Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management (PRT)
Introduction topics related to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management; the recreation, sport, tourism, event, and golf industries; all PRTM curricula; advising, academic skills, and teamwork; and research and personnel involved in the department and college. PRT, SPMGT, and PGM Majors Only.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
The goal of this course is to provide students with foundational knowledge of the role of recreation and leisure in our society. Facilitators, constraints, and motivational factors related to recreation and leisure behavior are discussed along with the role of recreation in community development and health and well-being across the lifespan. Topics addressed include human views and practices of recreation and leisure behavior, contemporary thinking about the relationship between time, work, and leisure, connections between recreation and wellness, and practices and methods used in the delivery of recreation, tourism, and leisure services (e.g., event planning, program planning, promoting tourism).
GEP Social Sciences
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Overview of the golf industry and introduction to the concepts and practices of effective golf management including turfgrass management, golf shop operations, food & beverage control, customer services, personnel management, and tournament operations. Theoretical foundations for understanding leisure behavior and the parks, recreation and tourism management profession.
Prerequisite: PGM Majors
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Despite having one of the highest standards of living in the world, a growing number of Americans are unhappy. The purpose of this course is to help students understand the behaviors that are personally beneficial and contribute to a healthy and happy life. Students will learn what research says about what makes us happy and healthy, and how to put those strategies into practice. Course modules focus on activities that have been proven to increase happiness along with strategies to build healthy habits.
GEP Social Sciences
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Solutions-focused examination of the varied, complex, and evolving frameworks used to make sense of how individuals & societies connect with the biophysical environment. Emphasis on current issues and relevance of interdisciplinary training to careers including environmental planning and policy, sustainable tourism, parks and recreation management, conservation, environmental education, and climate resilience. Topics include: population dynamics, public land and common resources, renewable natural resources, pollution, water resources, energy and non-renewable resources.
GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Emphasis on concepts, techniques, and practices of teaching golf skills; understanding the Professional Golfers' Association Constitution; rules of golf, golf tournament operations; and golf car fleet management.
Prerequisite: PGM Majors & PRT 156
Typically offered in Spring only
Advanced concepts, techniques, and practices of teaching golf; golfer development programs, golf club design and repair.
Prerequisite: PGM Majors & PRT 210
Typically offered in Fall only
Students will learn to teach using a variety of instructional methods including various technologicalmethods. Students will also learn to teach to students with a variety of learning styles including visual, auditory and kinesthetic. The students will learn the fundamental theories and concepts of the golf swing as well as basic ball flight laws.
Typically offered in Fall only
Foundations in outdoor leadership and adventure education topics include outdoor education history, group development models, experiential education theories, leadership styles and facilitation, risk management for groups, expedition and trip planning, employment opportunities, current trends and issues, environmental stewardship, assessment and evaluation.
Typically offered in Spring only
An exploration of the forces driving the global industries of tourism and event management. Emphasis on using the principles of sustainability to address current challenges and future opportunities in tourism and event management.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
This course explores concepts and methods of outdoor recreation planning and management, with emphasis on public lands. Students will examine environmental and social impacts of recreation and develop strategies that promote quality visitor experiences and sustainable resource management.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
The goal of this course is to provide students with knowledge, attitude awareness, and resources needed to understand how to effectively deliver programs and services for people from diverse backgrounds. Students will gain new perspectives that address the various ways that age, race, ethnicity, sexual identity, class, and ability impact the recreation, leisure, and sport experience in the United States. This course will help students cultivate cultural competency and appreciation of these different perspectives. It is intended to enhance understanding and ability to work with diverse populations.
