Course Descriptions By Program

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REC165 - Introduction to Recreation and Leisure

The course will familiarize students with the interrelationship between leisure and Western culture. Specifically, students will be introduced to the many effects leisure has on society including, but not limited to, the economic impact of leisure, leisure as a modifier of culture, and leisure as it relates to life stages and health.

REC195 - Leisure and Wellness Recreation

An introduction to the philosophy and techniques of leisure education as a process towards achieving high levels of wellness through recreation. The class will address leisure in its historical and modern contexts as well as the relationships between leisure, work, health, and wellness in both individual and societal contexts. The course introduces students to methods for increasing a proactive lifestyle to greater wellness through leisure education.

REC220 - Youth Competitive Recreational Activities

This course focuses on the planning and management of competitive recreational activities for youth. The purpose of this course is help prepare students for management positions in youth serving recreation agencies by building competence in primary areas related to youth recreational activities that are competitive in nature.

REC225 - Recreation and Youth Development

This course provides a historical and contemporary analysis of youth culture in the United States. The role of recreation in shaping youth culture is examined. Through the investigation of various youth serving organizations, this course provides an understanding of free-time settings that can offer youth the supports, opportunities, programs and settings needed to successfully transition into adulthood.

REC230 - Camp Counseling and Administration

This course focuses on camp management and administration, emphasizing the role of organized camping and camp experiences as an important component of youth development. The purpose of this course is to help prepare students for careers in professional camp management and programming through competence building in several essential core areas of camp administration.

REC235 - Special Event Management in Recreation Settings

This course provides a philosophical and theoretical understanding of the impact that events and festivals have had on society. The role of festivals and events in boosting the economy, infrastructure and job market of host communities is also examined. This course equips students to pursue careers in the field of festivals and events through the investigation of various aspects of planning, promoting, financing, and managing special events within community, commercial, and outdoor recreation settings.

REC240 - Sustainable Communities and Ecosystems

A social science approach to dealing with relationship between humans and the organic and inorganic environment. Emphasis is placed on the physical, biological and cultural basis of society's adaptation to the environment.

REC246 - Scenic Areas of the U.S.

This course explores the physical settings, managerial framework and historical background of some of the more popular scenic areas of the United States including national parks (NPS), national forests (USFS), national refuges (FWS), national resource lands (BLM), wilderness, national trails, national rivers and other scenic resources. The course uses the management agency and ecosystem as major threads and examines inherent differences in management philosophy, uses, and missions/goals of the various land management agencies. Although there are no prerequisites for the course, some knowledge of the basic tools of the earth sciences, for example, maps, patterns, classification, analysis and synthesis, etc., is essential. The course is aimed at students of parks and recreation, tourism, geography, geology, biology, education and earth sciences.

REC250 - Non-Profit and Community Recreation

An analysis of the role of recreation programming and facilities in the community, With emphasis on the importance of inclusion of leisure services in community development.

REC270 - Introduction to Interpretation

This course prepares the student to develop and to supervise interpretive services and public outdoor education programs focusing the natural resources/environmental interpretation and historical/cultural interpretation. The course concentrates on interpretive knowledge, skills and abilities including displays and exhibits, interpretive walks, slide presentations, and interpretive trails.

REC275 - Sustainable Recreation & Green Parks

This course surveys the history, current status, case studies and best management practices for sustainable recreation and green parks. It examines the relationship of outdoor recreation and natural resources, especially the environmental impact of recreational pursuits on the resource base. Parks and outdoor recreation lands are the essential green infrastructure of our communities and nation. Parks and public recreation lands and facilities are carbon-reducing landscapes that help clean our air and water, recharge aquifers, and reduce stormwater runoff. Through energy efficiency, climate friendly operations, low impact techniques and other environmental management measures, sustainable recreation and green park resources that will sustain, protect, restore and expand these ecosystem services and environmental assets.

REC280 - Adventure and Outdoor Recreation Outfitting

This course will be a theoretical and experiential examination and analysis of adventure and outdoor recreation outfitting and all of the related elements. The course is designed to give students a broad theoretical, as well as practical, background in teaching and learning experientially. Concepts presented, experienced and discussed in this course include the basic premises of experiential learning through adventure and outdoor recreation activities according to a wide variety of educators and philosophers.

REC285 - Water-Based Recreation Management

An analysis of managerial and administrative practices and processes in water-based recreation agencies and departments, including: departmental organization, policymaking, liability and negligence, personnel management and staffing, fiscal management, budgeting, finance, office management, programming and public relations.

REC361 - Parks & Recreation for Diverse Populations

Leisure and recreation services for special population groups will be examined and studied with a focus on access/inclusion, barriers to participation, disabling conditions and special population groups, program development and service delivery, and legislation.

REC362 - Recreation Site Design and Management

This course will familiarize the student with the components of the park and recreation site design process. Instruction will center on the specific tools and procedures necessary to enable the student to be an effective planner of recreation and park facilities. The student will gain an understanding of the complete planning process from conceptualization through implementation, construction and maintenance.

REC365 - Recreation Resource Management

This course explores the relationship between outdoor recreation in behavior and the natural environment and how the relationship benefits people and society. The exploration of natural resources and facilities management (i.e., wildlife health and trail maintenance) in outdoor recreation are emphasized as well as key issues facing the field today.

REC374 - Commercial Recreation Management

An overview of the commercial recreation industry, specifically focusing on the procedures involved in the developing, marketing and managing of the enterprise. The student is introduced to the methods used in starting a leisure business. The management skills necessary for effective and profitable management of an enterprise are also discussed.

REC378 - Recreation Management and Leadership

An analysis of managerial and administrative practices and processes in recreation, park and agency departments, including departmental organization, policy making, liability and negligence, personnel management and staffing, fiscal management, budgeting, finance, records and reports, office management, and public relations.

REC412 - Recreation Program Planning and Evaluation

The course emphasizes the analysis of a community, assessment of its residential leisure needs, and implementation of recreational programs into the community. The course stresses planning, objectives, goal setting, structural organization, advertising and evaluation.

REC415 - Challenges and Trends in Parks and Recreation

An integrative course for detailed study of current issues in parks and recreation with emphasis on unique and imaginative solutions to the challenges facing the recreation/parks profession.

REC478 - Professional Development in Recreation

The course provides students with the opportunity to gain practical experience in an agency in the leisure services delivery system while being supervised by an agency professional and a faculty member. Students will be able to apply skills and knowledge as a volunteer at an agency that falls under their particular area of interest. Students are expected to utilize leadership and management skills to enhance participant involvement and agency operations.