The curriculum in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management is a professional program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions. The curriculum provides students with a broad education in natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences, and fosters the professional, technical, and communication skills needed to plan and implement recreation programs and tourism events, manage parks and facilities, and design tourism services.

The curriculum is designed to prepare students for a variety of positions in a dynamic, people-centered profession that includes some of the fastest growing sectors of the global economy. The curriculum provides 42 hours of core coursework that includes foundations of tourism and event management, geospatial problem solving, outdoor recreation management, organizational leadership, fiscal management, and recreation programming.

In addition to the general education requirements and the core professional requirements, students can attain specialized training by choosing a concentration - either Recreation and Park Management (RPM) or Tourism and Event Management (TEM) - and selecting 15 hours of coursework related to their professional interests.

Academic studies on campus are supplemented by service learning opportunities, practical experiences in the Triangle area, and a 10-week internship with a park, recreation, event, or tourism organization. Other optional and encouraged opportunities include a weeklong experience at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, faculty-supervised research projects, and study abroad opportunities.

Recreation & Park Management (15 hours)

This concentration is designed for people interested in promoting community health and wellbeing, who enjoy program/facility development, who are interested in environmental protection and conservation, and who want to make a positive impact on the lives of others and the natural environment. Examples of concentration courses include: Adventure Education; Outdoor Leadership; Environmental Education; Recreation and Park Interpretive Services; and Recreation Planning and Facility Development. 

Plan Requirements

¹

A grade of C- or greater required.

Mathematics Electives

Concentration Electives

Semester Sequence

This is a sample.

Critical Path Courses – identify using the code (CP) which courses are considered critical path courses which represent specific major requirements that are predictive of student success in a given program/plan. 

¹

A grade of C- or greater required.

²

A maximum of 12 credit hours of free electives can be taken for credit only.

Career Opportunities

Increased leisure time has created opportunities for growth in the park and natural resource recreation professions. Additional growth is expected in years to come as visitation to parks and protected areas continues to increase. Primary goals of recreation and park professionals include: providing exceptional and safe visitor experiences, improving human health and well-being, conserving natural and cultural resources, and planning for future growth and use. These goals are accomplished by providing recreation programs and facilities that are inclusive of, and accessible to, the diversity of the American population in a variety of settings.

Career opportunities include employment by park and recreation departments operated by county and municipal governments; state agencies, such as state parks; federal government, with agencies such as the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and the Bureau of Land Management; and other protected area organizations, like The Nature Conservancy. The program also prepares students to enter the rapidly growing private sector within the outdoor recreation industry, like adventure guiding services and outdoor recreation planning and consulting. Other major employers include youth and family service organizations, such as the YMCA, YWCA, Boy’s Clubs, and Boy and Girl Scouts. These types of organizations employ recreation directors to head employee recreation programs.