GEP U.S. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, GEP U.S. Diversity
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Geospatial applications have a multitude of uses in both the private and public sectors and are integral to innovative solutions in parks and recreation. Students will gain an understanding of how spatial data are collected, organized, analyzed, and displayed and learn the foundations of representing environmental and social phenomena in a geospatial environment. Student will be able to explain how geospatial tools enable spatial thinking and problem solving for parks, recreation, and tourism applications, such as siting recreation facilities, mapping health-related issues, and creating compelling maps and visuals for destination marketing. Students will apply spatial concepts to hands-on applications, gaining familiarity with commonly used software.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Management principles applied to park, recreation, sport areas and facilities. Emphasis on operational efficiency, quality service, fiscal responsibility and maintenance management.
Prerequisite: PRT 152
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Introduction to concepts and practices of effective sport programming and management at the professional, collegiate and community levels. Overview of various program delivery systems such as fitness, instructional sport, informal sport, and intramural sport. Examination of management elements of sport programming, including planning, personnel, finance, facilities, risk and liability and marketing.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
The psychological behavior of the individual in physical activity and sport. The development of sport and the sports industry, political and cultural significance of sport, and sport in international relationships. The relationship between sport, gender, class, ethnicity, health, drugs, violence, education, and life long physical activity.
Prerequisite: Sport Management or PRT Majors; Sophomore standing
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Concepts related to effective communication within sport organizations. Including interpersonal communication, group communication, public speaking, use of electronic media, and basic knowledge and understanding of media in sport and sport enterprises.
Prerequisite: Sport Management or PRT Majors, PRT 266
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Learning experience in parks, recreation, tourism, and sports within an academic framework with agencies external to the department. Contact and arrangements with prospective supervisors initiated by the student. Approval by prospective supervisor and departmental undergraduate coordinator necessary. Students can receive between 1 and 3 hours credit for the the learning experience (1 credit = 45 hours) PRT and SMT majors only.
R: Sophomore Standing
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Independent Study for Parks, Recreation, & Tourism Management students at the freshman and sophomore level developed under the direction of a faculty member. Individualized/Independent Study and Research courses require a "Course Agreement for Students Enrolled in Non-Standard Courses" be completed by the student and faculty member prior to registration by the department.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Independent Study for Parks, Recreation, & Tourism Management students at the freshman and sophomore level developed under the direction of a faculty member. Individualized/Independent Study and Research courses require a "Course Agreement for Students Enrolled in Non-Standard Courses" be completed by the student and faculty member prior to registration by the department.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Special topics in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management at the 200 level for offering of courses on an experimental basis.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Examination of marketing methods as applied to Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management facilities and programs. Aspects of advanced marketing: market research, marketing strategy and revenue-generation in both public and private settings.
Typically offered in Fall only
Introduction to the roles and responsibilities of the golf course superintendent as well as the practices and procedures associated with golf course turfgrass management. Preparation for completion of Level II Turfgrass Management, elements of the Professional Golfers' Association of America's Professional Golf Management apprentice program. Periodically class/lab meetings require transportation to area golf facilities. Students are expected to provide their own transportation accommodations.
Typically offered in Fall only
Advanced concepts, techniques, and practices of golf management: business analysis, planning and operations, and analysis of the golf swing. Preparation for completion of PGA of America's Professional golf Management Level II knowledge tests and skills simulations.
Typically offered in Spring only
Overview of the organizational and administration of adventure programs and services, professional standards, programming, management, staffing, budgeting, public relations, liability and risk management.
Prerequisite: PRT 152
Typically offered in Spring only
This course introduces the concepts and principles associated with sustainable tourism development, emphasizing on their implications for management and planning purposes. Topics to be addressed include: concept, justification and evolution of sustainable development; socio-cultural, economic, and environmental dimensions of sustainable tourism; positive and negative impacts of tourism development; and principles conducive to sustainable tourism planning and community development. Given that each case of tourism development is unique, examples from the U.S. and around the world will be used to examine and discuss issues and practices of sustainable tourism development within different geo-cultural contexts. This course adopts the Problem-Based Learning Format, which promotes and enhances students' analytical skills, problem solving skill and team working skills. It also adopts TH!NK intellectual standards to encourage critical and creative thinking in evaluating the work of others, solving problems related to sustainable tourism, and reflecting on personal thinking (i.e., metacognition). Junior or senior standing.
