Exercise Science and Outdoor Recreation - Outdoor Recreation Management Emphasis, B.S.
Visit the Exercise Science and Outdoor Recreation Department page for more information on the program and access to advising.
Program Description
In addition to a strong background in recreation theory, experiential education, outdoor leadership, risk management and program planning, graduates of this program leave with a proficiency in a variety of both land and water-based skill acquisition courses, such as avalanche awareness, whitewater kayaking and backpacking. More than preparation for a career in the outdoor field, the major in Outdoor Recreation Management grooms students for a lifetime of outdoor participation and leadership.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
| Exercise Science and Outdoor Recreation Requirements | 66 Credits | |
| Complete the requirements | 66 | |
| Emphasis Requirements | 54 Credits | |
| Complete one of the following: | 3 | |
| Principles of Accounting I (3) | ||
| Entrepreneurship - Feasibility Analysis (3) | ||
| Launching a New Venture - For Non-Business Majors (3) | ||
| Grant and Proposal Writing (3) | ||
| Introduction to Human Resource Management (3) | ||
| Conservation Biology (3) | ||
| REC 1500 | Canoeing I | 1 |
| or REC 1580 | Kayak Touring | |
| REC 1542 | Wilderness First Responder | 2 |
| REC 1527 | Rock Climbing I | 1 |
| REC 1535 | Backpacking | 1 |
| REC 1600 | Winter Exploration | 1 |
| REC 2200 | Foundations of Recreation | 3 |
| REC 2400 | Principles of Experiential Education in Recreation | 3 |
| REC 2600 | Principles of Outdoor and Adventure Education | 3 |
| REC 2700 | Leave No Trace Trainer | 1 |
| REC 3100 | Recreation Program Planning | 3 |
| REC 3200 | Inclusive Recreation | 3 |
| REC 3300 | Wilderness Skills | 1 |
| REC 3400 | Risk Management | 3 |
| REC 3500 | Recreation Administration | 3 |
| REC 4200R | Outdoor Leadership and Management Practicum | 2 |
| REC 4400 | Natural Resource and Protected Area Management | 3 |
| REC 4800 | Professional Preparation in Recreation | 1 |
| REC 4810R | Senior Internship (1-8) | 7 |
| Complete 3 credits from the following: | 3 | |
| Whitewater Kayaking I (1) | ||
| Ropes Course and Teambuilding (1) | ||
| Mountaineering (1) | ||
| Rock Climbing II (1) | ||
| Mountain Biking (1) | ||
| Avalanche Awareness (1) | ||
| Complete 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Rock Climbing Site Management and Facilitation (3) | ||
or REC 2650 | Principles of Challenge Education | |
or REC 2750 | Principles of Water Based Adventure Education | |
| Natural Resource Interpretation (3) | ||
| Outdoor Leadership (4) | ||
| Wildland Recreation Behavior (3) | ||
Core Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours | 66 | |
| General Education Requirements | 31 Credits | |
| ENGL 1010 | Introduction to Academic Writing | 3 |
| or ENGH 1005 | Literacies and Composition Across Contexts | |
| ENGL 2010 | Intermediate Academic Writing | 3 |
| MATH 1050 | College Algebra | 4 |
| or MATH 1055 | College Algebra with Preliminaries | |
| Complete one of the following: | 3 | |
| US History to 1877 and US History since 1877 (6) | ||
| American History (3) | ||
| US Economic History (3) | ||
| American Heritage (3) | ||
| American National Government (3) | ||
| Distribution Courses: | ||
| BIOL 1010 | General Biology 1 Exercise Science students must take BIOL 1610 and BIOL 1615; Outdoor Recreation students must take BIOL 1010 | 3 |
| or BIOL 1610 | College Biology I | |
| Physical Science | 3 | |
| Personal, Professional, and Civic Growth | 3 | |
| Humanities | 3 | |
| Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Social/Behavioral Science | 3 | |
| Discipline Core Requirements | 17 Credits | |
| EXSC 2500 | Sports Medicine | 3 |
| EXSC 3550 | Motor Learning and Control | 3 |
| EXSC 3750 | Psychosocial Aspects of Human Performance | 3 |
| EXSC 3270 | Exercise Testing and Prescription 2 Exercise Science students must take EXSC 3270; Outdoor Recreation students must take REC 3850G | 3 |
| or REC 3850G | Ethical Concerns in Recreation | |
| EXSC 4300 | Research Methods in Exercise Science and Outdoor Recreation | 3 |
| EXSC 4950 | Senior Seminar 3 Exercise Science students must take EXSC 4950; Outdoor Recreation students must take REC 4950 | 2 |
| or REC 4950 | Senior Seminar | |
| Elective Requirements | 18 Credits | |
| Any 1000-level course(s) or higher | 18 | |
- 1
EXSC students must take BIOL 1610 and BIOL 1615, and REC students must take BIOL 1010
- 2
EXSC students must take EXSC 3270 and REC students must take REC 3850G
- 3
EXSC students must take EXSC 4950 and REC students must take REC 4950
Graduation Requirements
- Completion of a minimum of 120 semester credits, 40 credits must be upper-division.
