Recreation and Parks Management Courses (RPM)
GE Core denotes General Education Core credit;
GE Marker denotes General Education Marker credit;
CAR denotes College Additional Requirement credit.
Courses for Undergraduates
101 Leisure and American Lifestyles (3:3)
GE Core:
GSB
Non-majors only.
Students may not receive credit for both 101 and 111.
Examination of personal, philosophical, socio-cultural, economic, behavioral, and historical dimensions of leisure; evolution of leisure lifestyles; exploration of the interrelationship between individuals, groups, and society in the context of leisure.
102 Creating a Meaningful Life (3:3)
Examine personal, social, and cultural bases for a creative and well-balanced life. Recognize and foster creative potential for lifelong personal growth, satisfying quality of life through leisure, and meaningful rewards.
111 Introduction to Recreation and Parks (3:3)
RPMT majors and minors only.
Students may not receive credit for both 111 and 101.
Historical and philosophical foundations of recreation and parks; examination of agencies providing services, social and economic factors influencing recreation in contemporary society, professional organizations, and career opportunities.
201 Introduction to Community Leadership (3:3)
Provides an overview of key leadership and personal development skills necessary to practice effective leadership in teams and community organizations. Includes exploration, reflection, and synthesis of personal values.
202 Environmental Education (3:3)
Historical and philosophical foundations of environmental education. Exploration of various program types; emphasis on teaching and learning alternatives. Survey of environmental issues and current research.
203 Fundamentals of Outdoor Leadership (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Introduction to basic wilderness living skills, conservation of wild areas, sound safety practices, outdoor leadership theory, and practical application as related to a college outdoor recreation program.
212 Leadership in Recreation and Parks (3:3)
Analysis of techniques, principles, and practices of leadership and group dynamics in recreation and parks.
213 Program Planning in Recreation and Parks (3:3)
General principles of program planning; intensive study of program areas available to participants; analysis of methods and techniques of program design, organization, implementation, and evaluation.
231 Introduction to Therapeutic Recreation (3:3)
Survey of key concepts, theoretical underpinnings, and procedures in clinical and community recreation settings. Focuses upon varied special needs populations, prescriptive activities, and documentations using medical charting.
241 Community Recreation (3:3)
Pr. RPMT majors and minors only, or permission of instructor
Operation of public, nonprofit, and commercial recreation agencies, in a community, with emphasis on types of programs and services offered, current trends, and issues impacting delivery of services.
251 Professional Preparation in Recreation and Parks (1:1:2)
Pr. RPM 111
RPMT majors only.
A laboratory format course with “hands-on” experience in developing cover letters and professional resumes, job search skills, and interviewing for positions in recreation and parks.
252 Preparing for Practice in Recreation and Parks (1:1)
Pr. RPM 251 or permission of instructor
RPMT majors only.
Portfolio-based course preparing students to seek and apply for practicum positions in recreation and parks management.
304 Outdoor Challenge/Adventure Education Programs (3:3)
Principles and practices of outdoor challenge/adventure education; administrative considerations for selection, use, design, and implementation of outdoor challenge/adventure programs.
314 Recreation Services with Underrepresented Groups (3:3)
Awareness of and sensitivity to the needs of people with disabilities and other disenfranchised individuals with regard to planning, delivering, and evaluating recreation/leisure services in the community.
315 Practicum in Recreation and Parks (3 or 6)
Pr. RPM 111, 212, 213, and 231, or 241, or permission of instructor; must have a cumulative 2.0 GPA to enroll.
A 3 semester hour experience may be repeated once for a maximum of 6 semester hours.
Directed practical experience in approved recreation and parks agency. Opportunities provide for student to develop knowledge, values, and skills appropriate for entry-level practice in the profession. (Summer)
316 Leisure for Older Adults (3:3)
GE Core:
GSB
Examines leisure and the sociological, legal, medical, and political aspects of older adulthood, as well as issues that impact the leisure of older adults (retirement, caregiving, health, finances).
320 Tourism Planning and Development (3:3)
Geographic distribution of tourist development with an emphasis on the spatial dimension of origin-destination flows, industrial structure, demand, and supply. Tourism planning and agents of tourism development are stressed. (Same as GEO 320, HTM 320)
324 Commercial and Entrepreneurial Recreation (3:3)
Pr. RPM 111 or HTM 151
Basic principles and procedures in entrepreneurial and commercial recreation; development and operation of commercial recreation businesses with emphasis on goods and services offered for profit in the leisure market. (Same as HTM 324)
332 Evidence-based Programming and Practice in Therapeutic Recreation (3:3)
Pr. RPM 111 or permission of instructor
Focus on skills for design and evaluation of evidence-based therapeutic recreation interventions and programs using various techniques, including activity and task analysis, summative and formative evaluation procedures.
338 Client Assessment in Therapeutic Recreation (3:3)
Pr. RPM 111 or permission of instructor
Introduction to the theories, concepts, and techniques used in client assessment for therapeutic recreation programs and treatment.
342 Recreation Area and Facility Development (3:2:2)
Pr. RPM 111
Examination of the basic procedures involved in the planning process; basic considerations in park planning and maintenance management; analysis of the methods and techniques of site evaluation, design, and maintenance management.
343 Park and Recreation Maintenance Management (3:3)
Pr. 111, 213, or permission of instructor
Principles and practices of maintenance management; operational policies and procedures in recreation and park agencies.
346 Campus Recreation Management (3:3)
Basic principles and procedures of campus recreation management with emphasis on programming, maintenance, budgeting, and risk management aspects of program development.