Typically offered in Spring only
Interpretation is a form of communication in which the technical language of natural sciences and related fields is translated in a way connects people's hearts and minds to a resource. Commonly, interpretation occurs at local, county, state and national parks; state and national forests; other protected areas; as well as natural and cultural history centers and sites. However, these skills can be transferred to any setting in which you are seeking to connect people's hearts and minds to a resource. This course is designed to provide you with fundamental knowledge of environmental and cultural interpretation, as well as develop your practical skills in providing interpretive services. Students will enroll in the National Association of Interpretation Certified Interpretive Guide course and have opportunity to apply for certification ($125 fee). Certification is optional. Students completing this course will also earn a minimum of 20 hours toward NC Environmental Education Certification.
Prerequisite: Junior standing.
Typically offered in Spring only
The ultimate goal of the recreation and park profession is to improve the quality of life for the people and communities we serve. We often do this by providing programs for people. It is important for the student to realize the breadth of recreation program possibilities and to be able to analyze and apply the program planning principles to deliver services in a variety of recreation settings. As a full-immersion service-learning course, PRT 358 is designed to provide knowledge and tools to enable the student to achieve the above objectives.
Prerequisite: PRT 152
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Systematic principles for managing human resource component of parks, recreation, event, and tourism organizations. Leadership, group dynamics, human resources planning and organizing, employee recruitment, selection and supervision.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Foundations, administrative support systems, delivery systems and desirable practices of sport programming. Program delivery systems overview with emphasis on problems and solutions associated with sport programs. Topics include sport league administration, youth sport delivery issues, sport tournament operations, community based sport delivery issues, college/university recreation sport delivery.
Prerequisite: Sport Management and PRT majors; Junior or Senior standing
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
This course will introduce fundamental concepts and standards of practice related to the creation and maintenance of safe environments in tourism, events, community sport, and outdoor recreation. Topics addressed include risk management, emergency action plans, risk audits, contracts and waivers, basic employment law, and fundamental concepts related to the minimization of injury.
R: Junior standing or above
Typically offered in Spring only
The purpose of PRT 375 is to help students adequately prepare for their internship and for their career following graduation. Students will explore internship opportunities and explore the best practices for internship and/or job seeking through resume preparation, practicing interview skills, utilizing social media, and learning job negotiating skills.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Concepts related to policy development, organization and management specific to sport organizations. Including theories and practices of policy development and implementation, management theories, organizational behavior, the strategic management process, organizational design, managing change, and operational planning.
P: PRT 266 and Sports Management students only.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course demonstrates the value of evidence-based decision making within parks, recreation, tourism, event, golf, and sport (hereafter PRTM) services. It provides an introduction to and application of the processes required for evaluating these services including: development of evaluation criteria, data collection, analysis, synthesis of findings, and communication of results. The course emphasizes an understanding, development, and application of various types of systematic evaluation designs. The understanding and communication of different evaluation techniques and results will be integral.
Prerequisite: 300-level Statistics course
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Fundamental principles of law, especially tort and contract law, applied to sports situations. Analysis of liability of sports personnel in various roles including participant, coach, promoter, trainer and official. Analysis of common law court decisions in sports contexts well as key state and federal statutory legislation such as civil rights and antitrust.
