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Recreation Management (BS) - Outdoor Experiential Education

About

The recreation management industry is expanding and expected to grow faster than average over the next eight years. At Appalachian State University, you’ll prepare for careers in recreation management in one of the United States’ most beautiful places for year-round recreation.

In the Recreation Management (BS) - Outdoor Experiential Education degree, students are trained on the foundational theories and philosophies of experiential education; learn and practice teaching basic leadership, wilderness, adventure, and safety skills; understand and develop a sound trip plan and risk management plans; understand individual and group dynamics as it relates to leadership; understand and practice sound problem-solving, decision-making, and judgment skills; and understand and practice a variety of leadership, teaching and facilitation skills.

The program also allows students to obtain a number of certifications through a selection of skills classes. Certifications can include:

  • Wilderness First Responder
  • Wilderness First Aid Instructor
  • Leave No Trace Trainer
  • Swiftwater Rescue

After Graduation

Employment: Students have careers as camp directors, outdoor leaders and managers for organizations such as Outward Bound, university outdoor programs, and in student development. They also work in the wilderness therapy field, or in national and state parks as environmental educators and interpretive rangers.

Former students have found internships and employment at Alaska Mountain Guides, Outward Bound, SUWS Wilderness Treatment Program, Sky Valley Zip Tours, Brooklyn Parks and Recreation, Allen Marine Tours, U.S. National Whitewater Center and other locations.

Graduate School: Students may pursue graduate school in Recreation, Leisure Studies, Student Development, Psychology and Business, or obtain advanced certification in skills related to their field from organizations such as American Mountain Guides Association, American Canoe Association or others.

Career Exploration website

People

  • Faculty Profile: Kristian Jackson
    Faculty Profile: Kristian Jackson

    Senior Lecturer Kristian Jackson applies his personal passion for mountain biking into an act of stewardship and community service, as well as an educational opportunity for his students.

  • Peterson’s recognizes App State as top-20 school for outdoor enthusiasts
    Peterson’s recognizes App State as top-20 school for outdoor enthusiasts

    App State University and its Blue Ridge Mountains setting likely offer an adventure — both academic and recreational — for every lover of the great outdoors.

  • Alumna Profile: Lynn Heinmuller Fisher ’97
    Alumna Profile: Lynn Heinmuller Fisher ’97

    Making the best out of the worst is Lynn Heinmuller Fisher’s professional calling. She applies skills learned in outdoor experiential education to a career in emergency planning – including roles as the community preparedness program manager for the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management and director of emergency management at Austin Peay State University.

Courses

  • Program of Study
    Program of Study
  • Four Year Guide
    Four Year Guide
  • NCCC Transfer Four Year Guide
    NCCC Transfer Four Year Guide

Related Programs

  • Recreation Management (BS) - Commercial Recreation and Tourism Management
  • Recreation Management (BS) - Recreation and Park Management

Minors

A minor is required.

View all minors

Engagement Outside the Classroom

The Recreation Management Association (RMA) - a club providing extra recreational, social, and professional development opportunities to supplement Appalachian’s Recreation Management (RM) program. Membership is open to all Recreation Management majors/minors as well other interested students.

Global Learning

Appalachian is committed to introducing students to different cultures and teaching them how to live and interact in a global society.

Admission Requirements

There are no admission requirements beyond admission to Appalachian State University.

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Why Appalachian?

  • Nearly 100% of Appalachian Recreation Management students pass the Certified Park and Recreation Professional Exam.
  • Appalachian’s location in Boone provides a scenic, small town backdrop with year-round recreation opportunities, including climbing, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, white water boating, fishing and camping.
  • The region includes some of the best outdoor and adventure recreation opportunities, such as Mount Mitchell (the highest peak east of the Rockies), the Blue Ridge Parkway, the New River (part of the Wild & Scenic Rivers System and an American Heritage River), Grandfather Mountain, several N.C. state parks, four ski resorts, the Pisgah National Forest, and numerous recreation oriented resorts and private developments.
  • The Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education emphasizes a combination of classroom and hands-on experience with one-on-one advising.
  • An internship is required. Host sites have included:resorts, camps, outdoor education centers, adventure programs, therapeutic wilderness programs, parks and recreation departments, state parks, national parks, YMCAs, theme parks, outfitter/guide services, convention and visitors bureaus, professional sports teams and military bases.

Location

Boone and Hickory*

*The Hickory Campus location is pending accreditation from SACSCOC for this program. Accreditation is expected in summer 2023.

Careers

  • Camp director
  • Outdoor Leader
  • Outdoor Program
  • Recreation therapy
  • Recreation and parks
  • Student Development

View more career possibilities

Contacts

Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education

Beaver College of Health Sciences

Dr. Daniel Theriault
Program Director
theriaultds@appstate.edu
828-262-4989

  • Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education

    The Department of Recreation Management and Physical Education in Appalachian State University’s Beaver College of Health Sciences is an innovative, diverse and forward-thinking academic unit consisting of two undergraduate programs. The recreation management program prepares students for careers as professionals in three concentrations: commercial recreation and tourism management, outdoor experiential education, and recreation and park management. The health and physical education program prepares students for careers as K-12 health and physical educators, school-based activity directors and coaches. Learn more at https://rmpe.appstate.edu.

  • Beaver College of Health Sciences

    The Beaver College of Health Sciences opened in 2010 as the result of an Appalachian commitment to significantly enhance the health and quality of life for individuals, families and communities in North Carolina and beyond.

    Exciting, Growing Career Fields

    • Nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs are in fields recognized as growing “faster than average for all occupations” by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics
    • Currently over 3,700 students pursue degrees in 16 undergraduate and graduate programs
    • Students who graduate are successfully prepared for a variety of general and advanced careers in health care

    Real-World Training and Experience

    • Programs emphasize coursework, research and clinical outreach with a dedication to cultivating life-long learners and practical skills for the field
    • Internships, field experiences and clinical placements in real-world settings in the community and surrounding areas ensure students are prepared to meet existing and future health-related workforce needs, particularly in rural areas
    • Interprofessional and collaborative research between students and faculty gives students unparalleled experience in working together with other health and wellness professionals
    • Research opportunities alongside over 150 nationally and internationally trained faculty mean students have opportunities to contribute to finding innovative solutions to regional and national problems in their field

    Advanced Laboratories and Facilities

    • Over 20 laboratories and additional locations for simulated research and applied laboratory training experience
    • Partnerships and opportunities with the Wake Forest Physician Assistant Program
    • The new Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences that opened in the fall 2018 with innovative classrooms and state-of-the-art labs
    • Continued main campus connection through the Holmes Convocation Center, which houses the RMPE Department and the Advising Satellite Office

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