REC-BS - Recreation Education

The program in Recreation Education leads to the B.S. degree and is designed to prepare students for entry into the parks, recreation, and leisure services profession. Recreation and leisure services are provided in a variety of settings serving people of all ages in carefully planned and organized recreation programs. Students may concentrate in recreation management or exercise and sport.

Students in the recreation management concentration are employed in public park and recreation agencies, not-for-profit organizations, community recreation centers, camps, and sports associations.

Students in the exercise and sport concentration can work as programmers, fitness trainers, group exercise leaders or coaches, in sports and fitness programs in a variety of settings. Students are prepared to obtain various fitness certifications from several national organizations.

Fieldwork and internship experiences are important components of the major, which give students the opportunity to apply theory to practice in an actual work setting under the supervision of a qualified professional.

Students in this major that have met the academic requirements, upon graduation, and complete at least 1 year of full-time experience in the field are eligible to sit for the national certifying examination for the Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP), administered by the National Recreation and Park Association.

Students may complete 100% of courses online.

Honors in Recreation Education:

Departmental honors in Recreation Education may be awarded to a student who has maintained an index of 3.5 in a minimum of 24 credits in all courses required for the major.