Outdoor Recreation Management, B.S.
Visit the Exercise Science and Outdoor Recreation Department page for more information on the program and access to advising.
Program Description
The Outdoor Recreation Management, BS prepares students for careers in outdoor recreation and tourism. This program provides a solid foundation in recreation theory, outdoor leadership, risk management, experiential education, and recreation and tourism program planning and management. Graduates will gain proficiency in a variety of outdoor skills and the ability to teach, facilitate and lead outdoor activities.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
| General Education Requirements | 30 Credits | |
| ENGL 1010 | Introduction to Academic Writing | 3 |
| or ENGL 1005 | Foundations of Academic Writing | |
| ENGL 2010 | Intermediate Academic Writing | 3 |
| STAT 1040 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| or STAT 1045 | Introduction to Statistics with Algebra | |
| or MATH 1050 | College Algebra | |
| or MATH 1055 | College Algebra with Preliminaries | |
| American Institutions | 3 | |
| Biology | 3 | |
| Physical Science | 3 | |
| Personal, Professional and Civic Growth | 3 | |
| Humanities | 3 | |
| Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Social/Behavioral Science | 3 | |
| Discipline Core Requirements | 61 Credits | |
| EXSC 3750 | Psychosocial Aspects of Human Performance | 3 |
| EXSC 4300 | Research Methods in Exercise Science and Outdoor Recreation | 3 |
| REC 1500 | Canoeing I | 1 |
| or REC 1580 | Kayak Touring | |
| REC 1527 | Rock Climbing I | 1 |
| REC 1535 | Backpacking | 1 |
| REC 1542 | Wilderness First Responder | 2 |
| 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 3850G | Ethical Concerns in Recreation | 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 (1-7) | 7 |
| REC 4950 | Senior Seminar | 2 |
| Complete 2 credits from the following: | 2 | |
| Canoeing I (1) | ||
| Whitewater Kayaking I (1) | ||
| Mountaineering (1) | ||
| Rock Climbing II (1) | ||
| Mountain Biking (1) | ||
| Kayak Touring (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 | |
| Natural Resource Interpretation (3) | ||
| Outdoor Leadership (4) | ||
| Wildland Recreation Behavior (3) | ||
| Topics in Recreation (1-3) | ||
| Directed Electives | 18 Credits | |
| Complete 18 credits from the courses below. 6 credits must be Upper Division 1 | 18 | |
| Principles of Accounting I (3) | ||
| QuickBooks and Small Business Accounting (3) | ||
| Cultural Astronomy in Our Lives (3) | ||
| Natural History Excursion (3) | ||
| Desert Natural History (3) | ||
| Advanced Desert Natural History (3) | ||
| Conservation Biology (3) | ||
| Field Botany (3) | ||
| Flora of Utah (3) | ||
| Native Trees and Shrubs of Utah (3) | ||
| Principles of Leadership (3) | ||
| Inclusive Leadership (3) | ||
| Organizational Behavior (3) | ||
| Leadership Theory and Application (3) | ||
| Public Speaking (3) | ||
| Interpersonal Communication (3) | ||
| Small Group Communication and Decision Making (3) | ||
| Digital Media Essentials I (4) | ||
| Grant and Proposal Writing (3) | ||
| Entrepreneurship - Feasibility Analysis (3) | ||
| Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (4) | ||
| Environmental Sociology (3) | ||
| Launching a New Venture - For Non-Business Majors (3) | ||
| Introduction to Human Resource Management (3) | ||
| Geographic Information Systems (3) | ||
| Organization Development and Change Management (3) | ||
| Global Tourism (3) | ||
| Written Business Communication (3) | ||
| Principles of Marketing (3) | ||
| Leader--Teacher and Mentor (3) | ||
| Electives | 11 Credits | |
| Electives | 11 | |
- 1
Students may complete any Minor in the UVU Catalog instead of the Directed Electives. If the minor is less than 18 credits, the student must add classes to meet the 18 credit requirement.
