DEPARTMENT OF RECREATION AND LEISURE STUDIES

Thomas K. Skalko, Chairperson, 174 Minges

The recreation and leisure studies department offers degrees in recreation and leisure facilities and services administration and recreational therapy administration. The 36-39 semester hour programs are designed for individuals employed in or seeking employment in leisure services, including community parks and recreation, recreation resource management, travel and tourism; and individuals interested in advanced training in therapeutic recreation administration (also referred to as recreational therapy).  Prior education and experience facilitates timely graduation.  Individuals with undergraduate deficiencies will be required to remove such deficiencies through supplemental course work while enrolled in the graduate program.

MS IN RECREATION AND LEISURE FACILITIES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
(36-39 s.h.)

MS IN RECREATIONAL THERAPY ADMINISTRATION
(36-39 s.h.)

RCLS 6990 (Supervised Field Experience) will be required of recreation and leisure facilities services administration  students who do not have approved prior experience, internship, or certification in the recreation and leisure services industry and recreational therapy administration students who are not currently certified as therapeutic recreation specialists. Recreational therapy administration students not currently certified as therapeutic recreation specialists will also be expected to complete prerequisites required by national and state certification boards.

RCLS: Recreation and Leisure Studies

5111. Recreational Facility Management (3) P: RCLS 3003, 3004, 3120; or consent of instructor. Principles and practices of parks and recreational facility management, maintenance, operations, and evaluation.

6000. Philosophical and Social Foundations of Leisure Services (3) P: Admission to graduate program in RCLS administration or consent of instructor. Social and philosophical foundations for recreation and leisure services in dynamic society.

6100. Risk Management and Legal Liability in Recreation, Leisure and Therapeutic Recreation Services (3) P: Admission to graduate program in RCLS administration or consent of instructor. Legal issues related to delivery of recreation, leisure, and RT  services. Legal foundations, liability and tort policy, employment laws, disability services, malpractice concerns, insurance, and current issues.

6110. Research Methods in Therapeutic Recreation and Recreation and Leisure Services (3) P: Admission to graduate program in RCLS or consent of instructor. Application of basic forms of research. Historical, qualitative, correlational, descriptive, causal-comparative, and experimental research designs as applied to therapeutic recreation, leisure services, and tourism.

6120. Seminar in Recreation, Leisure, and Therapeutic Recreation Administration (3) P: Admission to graduate program in recreational therapy administration or consent of instructor. Indepth examination and discussion of contemporary topics and issues pertinent to recreation, leisure, and therapeutic recreation service delivery.

6130. Biofeedback: Principles and Practices (4) History, instrumentation, and intervention techniques. Assessment, treatment, and evaluation processes. Clinical and nonclinical applications. Preparation for Biofeedback Certification Institute of America written and practical certification exams.

6210. Program Development and Administration in Leisure Service Industries (3) P: Admission to graduate program in RCLS administration or consent of instructor. Current theory, empirical research, and practical application of leisure service industry programming and administration.

6220. Managing Commercial and Tourism Industry Leisure Services (3) P: Admission to graduate program in RCLS administration or consent of instructor. Focus on commercial recreation and tourism environment, principles and concepts of management and marketing, and systematic techniques of analysis and inquiry.

6310. Program Development and Management in Therapeutic Recreation (3) P: Admission to graduate program in RCLS administration or consent of instructor. Advanced program development for systematic design therapeutic recreation services.

6320. Client Assessment, Evaluation, and Documentation in Therapeutic Recreation (3) P: Admission to graduate program in recreational therapy administration or consent of instructor. Client assessment and documentation. Treatment programming and comprehensive program evaluation.

6330. Administrative Aspects of Therapeutic Recreation (3) P: Admission to graduate program in RCLS administration program or consent of instructor. Service delivery. Personnel management, quality management, financing and budgeting, and health care accreditation.

6501. Individual Study in Recreation and Leisure Services Administration (3) P: DSCI 6123; RCLS 6110; or consent of graduate program director. Indepth examination of selected topic related to recreation and leisure service delivery and management.

6502. Individual Study in Therapeutic Recreation Administration (3) P: BIOS 5021; RCLS 6110; or consent of graduate program director. Indepth examination of selected topic related to therapeutic recreation service delivery and management.

6990. Supervised Field Experience (6) P: Admission to graduate program in RCLS administration or consent of instructor. Development of service delivery skills and understanding of administrative concerns.

7000. Thesis (3) May be repeated. May count maximum of 6 s.h.

RCLS Banked Courses

5301. Advanced Interpretation (3)
5600. Trends and Problems in Development of Avocational Coastal and Oceanic Programs (3)
6091, 6092. Seminar in Leisure Systems Management (1,2)
6094. Leisure Systems Management Internship (3)
6098, 6099. Directed Research (1,2)
6301. Research Seminar in Leisure Systems Studies (1)