Prerequisite: Junior standing.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Introduction to practices and procedures in food and beverage service. Basics of food service needs, cost controls, legal issues affecting food and beverage service, staffing, and customer satisfaction. Critical elements of food costing, purchasing, inventory control, menu planning, and security. Preparation for completion of Level III Food and Beverage control elements of the Professional Golfers' Association of America's Professional Golf Management apprentice Program
Prerequisite: Junior standing and PRT 152
Typically offered in Spring only
Introduction to practices and procedures in contemporary club management. Application of general management functions to club environments including human resources, training, financial management marketing; leadership food and beverage service operations facilities and risk management; legal issues; and career planning. Preparation for completion of Club Management elements of the Professional Golfers' Association of America's Professional Golf Management apprentice Program
Prerequisite: Junior standing, PRT 152
Typically offered in Spring only
Basic principles of golf course design. Historical architectural influences on current golf course design trends. Strategic golf course design principles, shot values, construction practices, environmental issues, and maintenance issues. Golf course design and management implications. Restricted to PGM and Landscape Arch. Majors. Junior Standing
Prerequisite: PRT 211
Typically offered in Fall only
Advanced concepts, techniques, and practices of golf management: swing concepts of teaching, supervising and delegating, merchandising and inventory control. Preparation for completion of PGA of America's Professional Golf Management Level III knowledge tests and skill simulations.
Prerequisite: PGM Majors and PRT 312
Typically offered in Spring only
Checkpoint mechanism to register the successful completion of the Professional Golfers' Association Apprentice requirement.
Prerequisite: PGM Majors and PRT 312
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Principles and practices of leadership in adventure education and recreation programs: group management, trip planning, staffing, group dynamics, health and safety issues, risk management and other relevant topics.
Typically offered in Spring only
Destination planning, development, and management from a theoretical and applied perspective. Includes an examination the destination experience, destinations as they fit into the tourism system, and contributions made in the development of the tourism industry.
Prerequisite: PRT 152
Typically offered in Spring only
Students will learn about the potential role of tourism in fueling equitable development and human health in destination communities, and about the factors that lead to negative social and economic tourism impacts. Students will learn about equitable community development, human health and well-being principles; and about how micro-entrepreneurs and host communities react to the challenges and opportunities posted by tourism development. The course is grounded in scholarly knowledge and is also unreservedly engaged in real life; accordingly, students will work on new ways to help under-resourced individuals pursue dignified livelihoods through tourism. Fieldwork outside of class is required, with a fee of $50.00. PRT majors and PRT minors only.
Typically offered in Fall only
This 3.5 week study abroad program examines human dimensions of natural and environmental conservation in Australia. The course will involve an orientation and lectures from faculty at James Cook University. Students wills explore the natural environments in Australia including Great Barrier Reed, Tropical Rainforest and Outback and be introduced to Australian culture and history through interactions with communities. Educational travel, active participation, lectures, seminars, and reflective exercises facilitate learning to improve understanding of relationships between human societies and the natural environment. Students must pay program fees, airfare, some meals, and incidentals.
Corequisite: PRT 450
GEP Global Knowledge, GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Typically offered in Summer only
This 3.5 week study abroad program will examine issues related to natural history and environmental conservation in Australia. This course will involve an orientation and lectures from Australian university faculty. Students will explore natural environments in Australia including the Great Barrier Reef, Tropical Rainforest and Outback; learn about sustainable development and protection of the natural environment through educational travel, field trips, active participation, lecture presentations and seminars, written assignments, research projects and reflective exercises. Students must apply through NCSU Study Abroad Office. Students must pay program fees, airfare, some meals and incidentals.
Corequisite: PRT 449
GEP Global Knowledge, GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives
Typically offered in Summer only
Planning activities analyzed as decision-making processes. Identification, interpretation, evaluation and utilization of data and resources necessary for recreation planning. Planning principles applied in the analysis of proposed and existing recreation sites.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
This dual-listed course provides undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on exposure to the multifaceted nature of national park management and awareness of the complex challenges facing national park managers. Examines nature based recreation and tourism management approaches from an applied and interdisciplinary perspective with applications across federal and state recreation resource management agencies. Students will practice problem-solving techniques and interact with a wide variety of staff from the National Park Service, park partner organizations, and adjacent community managers. This course culminates in a week-long field experience that may conflict with other scheduled courses. Field experience held in conjunction with five other universities in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A fee will be assessed for the trip that covers transportation, lodging and meals.
