Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate the following entry-level knowledge: a) the nature and scope of the relevant park, recreation, tourism or related professions and their associated industries; b) techniques and processes used by professionals and workers in these industries; and c) the foundation of the profession in history, science and philosophy. The PRM program expects to accomplish these outcomes in the following ways:

• Students will be able to articulate the values found in core philosophical concepts as they relate to Parks and Recreation Management by writing a personal and professional philosophy essay.
• The students will demonstrate critical thought on the history of Parks and Recreation Management by writing a historical profile essay.
• The students will be able to identify the structural organization of all branches of Parks and Recreation service systems as measured by a leisure service inventory assignment.
• The student will be able to define the core structural components of professional associations and their value within the field of Parks and Recreation Management by completing a professional association review and an association website review.
• Students will demonstrate competence in qualitative research in Parks and Recreation Management by completing a personal values report assignment that interviews different demographics and their views on recreation in their lives.
• The Students will demonstrate the ability to write in APA style by completing an APA structural components assignment in addition to writing 4 APA essays.

Students graduating from the program shall be able to demonstrate the ability to design, implement, and evaluate services that facilitate targeted human experiences and that embrace personal and cultural dimensions of diversity. The PRM program expects to accomplish these outcomes in the following ways:

• The students will network and collaborate with a recreation professional in their respective community who is working to deliver leisure/recreational programming and will gain valuable experience in observing and implementation of an established program, event, or activity; and through a critical review/reporting process reflecting on details of the program, event, or activity that they have assisted in.
• The students will work collaboratively in small groups to develop a comprehensive Recreation Program Plan proposal where they can integrate their personal creativity with the theoretical concepts of program design elements into a synthesized workable professional-level program proposal.
• The students will design an inclusion plan for a recreation agency or program to include people with disabilities including a general introduction, and demonstrate application of physical integration, social integration, right to self-determination and age appropriate experiences.
• The students will demonstrate and apply knowledge of Americans with Disabilities Act and Universal Design by choosing and evaluating a business or public building/facility for accessibility using the accessibility survey provided and complete a reflective summary of their findings.

Students graduating from the program shall be able to demonstrate the ability to design, implement, and evaluate services that facilitate targeted human experiences and that embrace personal and cultural dimensions of diversity. The PRM program expects to accomplish these outcomes in the following ways:

• The students will become familiar with the differences between municipal, non-profit and commercial recreation agencies and then develop a staffing plan/ organizational chart for a municipal recreation center.
• The students will become familiar with a variety of management planning techniques and then develop a set of goals (5) and objectives (10) addressing staffing, budgeting, marketing for a municipal recreation center.
• The students will become familiar with municipal financing and budgeting concepts and methods. Then, students will develop a monthly line item budget and a capital budget for a municipal recreation center and a commercial recreation business.

Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate, through a comprehensive internship of not less than 480 clock hours and no fewer than 10 weeks, the potential to succeed as professionals at supervisory or higher levels in park, recreation, tourism, or related organizations. The PRM program expects to accomplish these outcomes in the following ways:

• The students will develop a professional cover letter and resume with reference list and to be used for a mock interview and internship application.
• The students will practice professional interviewing skills by participating in a mock interview with a current recreation/leisure professional in the field.
• The students will obtain professional skills and job specific experiences related to the Parks and Recreation Management profession through participation in an Internship of 480 clock hours in a high quality work setting.
• The students will develop and expand their affiliation and networking skills with professionals in the field through participation in an Internship of 480 clock hours in a high quality work setting.

Required: (18 credits)

GSP 276 – Planning For Sustainable Tourism
Description: Issues and methods in planning for tourism development from a sustainability perspective.

OR

PRM 300 – Ecotourism

Description: Course will introduce students to the history, concepts, principles, marketing, planning and management of ecotourism activities and development which promote cultural and environmental awareness and local economic benefits with an emphasis on non-western cultures.

PRM 325 – Special Event Planning

Description: Introduces special event planning processes and techniques. Emphasizes creating, organizing, identifying sponsors, marketing, and implementing large community events.

PRM 423 – Recreation Facility and Area Planning

Description: Planning, design, and operation of recreation facilities and adjoining areas.

ACC 255 – Principals of Accounting

Description:  Introduces theory and practice in the preparation, analysis, and interpretation of general purpose financial statements for external users. Letter grade only.

HA 365 – Hospitality Marketing

Description: Marketing objectives and strategies related to consumer demands, marketing planning, and selling methodologies for the hospitality industry. Letter grade only.

OR

MKT 303 – Concepts in Marketing

Description: Surveys marketing concepts and practices, including customer value, the marketing mix, and the environment within which marketing operates. (Note: If you’re enrolled in a BSACCY, BSBA, or MBA program with The W.A. Franke College of Business, you cannot take this course for credit.) Letter grade only.

