Parks and Recreation Management, Master of Science

Overview

In addition to University Requirements:

• Complete individual plan requirements.

Purpose Statement

The Master of Science in Parks and Recreation Management is a challenging program that prepares parks and recreation managers for leadership roles in public and commercial organizations.  Through a student-centered approach, the program emphasizes the development of a manager’s ability to forecast and address the evolution of recreation and to lead a recreation organization utilizing optimal practices in leadership, management, and in the delivery of recreational services.  Specific attention is directed at leadership issues, agency management, the utilization of geographic information systems, legal issues, diversity perspectives, and in emerging trends in park, leisure, tourism and recreation.  The program provides for a supportive cohort of parks and recreation management peers, enhanced by instruction by faculty with extensive experience in all aspects of parks and recreation management.  Graduates of the program will gain a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic environment of parks and recreation management to be prepared for their vital role in ensuring the access, development, expansion and assessment of future park, recreation, and leisure service opportunities and experiences for individuals, families, and communities.  The program is designed for those seeking supervisory roles in parks and recreation management.

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates of the MS in Parks and Recreation Management will demonstrate competencies in:

• Demonstrate strategic management and administration (e.g., human resources, finance, research, trend forecasting) for a parks, recreation, leisure, or tourism organization.
• Describe experience marketing concepts and strategies for a parks, recreation, leisure, or tourism agency.
• Demonstrate written, oral and technological communication skills required for successful interactions with diverse internal and external communities.
• Apply effective methods in acquiring, analyzing, and evaluating current research related to the parks and recreation profession.
• Demonstrate comprehension of and the ability to interpret Geographic Information Systems (GIS) maps to make data-driven analyses.
• Ability to collect pertinent financial data, prepare, monitor, and analyze budgets and other financial methods.
• Demonstrate comprehension and ability to design leisure and recreational experiences that are sensitive to individual and cultural dimensions of diversity.
• Ability to comprehend and apply legal case studies to current recreation related issues in facilities management, risk management, personnel supervision and training, and tort law.
• Apply the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act to the operations of a parks and recreation management organization.
• Demonstrate research techniques and utilization applicable to parks and recreation management operations.
• Define a problem, conduct a literature review, plan for data collection, and analyze a field-based project in parks and recreation management.
• Develop knowledge and applied understanding of program concepts through supervised professional experience.