R: Junior or Senior Undergraduate Student Standing
Typically offered in Spring only
Recreation and park fiscal administration, sources of finance for operating and capital expenditures, revenue activities, financial planning, budgeting, expenditure policies, auditing and planning for recreation and park services, decision-making tools, legal aspects of administration.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Theoretical and applied approaches to the planning of special events. Components and considerations of event planning, applied to various recreational settings. Participation in a community special event is required. Attendance at professional conference also required.
Prerequisite: PRT 358
Typically offered in Spring only
Concepts include sources of revenue for financing, principles of budgeting, spreadsheet utilization, and financial management of sport facilities and enterprises. Additional topics include fundraising principles and methods, economic impact principles and their application to sport venues and events, economic theory applied to sport manufacturing, service industries, professional sports, stadiums and arenas, intercollegiate sports, and the sport club industry.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Provides prospective park, recreation and leisure service professionals a 400-hour (ten week) learning experience in a selected agency or organization, under the joint supervision of a qualified manager and a university internship supervisor. Individualized/Independent Study and Research courses require a Course Agreement for Students Enrolled in Non-Standard Courses be completed by the student and faculty member prior to registration by the department.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Fundamental marketing principles and concepts related to the sport industry. Overview of marketing mix, marketing strategies and the bases of segmentation, sponsorship, licensing, fundraising and merchandising. Special emphasis on the marketing of sport and its strong relationship to research. Credit will not be given for both PRT 476 and PRT 407.
Prerequisite: Sport Management or PRT majors and PRT 266
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
In this course, students will examine the development and management of sport facilities, paying particular attention to environmental concerns and the sustainability of the sport stadia. Specifically, the course first focuses on the 3 E's of sustainability (Environment, Equity, Economics) and learn about sustainable systems. From this underpinning, the course is divided into two main frameworks: 1. Development of sport facilities; and 2. Sport facility operations. Each part of the course is enhanced by guest lectures from industry experts and hands on learning experiences.
R: Sport Management Majors only
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course is designed to prepare students to enter the environmental education (EE) profession. Topics will include EE professional standards, program planning and delivery, and program evaluation. A significant portion of the course focuses on securing and completing a field placement involving at least 10 contact hours with learners through teaching or observations. In addition, students are expected to attend an EE professional conference which may require overnight travel. Completion of course activities will provide 50-80 hours toward the NC Environmental Education Certification Program. Only students who have taken EMS 350 (Environmental Education Teaching Methods) will be enrolled, except with permission from the instructor.
Typically offered in Spring only
Investigation and analysis of a problem associated with recreation resources.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Independent Study for Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management students at the advanced level developed under the direction of a faculty member. Individualized/Independent Study and Research courses require a "Course Agreement for Students Enrolled in Non-Standard Courses" be completed by the student and faculty member prior to registration by the department.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Independent Study for Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management students at the advanced level developed under the direction of a faculty member. Individualized/Independent Study and Research courses require a "Course Agreement for Students Enrolled in Non-Standard Courses" be completed by the student and faculty member prior to registration by the department.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Exploration of the conceptual foundations of leisure, recreations, sport, play, and work, the history of ideas in the field and the relationships of these ideas to contemporary professional and social problems. Restricted to PRTM masters and students and others by consent of the instructor. This course will be offered in an accelerated seven-week format.
Restriction: PRT Grad Students Only
Typically offered in Fall only
Examination and understanding of advanced scientific investigative methods in their application toward explaining recreation and leisure behavioral phenomena and for resolution of recreation management problems.
Restricted to: Graduate-level Statistics
Typically offered in Spring only
This course is intended to provide students with advanced concepts of fiscal management as applied to the unique industries of parks, recreation, tourism and sport management. Emphasis will be placed on understanding how the receipt, disbursement, and utilization of funds can foster sustainability within these types of organizations. Additionally, this course will focus on developing the skills necessary to apply ethical financial analysis principles through financial risk management. This course is restricted to PRTM masters students and others by consent of the instructor. This course will be offered online in an accelerated seven-week format.
