Recreation Management (REC) - Graduate Courses

REC 400/500 Cr.3

Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Facility Planning

This course is designed to equip the student with the basic knowledge necessary to understand and implement the planning process in the development of parks, recreation, and tourism facilities. Students become familiar with federal, state and local statutes, and other related documents. This course is taught largely at an undergraduate level. Graduate students have additional course requirements/expectations. Offered Fall.

REC 402/502 Cr.3

Risk Management in Leisure Service Organizations

This course identifies the primary components of risk management and detail legal aspects of tort liability, waivers, and indemnification agreements in leisure service organizations. The course equips students with basic knowledge and skills necessary to appropriately manage legal liability and risk exposure associated within various professional leisure and recreation contexts. This course is taught largely at an undergraduate level. Graduate students have additional course requirements/expectations. Offered Fall, Spring.

REC 404/504 Cr.3

Budgeting in Recreation Services

Emphasis is placed on budget development, implementation and management decision-making within the recreation and park enterprise. This course introduces students to various contextual operational budgets within governmental and non-profit enterprises. This course is taught largely at an undergraduate level. Graduate students have additional course requirements/expectations. Offered Fall.

REC 415/515 Cr.3

Camp Administration

This course provides an overview of the history of the camping movement and its evolution over time. In addition, the course provides foundational knowledge necessary to successfully operate a camp facility including administration, day-to-day operations, staffing, camp counseling, and program activities. This course is taught largely at an undergraduate level. Graduate students have additional course requirements/expectations. Offered Spring.

REC 420/520 Cr.3

Revenue Management in Recreation, Tourism, and Events

This course covers prices and pricing from both managerial and behavioral perspectives in recreation, tourism and event settings. While the managerial aspects of pricing include pricing policy/strategy and revenue management (defined as selling perishable service products to the right customer at the right time for the right price), the behavioral aspects include the psychology of pricing, price fairness, price perceptions, and willingness-to-pay for activities and experiences. This course is taught largely at an undergraduate level. Graduate students have additional course requirements/expectations. Offered Fall, Spring.

REC 445/545 Cr.3

Advanced Event Planning and Management

This course advances students' understanding of the event planning and management profession. The course is intended to expose students to planning and management aspects in the areas of meetings, conventions, and other special events, while gaining an understanding of how special events impact tourism. Students further develop the professional skills necessary to plan, manage, and evaluate the success of a meeting, convention, or large-scale special event. This course is taught largely at an undergraduate level. Graduate students have additional course requirements/expectations. Offered Fall.

REC 491/591 Cr.1-3

Workshops in Recreation and Parks

Group study of varying recreation and parks topics. University professors as well as visiting lecturers will be invited to address the students and conduct specialized phases of the workshops. This course is taught largely at an undergraduate level. Graduate students will have additional course requirements/expectations. Repeatable for credit under different topics. No student may earn more than six credits in REC 491/591 and RTH 491/591. Offered Occasionally.

REC 700 Cr.1-9

Internship in Guided Learning

Application of the methods and techniques of recreation leadership and administration through a supervised internship experience. Repeatable for credit - maximum nine. Prerequisite: completion of all required REC/RTH courses; approval of recreation management internship coordinator. Offered Fall, Spring, Summer.

REC/RTH 701 Cr.3

Philosophical Foundations of Leisure, Play and Recreation

In-depth study of past and current theories of leisure, play and recreation; concepts of work and time; the influence of technology and societal changes and the role of recreation in modern day society. (Cross-listed with REC/RTH; may only earn credit in one department.) Offered Fall.

REC 704 Cr.3

Current Issues and Problems

An examination of current factors that are affecting the field of recreation, parks, and leisure with a major emphasis on special problem areas. Subject matter may vary in areas of interest or experience of the student and the instructor. Offered Occasionally.

REC 710 Cr.3

Entrepreneurship in Recreation

This course focuses on management processes that the entrepreneur in recreation uses to create new recreation or entertainment services or to reenergize faltering services. Because entrepreneurs create services that are unusual, innovative, or unique, emphasis is given to planning and marketing processes. The course addresses market feasibility studies, business plan development, pricing, advertising, and public relations. Offered Occasionally.

REC 711 Cr.3

Management of Leisure Services Organizations

Designed to equip the student with the knowledge and skills necessary to manage a public, not-for-profit, or commercial leisure service organization or a division of a leisure service organization. Emphasis will be placed on management functions (planning, organizing, staffing, leading, and controlling) as they relate to the leisure service organization. Offered Occasionally.

REC/RTH 720 Cr.3

Research Methods for Recreation, Parks, and Leisure

The course introduces graduate students to research methods used in leisure research and recreation programs. Students learn to develop a research question, collect and analyze research literature, and conduct research using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The course is designed specifically to help students use methods relevant to the recreation field to take the initial steps for a graduate thesis or project. (Cross-listed with REC/RTH; may only earn credit in one department.) Offered Spring.

