The Profession

Outdoor recreation management and outdoor education are diverse and thriving aspects of the recreation field. They offers unique career opportunities for individuals who value recreation and enjoy working in the outdoors. This major allows students to focus in on different aspects of the outdoor field: Outdoor leadership, natural resource recreation management, camp management, and environmental and cultural interpretation.  
 

 
The Nationally Accredited Curriculum

The core curriculum in Outdoor Recreation is nationally accredited by the National Recreation and Park Association/American Association of Physical Activity and Recreation (NRPA/AAPAR) Council on Accreditation, as is the Natural Resources Recreation Management concentration. The core and concentration courses, which integrate theory and practice, build on a solid liberal arts foundation. The concentration add depth to the major.

Recreation Core Courses

• Foundations of Recreation
• Programming in Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Services
• Leadership in Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Services
• Outdoor Education Practicum
• Diversity and Inclusive Recreation Services
• Management of Recreation Resources
• Evaluation and Research
• The Law of Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Services
• Administration of Recreation
• Senior Seminar
• Internship
  

Outdoor Recreation Core Courses

• Field Natural History or Field Biology
• Ecology Course
• Wilderness & American Culture or Intro to Environmental Studies
• Environmental & Outdoor Education or Environmental Cultural Interpretation

Outdoor Leadership Concentration

• Outdoor Recreation Activities
• Outdoor Pursuits Education and Leadership
• Camp and Outdoor Program Administration
• Outdoor activity electives by advisement

Natural Resource Recreation Management Concentration

• Natural Resource Recreation Policy and Management
• Site & Facility Planning
• Geographical Info Systems
• Environmental policy or land use planning course

Camp Management Concentration

• Camp Counseling and Outdoor Education
• Camp and Outdoor Program Administration
• Human Resource Management in Recreation
• Leisure Education or
  • Commercial Recreation Management or
  • Site and Facilities Planning

Environmental & Cultural Interpretation Concentration

• Environmental Teaching Methods course
• Environmental Literacy course
• Camp and Outdoor Program Administration
• Interpretation elective

 
Internship

A key component of the curriculum in the recreation degree is the internship. This semester-long, capstone experience provides students the opportunity to integrate theory with practice under the supervision of a faculty supervisor and a professional in the field. Students complete their internship experiences in a wide variety of agencies: outdoor programs, state or national parks or forests, nature centers, camps, and more.
 

 
National Certification

Upon graduation, students are qualified to sit for the national certification exam for the Certified Park and Recreation Professional, administered by the NRPA National Certification Board. Students are encouraged to apply for other outdoor-related certifications throughout their studies at SUNY Cortland.
 

 
Careers in Outdoor Recreation

• Outdoor leader in a variety of agencies, from Outward Bound to campus outdoor programs to camps;
• camp director;
• state or national park manager;
• outdoor educator;
• interpretation specialist with nature centers, parks, and other environmental agencies;
• and more

If you would like a career with an unmatched variety of exciting and meaningful opportunities, including the chance to improve the quality of life for individuals and society, and if you would like to study with the best, then we invite you to apply to SUNY Cortland.