Select 3 additional credit hours from the following:

HS 200 Healthy Lifestyles

HS 306 Methods for Comm Health  Promo

HA 210 Guest Service Management

HA 384 Destination Development

HA 401 Resort Operations

POS 224 Public Administration

POS 325 Public Personnel Administration

Students within this emphasis will have the ability to:

• Create, organize, identify sponsors, market, implement and evaluate large community events
• Describe the fundamental concepts and principles of ecotourism and sustainable development as it relates to transportation, lodging and cultural impacts.
• Use accounting and budgeting practices to prepare, analyze and interpret financial statements
• Respond to budgetary constraints while achieving the positive guest outcomes
• Develop, use and evaluate appropriate and effective strategies to address cultural differences, values and expectations in the planning and implementation of recreation programming.
• Plan, design and operate recreation facilities and adjoining areas to increase tourism, commercial, and community benefits
• Design programming in a manner that best promotes cultural and environmental awareness.

Required: (18 credits)

PRM 216 – Wilderness First Responder

Description: Eighty-hour national curriculum leading to certification as a wilderness first responder.  Specific skills and techniques for outdoor emergencies in backcountry and remote settings. 40 hrs. lecture total; 40 hrs. skill application total. 

PRM 310 – Park Protection I

Description: Detailed instruction in the fundamentals of park law enforcement.

PRM 311 – Park Protection II

Description: Provides additional instruction in the fundamentals of park law enforcement.

PRM 401 – Natural Resources Protection

Description: This course introduces Federal regulations which provide protection of America’s natural resources. Evolution and applicability of environmental laws regulating consumptive and non-consumptive uses of plants, wildlife and fish are discussed.

Students within this emphasis will have the ability to:

• Make critical decisions related to injury and illness prevention, assessment, treatment and evacuation of patient(s), through application of wilderness first responder training, in response to medical and outdoor emergencies, while in wilderness and other remote backcountry settings.
• Articulate the functions of park operations, management and protection in the United States in terms of its historical roots, structure, and contemporary issues.
• Analyze and evaluate Federal regulations protecting America’s natural resources
• Examination of the evolution of environmental laws regulating the consumptive and non-consumptive uses of plants, wildlife and fish
• Apply the basic precepts of criminal law, authority and jurisdiction in the protection of state and national parks
• Acquire knowledge, skills, and abilities in law enforcement tactics (e.g., firearms, physical control techniques, emergency vehicle operations)

Required: (18 credits)

PRM 216 – Wilderness First Responder

Description: Eighty-hour national curriculum leading to certification as a wilderness first responder. Specific skills and techniques for outdoor emergencies in backcountry and remote settings. 40 hrs. lecture total; 40 hrs. skill application total. 

PRM 331 – Outdoor Leadership

Description: Introduction to applied topics in risk assessment, travel group management, backcountry travel and living skills. Includes required field weekend and six-day backpacking trip.

PRM 352 – Experiential Process In Outdoor Recreation

Description: Instruction in applied outdoor experiential learning methodologies, including: lesson-planning, presentation skills, student success strategies and learning styles.

PRM 411 – Leave-no-trace Master Educator Certification

Description: Meets national standards for LNT Master Educator Certification. Students learn to teach minimum impact outdoor ethics and lead Leave-No-Trace Trainer courses and Awareness Workshops.

PRM 431 – Outdoor Leadership and Expedition Planning

Description: Further develops practices in outdoor leadership, risk assessment, travel group management, backcountry travel and living skills. Introduces planning for the implementation of a multi-week field expedition.

PRM 452 – Outdoor Recreation Program Assessment

Description: Reviews outdoor recreation programs through in-depth case studies, off-campus visitations and analysis of commercial, non-profit, government and educational entities.

Students within this emphasis will have the ability to:

• Make critical decisions related to injury and illness prevention, assessment, treatment and evacuation of patient(s), through application of wilderness first responder training, in response to medical and outdoor emergencies, while in wilderness and other remote backcountry settings.
• Implement the basic hard and soft skills necessary to competently lead others in outdoor environments of the Southwest with a focus on canyon terrain.
• Develop experiential curriculum lesson plans and effectively deliver to a pre-determined audience in a wilderness environment.
• Lead Leave No Trace Trainer Courses and Awareness Workshops within the standards of the Leave No Trace Master Educator certification
• Analyze an in-depth case study of an outdoor non-profit organization and/or for-profit company of their choosing.
• Students will have developed a personal signature leadership style that is situationally appropriate for effectively leading others in a backcountry setting.

Required: (18 credits)

The individualized emphasis is designed to allow students maximum flexibility in their pre-professional interests. An individualized emphasis of 18 credit hours is developed in cooperation with your PRM faculty advisor and reflects a thematic specialization. The courses used may include transfer courses or courses taken at NAU.

For transfer students, many times emphasis courses come from a previous associate or baccalaureate degree coursework.