Typically offered in Fall only
Introduction to procedures and techniques used in research and evaluation in parks, recreation, sport, and tourism settings to solve management problems. The course emphasizes techniques for data collection, management, analysis, and communication of research findings. This course is restricted to PRTM masters students and others by consent of the instructor. This course will be offered online in an accelerated seven-week format.
Typically offered in Spring only
Introduction to spatial reasoning and spatial analysis as implemented in geographic information systems (GIS) to perform evaluation and research in parks, recreation, tourism, and sport settings. This course is restricted to PRTM master's degree students or others with consent of the instructor.
Prerequisite: Graduate Standing and MPRTSM
Typically offered in Fall only
This course will focus on the organization and administration of public, private and not-for-profit park, recreation, tourism and sports (PRTS) agencies. Emphasis will be placed on understanding the structural, human, political, and cultural factors that impact organizational efficiency and effectiveness - specifically focusing on these environments. The course will primarily address issues related to organization, management, ethical leadership, human personnel supervision, theory, and research. This course is restricted to PRTM master's degree students or by permission of instructor. This course will be offered online in an accelerated seven-week format.
Typically offered in Fall only
This course examines the theoretical principles and applications of marketing and promotion strategies for recreational sport and key marketing concepts and strategies using case studies. There is significant discussion on marketing activation, leveraging strategies of sport/event sponsor brands/ companies, and developing a marketing plan. This course is restricted to PRTM master's degree students and others with the content of the instructor. This course will be offered online in an accelerated seven-week format.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course explores risk management in PRTs organizations with an emphasis on ethical managerial strategies. The topics include legal concepts related to specific managerial functions, impacts on functions in recreation environments that result in more efficient and successful operation and protection for the organization. In addition, effective strategies for risk management related to facilitating active-healthy lifestyles and sustainable communities will be explored. This course is restricted to PRT master's degree students and others by consent of the instructor. This course will be offered online in an accelerated seven-week format.
Typically offered in Summer only
This course focuses on the development of a working knowledge of the rationale, procedures and tools for conducting sound program evaluation assessments in parks, recreation, tourism, and sport organizations. Effective skills for mastering comprehensive program evaluation strategies including formative, summative, and knowledge building strategies are taught. Students explore social science methods specifically appropriate for evaluation of youth programs.
Typically offered in Summer only
This course focuses on the association of active recreation in communities and community health. Students explore individual, social, community, environmental, and policy factors that affect community health and the contribution of recreation and park programs and facilities. This is a seven week course.
Typically offered in Spring only
In this course, students will examine the management of sport facilities, paying particular attention to environmental concerns and the sustainability of the event venue. Specifically, we will first focus on the three E's of sustainability (Environment, Equity, Economics) and learn about sustainable systems. From this underpinning, the class will be divided into six critical topic areas of sport facility managment: 1. History and role of venues 2. Venue Safety and Security 3. Venue Policy and Procedures 4. Food and Beverage Operations 5. Transportation and Parking Management 6. Ancillary Revenue Sources
Typically offered in Fall only
A thorough background on operations and services is essential for sport and entertainment venue managers. This course examines venue management by covering essential managerial functions. These include management and human resources, customer service and crowd management, managing volunteers, scheduling and booking venues, and ticket office operations.
Typically offered in Spring only
In this course students will learn how to mentor tourism microentrepreneurs so as to a) assist them in achieving their goals, and b) leverage their integration in the tourism system to fuel destination equity and competitiveness. The course is grounded in scholarly knowledge and practical experience mentoring tourism microentrepreneurs in partnership with civic organizations, destination management organizations, and private tourism companies. Students will be encouraged to utilize and share their professional expertise in the public or private sector, and their familiarity and intrinsic interest in their home region or another familiar destination.
