Professional Core Portfolio Requirements

It may be more common that we have heard of portfolios developed by artists or photographers who gather their best or most representative work in one place to easily access and share it with prospective employers or clients. Documenting professional development or learning into a select collection places a focus on actual achievements or body of work that are viewed directly, rather than on proxies of achievement like cumulative GPA or test scores that are merely indirect metrics of learning.

The intent of a professional portfolio is to show others what you can do with your knowledge and skill sets rather than imply that knowledge or skills have been acquired simply because you have a degree. Portfolios are a cornerstone of the learner-centered approach to education because you, the student, will use what you have learned to complete relevant tasks. The items collected in your professional portfolio may also find beneficial practical use as a set of templates for future work as you embark on your career path.

As a PRM major, you will be compiling a “Professional Portfolio” as part of your university experience. Your professional portfolio will include work from your undergraduate education, which exemplifies your skills, knowledge, and abilities. Your professional portfolio should be representative of who you are as a learner, about to engage on your professional journey. Your portfolio will play a role while you are enrolled in PRM 498c: Professional Career Preparation – where, you will be asked to review and reflect on previous courses, assignments, and overall learnings while attending the NAU PRM program. Hopefully, your portfolio will be something you are PROUD to share broadly with friends, family, colleagues, and/or prospective employers.

How will you keep or store your PRM professional portfolio?

You should keep items organized for your professional portfolio in your own preferred digital file format, cloud accessible storage has become the most common, as opposed to singular hard drive methods. Whatever method you choose to organize and archive your professional portfolio items, it is your responsibility (not your past faculty members) to collect and maintain your portfolio for use in PRM 498c: Professional Career Preparation and beyond.

What will you include in your PRM professional portfolio?

During your educational experience as a Parks and Recreation Management major, you will produce many valuable and substantive products to include in your professional portfolio. Of course, you may include any additional items you wish in your portfolio, but the list below provides an indication of what assignments are requested by the PRM faculty for inclusion in your PRM Professional Portfolio.

PRM professional core portfolio requirements

PRM 205: Altruism/Random Acts of Kindness Assignment

PRM 220: Professional Philosophy Paper

PRM 252: Activity File

PRM 275: Recreation Program Proposal

PRM 326: Inclusion Policy

PRM 346W: Final Paper

PRM 350: - 2022 and before: Community Recreation Cultural Assessment - 2023 and after: Personal Reflection and Recreation Department Analysis

PRM 360: Interpretive Pop-Up, Interpretive Sign or Audio/Visual Program

PRM 383: Feasibility Study

PRM 408: LinkedIn Assignment

PRM 426: Strategic Plan (Final Assignment)

PRM 447: Research Proposal

PRM 498C: Senior Research Paper

**Consult a PRM Faculty member for input on assignments, certificates, or work to include from your declared PRM Emphasis (Outdoor Education & Leadership; Community, Commercial, and Tourism; Park Protection; or Individualized Study) or a Minor that would best represent your area of focus or specialty in addition to the PRM core curriculum.