificate 4 | 3 | |
| General elective 1,2 | 6 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Spring | ||
| AGCJ 404 or ENGL 210 | Communicating Agricultural Information to the Public or Technical and Business Writing | 3 |
| KINE 120 | The Science of Basic Health and Fitness | 1 |
| RPTS Certificate 4 | 4 | |
| General elective 1,2 | 4 | |
| Semester Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 120 | |
| 1 | Graduation requirements include a requirement for 3 hours of International and Cultural Diversity courses and 3 hours of Cultural Discourse courses. A course satisfying a core category, a college/department requirement, or a free elective can be used to satisfy this requirement. See academic advisor. |
| 2 | Students will choose any course or choose a course towards another RPTS certificate |
| 3 | |
| 4 | Complete one embedded certificate, GPA of 2.0 or better in certificate coursework is required. Select from options below. |
Certificate Options
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Community Recreation and Park Administration Certificate | ||
| RPTS 209 | Park and Tourism Operations | 3 |
| RPTS 304 | Administration of Recreation Resource Agencies | 3 |
| or RPTS 323 | or Managing Hospitality and Recreation Organizations | |
| RPTS 370 | Youth Development Organizations and Services | 3 |
| RPTS 402 | Park Planning and Design 5 | 3 |
| RPTS 403 | Financing and Marketing Recreation, Park and Tourism Resources 6 | 4 |
| Departmental electives | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 19 | |
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Parks and Conservation Certificate | ||
| RENR 460/RPTS 460 | Nature, Values, and Protected Areas 6 | 3 |
| RPTS 304 | Administration of Recreation Resource Agencies | 3 |
| RPTS 307 | Interpretation of Natural and Cultural Resources | 3 |
| RPTS 316 | Recreational Management of Wildlands | 3 |
| RPTS 402 | Park Planning and Design 5 | 3 |
| RPTS 403 | Financing and Marketing Recreation, Park and Tourism Resources 6 | 4 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 19 | |
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism Management Certificate | ||
| RPTS 320 | Event Management and Operations I | 3 |
| RPTS 323 | Managing Hospitality and Recreation Organizations | 3 |
| RPTS 331 | Tourism Marketing | 3 |
| RPTS 401 | Tourism and Recreation Enterprises | 4 |
| or RPTS 403 | or Financing and Marketing Recreation, Park and Tourism Resources | |
| RPTS 426 | Tourism Impacts 6 | 3 |
| Departmental electives | 3 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 19 | |
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Youth Development Certificate | ||
| RPTS 304 | Administration of Recreation Resource Agencies | 3 |
| RPTS 370 | Youth Development Organizations and Services | 3 |
| RPTS 371 | Understanding and Developing Effective Skills for Youth Development | 3 |
| RPTS 401 | Tourism and Recreation Enterprises 6 | 4 |
| or RPTS 403 | or Financing and Marketing Recreation, Park and Tourism Resources | |
| RPTS 474 | Management of Programs and Services for Youth 6 | 3 |
| RPTS 478 | Youth Development Practice | 3 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 19 | |
| 5 | This course satisfies the oral communication (C) course requirement. |
| 6 | This course satisfies the writing (W) course requirement. |