Recreation, park, and leisure studies

Recreation, park, and leisure studies is a growing field with an increasing demand for high-quality, well-trained, dedicated professionals. A career in this field allows you to touch the lives of a wide variety of people in significant ways and allows you to work with people when they are at their best—involved in activities that have central meaning to their lives. Perhaps your interest is focused on working with youth in urban settings, or with persons with disabilities in wilderness settings, or the elderly in therapeutic recreation, or with adults in a park and recreation sports program. You may be attracted to the growing tourism and adventure vacation business. Study in this field can prepare you for these careers and many others. The college's well-designed, research-based programs emphasize program planning, needs assessment, business management, and economics, as well as education and human development theories.

Undergraduate (B.S.) degree in recreation, park, and leisure studies

Program overview

Career resources

Master of education (M.Ed.) degree in recreation, park, and leisure studies

Our M.Ed./professional studies program is for professionals interested in gaining advanced knowledge and skills in specific emphasis in their current field or a new field.

Program overview

Master of arts (M.A.) degree in recreation, park, and leisure studies

Offered through the Graduate School, our  M.A. program emphasizes research and theory in the context of classroom application. It generally culminates in an extensive research project and final oral exam. The application procedures and tuition fees correspond to those of the Graduate School.

Program overview

Doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) degree in recreation, park, and leisure studies

Our Ph.D. degree is for students interested in focusing on a particular subject field and includes original research that makes a significant contribution to knowledge in that field. Students pursuing this degree are admitted through the Graduate School.

Program overview