R: Graduate Standing or Permission of Instructor
Typically offered in Spring only
This course helps students understand the variety of cognitive, social, affective, and environmental factors that influence human behavior in natural resource contexts, with an emphasis on nature-based recreation experiences and conservation behaviors. Students will explore behavioral models from different disciplines, examine pathways to promote behavior change, and assess implications for park management, environmental stewardship, and natural resource conservation.
Typically offered in Fall only
This dual-listed course provides undergraduate and graduate students with hands-on exposure to the multifaceted nature of national park management and awareness of the complex challenges facing national park managers. Examines nature based recreation and tourism management approaches from an applied and interdisciplinary perspective with applications across federal and state recreation resource management agencies. Students will practice problem-solving techniques and interact with a wide variety of staff from the National Park Service, park partner organizations, and adjacent community managers. This course culminates in a week-long field experience that may conflict with other scheduled courses. Field experience held in conjunction with five other universities in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A fee will be assessed for the trip that covers transportation, lodging and meals.
R: Junior or Senior Undergraduate Student Standing
Typically offered in Spring only
Understanding of environmental impacts of recreation and tourism, and different methods for assessing and managing such impacts. Examination of the scientific and management literature and application of impact assessment techniques.
Typically offered in Fall only
Understanding of collaborative processes and the role of partnerships in public land management, community based conservation, tourism development, and community health and recreation. Examination of literature and evaluation of collaboration and partnerships in practice.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course is offered alternate odd years
In recent decades, there has been an explosion of research around the benefits of nature, supporting measures of happiness, health, attention spans, social cohesion, and others. In parallel to these studies on how nature benefits people (especially children), work has emerged on how children may also be good for nature. Children are leading global movements to combat climate change, becoming civically active to ensure access to nature for all, and proving to be an avenue to bring even the most politically divided communities together to work toward a sustainable future. In this course, students will gain an overview of this rapidly growing literature, meet some of the researchers behind it, and find ways to contribute to it. Perspectives of graduate students from natural resources, education, landscape architecture, or others who are interested in exploring how nature can benefit kids and kids can benefit nature are most welcome.
R: Graduate Standing or Permission of Instructor
Typically offered in Fall only
Special topics in various aspects of recreation resources developed under direction of a graduate faculty member on a tutorial basis. Subjects offered under this course listing also used to test and develop new courses.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Special topics in various aspects of recreation resources developed under direction of a graduate faculty member on a tutorial basis. Subjects offered under this course listing also used to test and develop new courses.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Assigned or selected problems in field of recreation administration, planning, supervision, maintenance, operations, financing or program. Special research problems selected on basis of interest of students and supervised by members of graduate faculty.
Prerequisite: Advanced Undergraduate standing or Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Students will develop a personalized digital portfolio of the work completed in all required courses in the Masters of Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management program. The portfolio should include evidence, reflection, and critical analysis of core competencies achieved throughout their academic course of study. This course must be taken during a student's last semester after he or she has completed all the required courses.
Prerequisite: Graduate Standing and PRT 500 and PRT 504 and PRT 505 and PRT 506 and PRT 508 and PRT 503 and PRT 507.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Summer only
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Thesis Research
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Summer only
For students who have completed all credit hour requirements and full-time enrollment for the master's degree and are writing and defending their thesis. Credits Arranged
Prerequisite: Master's student
Typically offered in Summer only
PRT 700 is designed to learn about the foundations of recreation, tourism, sport, and leisure research by discussing their underlying concepts and theories. This course encourages critical thinking, academic inquiry, and dialectic debate through guided discussions of assigned readings. A primary focus of this course is to learn to communicate our ideas well. Thus, the course is built upon class participation through written and oral assignments.
Restriction: PRTM Graduate students or instructor consent
Typically offered in Fall only
The overall goal of this course is to provide students with a background in advanced social science research methods commonly used in PRTM-related fields as well as strategies for planning, designing, evaluating, and applying research using the social science framework. This course will also be designed in a way to guide students through the phases of the research design and to develop a research proposal.