347 Outdoor Experiential Education for Small Groups (3:2:3)
Introduction to experiential education theory. Emphasis on small group facilitation skills; policies, procedures and legal factors for management of challenge course; teambuilding; experiential activities to meet client's needs.
401 Strategic Community Leadership (3:3)
Open to students in any discipline.
Service-learning designation
Focus on development of community leadership capacities; identification, analysis, and assessment of community issues; development of proposals for change; blending individual leadership experiences with current community leaders' experiences.
405 Special Topics Seminar (3:3)
Pr. course work in appropriate content area and/or permission of instructor
May be repeated once for credit.
Specific course title identified by subscript, e.g., Problems Seminar: Leisure and Aging. Nature of problems themselves and their impact on societies studied.
416 Management in Recreation and Parks (3:3)
Pr. RPM 315 or permission of instructor
Principles and practices of management in recreation and parks agencies with emphasis on motivation, leadership, finance and budgeting, personnel policies and practices, and marketing and public relations.
417 Internship in Recreation and Parks (12)
Pr. RPM 315 and 416; must have a cumulative 2.0 GPA to enroll
Advanced practical experience in an approved recreation and parks agency. Internship consists of a full-time placement for a minimum of 12 weeks and 480 clock hours. Therapeutic Recreation students are required to complete a full-time placement for a minimum of 14 weeks and 560 clock hours to comply with national and state credentialing standards. (Summer Only or Permission of Instructor)
418 Research and Evaluation in Recreation and Parks (3:3)
Pr. RPM 315, STA 108, or permission of instructor
Analysis of research and evaluation methods in recreation and parks including problem identification, literature review, data collection methods and analysis, and report writing.
423 Meeting and Event Planning and Management (3:3)
Pr. RPM 111 and 241, or permission of instructor
Comprehensive understanding of the elements necessary to conduct a quality event or meeting; emphasis on skills needed to identify, create, organize, implement, and evaluate a special event, conference, or meeting.
429 Special Event Management (3:3)
Pr. RPM 423 or permission of instructor
Study of elements necessary to manage and operate an event business; emphasis on development and presentation of event proposals, customer service, fee structures, event design, risk management, and legal issues.
433 Trends and Issues in Therapeutic Recreation (3:3)
Pr. RPM 315, 332, or permission of instructor
Study of trends and issues in therapeutic recreation; examination of current controversial issues, interdisciplinary team practice, supervisory functions, and professional advocacy.
436 Leisure Education (3:3)
Pr. 111 or permission of instructor
Components of leisure education in the delivery of therapeutic recreation services. Emphasis on program development for people with disabilities in transition from educational, clinical, and home environments to community environments.
437 Facilitation Techniques in Therapeutic Recreation (3:3)
Pr. RPM 231
This course will prepare students to plan, implement, and evaluate a variety of therapeutic recreation facilitation techniques and will include intervention descriptions, historical perspectives, efficacy research, and theoretical foundations.
438 Therapeutic Recreation for Older Adults in the Teaching Nursing Home (6:6)
Pr. RPMT major with Therapeutic Recreation concentration, minimum overall 3.3 GPA, or permission of instructor
Investigation of the cross-cultural models of geriatric care along with their evolving applied non-pharmacological research initiative will be undertaken through study abroad.
443 Recreation Facility Management (3:3)
Pr. 315, or permission of instructor
Comprehensive understanding of the elements necessary to manage a recreation facility in the public, not-for-profit, and/or private sectors, including supervision, operational control, capacity management, and pricing.
445 Financing Recreation and Parks (3:3)
Pr. RPM 416 or equivalent, or permission of instructor
Financial methods and techniques utilized in recreation and parks. Emphasis on new approaches to financing, alternative financing techniques, fees and charges, and revenue producing facilities.
446 Advanced Management Practices in Recreation and Parks (3:3)
Pr. RPM 416
Principles and practices of management in recreation and park organizations with emphasis on strategic planning and management, organizational change, decision-making, conflict management, problem solving, and managing diversity.
450 Service Management (3:3)
Integration of service systems management, human behavior, and marketing in the creation, delivery, and assurance of service quality and customer service. (Same as HTM 450)
491 Family-Centered Interdisciplinary Practice: System of Care (3:3)
Pr. permission of instructor
System of care core values/principles infuse service planning/ delivery. Students develop competencies in family-centerdness, client partnerships; community services; cultural competency; interagency collaboration. Placement with families included. (Spring) (Same as HDF 491, HEA 491, SWK 491)
493 Honors Work (3–6)
Pr. permission of instructor; 3.30 GPA in the major, 12 s.h. in the major
May be repeated for credit if the topic of study changes.
Courses for Advanced Undergraduates & Graduate Students
511 Seminar in Recreation and Parks (3:3)
Pr. RPM 315, senior standing, or permission of instructor
Examination of current practices in recreation and parks with emphasis on their impact in the delivery of programs and services, and their technological, economic, and political significance in society.
519 Directed Research in Recreation, Parks, and Tourism (3)
Pr. permission of instructor
Identification and investigation of research questions in recreation and parks. Opportunity for students to conduct research with direction from scholars in the field. (Fall & Spring)
535 Animal Assisted Therapy (3:3)
An introduction to the theories, concepts, and techniques used in animal assisted therapy in long-term care, rehabilitation, acute care hospitals, special schools, and other settings.
Please refer to The Graduate School Bulletin for additional graduate-level courses.