- Overall grade point average of 2.0 (C) or above. (Departments may require a higher GPA.)
- Residency hours: minimum of 30 credit hours through course attendance at UVU, with at least 10 hours earned in the last 45 hours.
- Completion of GE and specified departmental requirements.
- No grades below C- in Discipline Core or Emphasis Courses.
- Successful completion of at least one Global/Intercultural course.
- Successful completion of at least two Writing Enriched (WE) courses.
Note: Students must obtain the departmental advisor's signature on an approved program plan prior to enrollment in their second semester of study.
Graduation Plan
This graduation plan is a sample plan and is intended to be a guide. Your specific plan may differ based on your Math and English placement and/or transfer credits applied. You are encouraged to meet with an advisor and set up an individualized graduation plan in Wolverine Track.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Semester 1 | Credit Hours | |
| ENGL 1010 or ENGH 1005 | Introduction to Academic Writing or Literacies and Composition Across Contexts | 3 |
| MAT 1010 | Intermediate Algebra | 4 |
| REC 2200 | Foundations of Recreation | 3 |
| REC 1527 | Rock Climbing I | 1 |
| REC 1535 | Backpacking | 1 |
| Social/Behavioral Science Dist. | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| ENGL 2010 | Intermediate Academic Writing | 3 |
| MATH 1050 or MATH 1055 | College Algebra or College Algebra with Preliminaries | 4 |
| REC 2400 | Principles of Experiential Education in Recreation | 3 |
| BIOL 1010 | General Biology | 3 |
| General Elective | 2 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Semester 3 | ||
| REC 2600 | Principles of Outdoor and Adventure Education | 3 |
| REC 2700 | Leave No Trace Trainer | 1 |
| Physical Science Distribution | 3 | |
| American Institutions Distribution | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Personal, Professional, and Civic Growth | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| REC 1600 | Winter Exploration | 1 |
| REC 3300 | Wilderness Skills | 1 |
| REC 3100 | Recreation Program Planning | 3 |
| EXSC 3550 | Motor Learning and Control | 3 |
| Complete one of the following: | 1 | |
| Whitewater Kayaking I | ||
| Ropes Course and Teambuilding | ||
| Mountaineering | ||
| Rock Climbing II | ||
| Mountain Biking | ||
| Avalanche Awareness | ||
| Fine Arts Distribution | 3 | |
| Humanities Distribution | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Semester 5 | ||
| EXSC 2500 | Sports Medicine | 3 |
| EXSC 4300 | Research Methods in Exercise Science and Outdoor Recreation | 3 |
| REC 3200 | Inclusive Recreation | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Complete one of the following: | 1 | |
| Whitewater Kayaking I | ||
| Ropes Course and Teambuilding | ||
| Mountaineering | ||
| Rock Climbing II | ||
| Mountain Biking | ||
| Avalanche Awareness | ||
| REC 1500 or REC 1580 | Canoeing I or Kayak Touring | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| EXSC 3750 | Psychosocial Aspects of Human Performance | 3 |
| REC 3850G | Ethical Concerns in Recreation | 3 |
| REC 3400 | Risk Management | 3 |
| REC 3500 | Recreation Administration | 3 |
| Complete one of the following: | 1 | |
| Whitewater Kayaking I | ||
| Ropes Course and Teambuilding | ||
| Mountaineering | ||
| Rock Climbing II | ||
| Mountain Biking | ||
| Avalanche Awareness | ||
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Semester 7 | ||
| REC 4400 | Natural Resource and Protected Area Management | 3 |
| REC 4200R | Outdoor Leadership and Management Practicum | 2 |
| REC 4800 | Professional Preparation in Recreation | 1 |
| Complete one of the following: | 3 | |
| Principles of Accounting I | ||
| Entrepreneurship - Feasibility Analysis | ||
| Launching a New Venture - For Non-Business Majors | ||
| Grant and Proposal Writing | ||
| Introduction to Human Resource Management | ||
| Conservation Biology | ||
| REC Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 8 | ||
| REC 4810R | Senior Internship | 7 |
| REC 4950 | Senior Seminar | 2 |
| REC 1542 | Wilderness First Responder | 2 |
| REC Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Program Learning Outcomes
- Students will express satisfaction with opportunities for applied learning, service learning, and learning through coursework and practicum/internship
- Students will express satisfaction with the program's breadth and depth of opportunities to improve students' outdoor skills
- Students will express satisfaction with their ability to create and implement programs in the field of recreation
- Students will be comfortable and effective creating and carrying out group activities
- With professional preparation in mind, students would feel comfortable recommending this program to peers with similar professional goals
Recreation and fitness studies teachers, postsecondary
- Total Positions16,200
- Field Growth3.4%
- Median Salary$75,770
- Average Openings1.3
Athletes and sports competitors
- Total Positions25,100
- Field Growth11.1%
- Median Salary$70,280
- Average Openings3.4
Coaches and scouts
- Total Positions307,100
- Field Growth8.8%
- Median Salary$45,910
- Average Openings41.8
Exercise trainers and group fitness instructors
- Total Positions350,100
- Field Growth13.6%
- Median Salary$46,480
- Average Openings73.7