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.
- Successful completion of at least one Global/Intercultural course.
- Successful completion of at least two Writing Enriched (WE) courses.
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 ENGL 1005 | Introduction to Academic Writing or Foundations of Academic Writing | 3 |
| REC 2200 | Foundations of Recreation | 3 |
| STAT 1040 | Introduction to Statistics or Introduction to Statistics with Algebra or College Algebra or College Algebra with Preliminaries | 3 |
| REC 1527 | Rock Climbing I | 1 |
| REC 1535 | Backpacking | 1 |
| American Institutions Distribution | 3 | |
| REC 1500 or REC 1580 | Canoeing I or Kayak Touring | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| ENGL 2010 | Intermediate Academic Writing | 3 |
| REC 2400 | Principles of Experiential Education in Recreation | 3 |
| Social/Behavioral Science | 3 | |
| Biology Distribution | 3 | |
| Directed Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Semester 3 | ||
| REC 2600 | Principles of Outdoor and Adventure Education | 3 |
| Physical Science Distribution | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| REC 4800 | Professional Preparation in Recreation | 1 |
| REC 3300 | Wilderness Skills | 1 |
| Personal, Professional, and Civic Growth | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| REC 1600 | Winter Exploration | 1 |
| REC 3100 | Recreation Program Planning | 3 |
| REC 2700 | Leave No Trace Trainer | 1 |
| Complete one of the following: | 1 | |
| Whitewater Kayaking I | ||
| Mountaineering | ||
| Rock Climbing II | ||
| Mountain Biking | ||
| Avalanche Awareness | ||
| Fine Arts Distribution | 3 | |
| Humanities Distribution | 3 | |
| Directed Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Semester 5 | ||
| EXSC 4300 | Research Methods in Exercise Science and Outdoor Recreation | 3 |
| REC 3200 | Inclusive Recreation | 3 |
| General Elective | 2 | |
| Complete one of the following: | 1 | |
| Whitewater Kayaking I | ||
| Ropes Course and Teambuilding | ||
| Mountaineering | ||
| Rock Climbing II | ||
| Mountain Biking | ||
| Avalanche Awareness | ||
| REC 4400 | Natural Resource and Protected Area Management | 3 |
| Directed Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| EXSC 3750 | Psychosocial Aspects of Human Performance | 3 |
| REC 3850G | Ethical Concerns in Recreation | 3 |
| REC 3400 | Risk Management | 3 |
| Directed Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Semester 7 | ||
| REC 4200R | Outdoor Leadership and Management Practicum | 2 |
| REC 3500 | Recreation Administration | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| REC 3700 or REC 2450 | Natural Resource Interpretation or Rock Climbing Site Management and Facilitation | 3 |
| Directed Elective | 3 | |
| Directed Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 17 | |
| Semester 8 | ||
| REC 4810R | Senior Internship | 7 |
| REC 4950 | Senior Seminar | 2 |
| REC 1542 | Wilderness First Responder | 2 |
| REC 4500 or REC 4000 | Wildland Recreation Behavior or Outdoor Leadership | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |
Program Learning Outcomes
- Apply principles of recreation theory, outdoor leadership, and risk management to design and implement programs that promote health, wellness, and community engagement in outdoor settings.
- Demonstrate proficiency in a variety of outdoor recreation skills and the ability to teach, facilitate, and adapt these activities for diverse groups and participants.
- Evaluate and apply best practices in program planning to develop, manage, and assess outdoor recreation and tourism programs that meet the needs of the local community and contribute to economic growth.
- Communicate effectively in oral and written formats, adapting messages to various audiences, including peers, clients, and community stakeholders, to promote outdoor recreation and tourism opportunities.
- Analyze and apply experiential education principles in real-world outdoor settings, integrating research and reflective practices to enhance learning outcomes.
- Demonstrate leadership and teamwork skills in a variety of outdoor environments, collaborating effectively with diverse groups, managing group dynamics, and providing guidance in both field and classroom settings.