REC 731 Cr.3

Data Evaluation and Management in Parks and Recreation

This course covers best practices and emerging models for designing, collecting, and analyzing data used in managing parks, recreation, and leisure service delivery organizations and includes management strategies for applying and communicating evaluation results. Historical and current evaluative management tools will also be examined for their effectiveness in multiple contexts, e.g. VIM, SERVQUAL. Seven week course. Prerequisite: enrollment priority will be given to students in the Recreation Management: Professional Development MS Program and the Recreation Management MS Program. Offered Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

REC 732 Cr.3

Human Development and Group Dynamics

This course is designed to introduce the basic principles of group dynamics and functioning. These principles are directly applicable to staff/team development and training, organizational leadership, facilitation, board development, and assessment/evaluation strategies. Students engage theories and models of human and group development, group effectiveness, as well as leadership and facilitation in relation to concerns directly germane to community, private, and commercial recreation setting. Seven week course. Prerequisite: enrollment priority will be given to students in the online Recreation Management: Professional Development Program. Offered Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

REC 733 Cr.3

Diversity and Social Justice in Recreation Management

This course explores the range of experiences and perspectives of diverse populations with a particular focus on the leisure experience. A focus will be placed on the experiences of members of minority populations including issues related to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, social status, age, and disability. Students will be introduced to factors that influence the experience of leisure and leisure service delivery. Seven week course. Prerequisite: enrollment priority will be given to students in the online Recreation Management: Professional Development Program. Offered Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

REC 734 Cr.3

Experience Management

This course is designed to help students understand how visitors impact organizations directly and indirectly tied to tourism. The course will examine the visitor experience and how the experience visitors are looking for impacts management and marketing decisions. The importance of customer service and the attitudes and perceptions of residents will be reviewed. The course will explore how organizations can prepare for visitors and make strategic decisions with both residents and visitors in mind. Seven week course. Prerequisite: enrollment priority will be given to students in the online Recreation Management: Professional Development Program. Offered Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

REC 735 Cr.1-3

Management Topics in Recreation and Leisure Services

This course will cover topics related to various facets of management of recreation and leisure services. Topics will be determined by REC faculty based on the current needs of the field and interest of students. Seven week course. This course is repeatable in the same term for up to three credits. Repeatable for credit - maximum three. Prerequisite: enrollment priority will be given to students in the Recreation Management: Professional Development MS Program and the Recreation Management MS Program. Offered Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

REC 736 Cr.3

Collaborative Approaches to Recreation and Leisure Service Delivery

This course is designed to help students understand a variety of collaborative approaches to leisure service delivery. Students will focus heavily on the administration of various types of alternative funding models including fund development, grants, and capital campaigns. In addition, students will build an understanding of collaborative approaches to the operations of leisure service agencies including partnerships, outsourcing, and privatization. Seven week course. Prerequisite: enrollment priority will be given to students in the online Recreation Management: Professional Development Program. Offered Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

REC 737 Cr.1-3

Contemporary Issues in Recreation Management

This course includes topics not covered by present REC courses. The particular topics selected will be determined by the REC faculty according to the current needs of the field and student interest. Seven week course. This course is repeatable in the same term for up to three credits. Repeatable for credit - maximum three. Prerequisite: enrollment priority will be given to students in the online Recreation Management: Professional Development Program. Offered Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

REC 738 Cr.3

Capstone Seminar in Recreation Management

The capstone is designed as a culmination of the graduate program experience. The course will allow students to integrate their skills and knowledge gained over the course of their program. Repeatable for credit - maximum six. Prerequisite: enrollment priority will be given to students in the Recreation Management: Professional Development MS Program and the Recreation Management MS Program. Offered Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer.

REC 761 Cr.1-6

Graduate Project in Recreation

An independent investigation of advanced level study in the leisure service profession. Examples of professional projects include development of agency manuals, development of agency comprehensive assessments, research projects, recreation business proposals, program development and evaluation, and recreation comprehensive plans. Repeatable for credit - maximum six. Consent of department. Offered Fall, Spring, Summer.

REC 795 Cr.1-3

Independent Study in Recreation

Individualized study of areas not available in existing courses. Repeatable for credit - maximum six. Consent of instructor. Offered Fall, Spring, Summer.

REC 797 Cr.1-3

Special Projects in Recreation Management

Individualized study areas not available in existing courses or independent study. Emphasis is on the planning, implementation, and evaluation of a recreation leisure project. Projects are completed under the supervision of the director and graduate faculty in the department. Repeatable for credit - maximum six. Offered Fall, Spring, Summer.

REC 799 Cr.1-6

Research: Master's Thesis

Independent research project selected and executed under the direction of a graduate faculty member by students electing to write a thesis. The project may be in any area related to recreation and parks. Maximum six credits allowed toward degree for graduation. Consent of department. Offered Fall, Spring, Summer.