Completion of PRT 500/700 or concurrently enrolled; Graduate Status
Typically offered in Spring only
This course provides an introductory overview of various qualitative research processes beginning with onto-epistemological underpinnings, and continuing through theoretical frameworks, methodologies, methods, analysis, and both traditional and creative analytic representations. Specifically, epistemological approaches of prediction, understanding, emancipation, and deconstruction will be introduced and discussed in relation to current qualitative trends in social and environmental justice Students will investigate methodological possibilities and various ways of navigating philosophical, procedural, analytical, reflective, and ethical issues related to undertaking humanist qualitative inquiry.
P: Graduate Student status, or with consent of instructor.
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
This course is offered alternate even years
This course is meant to provide an overview of quantitative research methods in the social sciences with a focus on health of people and places. We will guide students through data collection, analysis, and communication, highlighting a diversity of techniques ranging from the traditional (e.g., survey research) to more emergent (e.g., big data, social network analysis). This course is meant to provide exposure to these various methods to facilitate choosing the appropriate methods for a range of social science contexts. Students will be asked to choose one method to explore more deeply through completing a final research paper and presentation. Students are encouraged to bring research ideas and/or datasets to use in the course, although this is not necessary. Throughout the course, we will center data equity and social responsibility as a unifying theme on how to conduct high quality quantitative social science research.
Prerequisite: Graduate Standing or Instructor permission
Typically offered in Fall only
In this course students will examine the potential role of tourism in mitigating or exacerbating health disparities and environmental degradation in rural poor areas. The course endorses an academic ethic of engaged scholarship. Students will be asked to make original contributions to participatory development scholarship, and they will be asked to collaborate with community partners on an applied project addressing tourism, health disparities and environmental degradation in an economically depressed rural community. Consistent with the engaged nature of this course, we will travel to rural communities to meet stakeholders, collect data, and provide coaching/training to tourism micro-entrepreneurs.
Typically offered in Spring only
This course provides a forum for new and continuing graduate students to examine and dialogue around the many ways we come to understand the world around us, with particular emphasis on leisure. As a starting point, the course recognizes and values the contributions of all ways of knowing and, with this appreciative gaze, provides a space to explore the possibilities of various onto-epistemologies, theories, methodologies, and concepts which inform our philosophy of science and subsequent understandings and investigations of leisure.
Typically offered in Fall only
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Research studies, scientific articles and progress reports on research effects presented and critically evaluated. Each student pursuing a doctoral degree is expected to take this offering four times for one hour of credit each time.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Special topics in various aspects of recreation resources developed under direction of a graduate faculty member on a tutorial basis. Subjects offered under this course listing also used to test and develop new courses.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
This course aims to provide an alternative supervised substantive professional development experience that is comparable to the Doctoral Supervised Teaching (PRT 885) in the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management (PRTM) PhD Curriculum. PhD students pursuing a non-academic career are expected to take this Advanced Directed Study (PRT 884) course while PhD students pursuing an academic career path should take PRT 885. In this course, students will develop and implement an advanced directed study plan addressing their essential professional networking, communication, and analytical skills under the supervision of their advisor. This will better prepare non-academic-track PhD students and equip them with essential skills and experience directly relevant to their desired career paths.
Restriction: Enrolled PhD students in PRTM. Students must have the consent of the Director of Graduate Program in the PRTM Department before registering.
Typically offered in Fall and Spring
Teaching experience under the mentorship of faculty who assist the student in planning for the teaching assignment, observe and provide feedback to the student during the teaching assignment, and evaluate the student upon completion of the assignment.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Instruction in research and research under the mentorship of a member of the Graduate Faculty.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
Dissertation research.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer
For graduate students whose programs of work specify no formal course work during a summer session and who will be devoting full time to thesis research.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Summer only
For students who have completed all credit hour, full-time enrollment, preliminary examination, and residency requirements for the doctoral degree, and are writing and defending their dissertations.
Prerequisite: Doctoral student
Typically offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer