Recreation Management: Professional Development Emphasis - Master of Science

Admission

Admission to the university:

  • To qualify for unconditional admission (i.e., not on probation) to graduate study, a student must have:
    • A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution
    • An overall undergraduate grade point average of at least 2.85 on a 4.00 scale, or  
      (b) An average of at least 3.00 in the last half of all undergraduate work, or  
      (c) An average of at least 3.00 for no less than 12 semester credits of graduate study at another accredited graduate school.

Admission to the program:

The graduate Recreation Management Program follows a comprehensive admissions review process in selecting students for admission to the online Professional Development Emphasis. Although our program is designed for working recreation professionals, other students will be considered for admission dependent upon their application materials and available space in the program. The factors that will be considered in the review of an application include:

  • Primary factors:
    • A baccalaureate degree in recreation or leisure from an accredited institution; OR
    • A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and a minimum of one year of experience working in the recreation or leisure field.
  • Secondary factors:
    • A minimum of one year of full-time experience working in the recreation or leisure field
    • Staff supervisory experience
  • Required documents:
    • Completed application
    • Official transcripts
    • Resume
    • One letter of recommendation reflective of the applicant's professional and/or academic experiences 
    • Personal statement: A personal statement describing the applicant's belief about the importance of recreation, personal and professional experiences and passions related to recreation, and the reasons the applicant would like to pursue a graduate degree in recreation. The applicant should also include for consideration any additional information that speaks to the applicant's ability to contribute to the program or UWL.

Graduation requirements

A total of 30 credits of graduate level courses must be completed with a “B” or better (3.0/4.0) in each course.

Curriculum

(30 credits)

REC 701Philosophical Foundations of Leisure, Play and Recreation3
REC 520Revenue Management in Leisure Enterprises3
REC 736Collaborative Approaches to Recreation and Leisure Service Delivery3
REC 735Management Topics in Recreation and Leisure Services3
REC 731Data Evaluation and Management in Parks and Recreation3
REC 733Diversity and Social Justice in Recreation Management3
REC 732Human Development and Group Dynamics3
REC 734Experience Management3
REC 737Contemporary Issues in Recreation Management3
REC 738Capstone Seminar in Recreation Management3
Total Credits30

University graduate degree requirements

After being admitted to the program of one's choice, candidates for a graduate degree must:

  1. Complete any preliminary course work and deficiencies.
  2. Complete all courses and other program requirements, including residence requirements prescribed for the degree desired in the respective school or college within a seven-year period from the date of initial enrollment, with the exception of students enrolled in the Student Affairs Administration and Leadership Ed.D. (SAA Ed.D.) graduate program. SAA Ed.D. students must complete all degree requirements within ten years from the time of initial enrollment in the graduate program.
  3. Earn a minimum of 30 credits for a master's degree; 54 credits for a doctorate or post-master's degree. Earn at least one-half of the minimum number of credits required in the program in graduate-only level courses (700, 800, 900, and non-slash 600 level courses). Some UWL graduate programs require more than 30 graduate credits. Please review the individual program requirements listed in the catalog for the exact number of credits required.
  4. Earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00.
  5. Satisfy dissertation, thesis, seminar paper, terminal/graduate projects and internships, or comprehensive examination, where applicable. A dissertation or thesis approved by the committee must be submitted to Graduate & Extended Learning for editorial review and approval by the Dean of Graduate & Extended Learning. The recommended initial submission date for review is two weeks before commencement. Ordinarily, a seminar paper or project report does not have to be approved by the Dean of Graduate & Extended Learning. However, if the seminar paper or project report is to be archived in Murphy Library, the student must follow the same rules as they apply to the dissertation/thesis requiring approval from the Dean of Graduate & Extended Learning. For further research/dissertation/thesis guidelines, see Graduate & Extended Learning.
  6. File a completed "Intent to Graduate" form online via the WINGS Student Center immediately following registration for the final semester or summer term in residence. December graduates and winter intersession should file by May 1. May and summer graduates should file by December 1.
  7. Pay the graduation fee and remove all other indebtedness to the university. Payment of graduation fees does not imply readiness for graduation and does not take the place of applying for graduation.
  8. Complete all requirements within 30 days after the official ending date of a term in order for a degree to be awarded for that term. (See #5 above for separate deadline for written capstone experience.)

Course schedule by semester:

Year 1
FallCreditsSpringCreditsSummerCredits
REC 7013REC 5203REC 7333
REC 7313REC 7323REC 7343
 6 6 6
Year 2
FallCreditsSpringCredits 
REC 7351-3REC 7371-3 
REC 7363REC 7383 
 6 6  
Total Credits: 30