Outdoor Recreation Management

Are you passionate about sustainability and looking to make an impact in the field of outdoor recreation? Our online degree in Outdoor Recreation Management offers you the flexibility to learn from anywhere while gaining interdisciplinary skills in environmental education, project management, and GIS.

Engage in real-world projects that prepare you for diverse career opportunities, from park ranger to environmental educator. With a strong emphasis on promoting sustainability and conservation, you'll be equipped to protect ecosystems and educate the public on sustainable practices. Join us and turn your passion for the environment into a rewarding career.

Program Overview

Outdoor recreation is an important economic sector with increasingly more visitors engaging in outdoor experiences. Many of these outdoor activities take place in protected areas and parks that seek to balance natural resource management with engaging visitor experiences. Students in the Outdoor Recreation Management program will learn to sustainably and ethically manage visitors to outdoor areas to promote education and wellbeing for visitors while protecting the environment from the pressures associated with outdoor recreation (e.g., overcrowding, trampling, pollution).

Drawing from a diversity of disciplines, students will learn about regenerative and sustainable approaches to tourism and hospitality; ecology, natural resource use, and land use management; psychology and human behavior; and environmental justice and equity, especially issues related to accessing outdoor spaces. Learners will develop skills in tourism project management and evaluation at various scales (from the business-level to the destination-level); science communication and interpretation for educational program development; and human resource management and leadership.

Program graduates will be prepared to apply their skills in a variety of public and private sector jobs, such as park ranger, environmental educator, outdoor recreation program developer, recreation guide and outfitter, and visitor use specialist.

Experiential and Immersive Coursework

Ecological, Sustainable, and Ethical Tourism

This course explores ecotourism, a sustainable travel approach benefiting nature and local economies. It compares ecotourism to other tourism forms and analyzes its social, economic, and environmental impact. Students will build a plan to minimize a tourism business's environmental footprint and boost its competitiveness.

Communicating for Impact

This course equips students with skills to communicate complex environmental issues effectively, using audience research and intellectual empathy. By engaging diverse community viewpoints, students learn strategic communication techniques to shift perspectives and alter behaviors towards sustainability and conservation.

Access and Equity in Recreation Spaces

This course explores how marginalized groups are excluded from recreational spaces. It examines historical injustices and ongoing issues like limited access for differently abled people or prejudice against certain identities. Students will analyze solutions to promote equity and inclusion in recreation.

Degree Requirements and Courses

The BS in Outdoor Recreation Management degree requires 120 credits. You may transfer in up to 90 credits from outside institutions. View our full course catalog for a better look into your program. Then apply online for free to get started.

• What is Outdoor Recreation Management?

  Outdoor Recreation Management is the practice of overseeing and managing visitation to natural parks and protected areas to conserve biodiversity, ensure ecosystem services, and provide recreational opportunities. It involves balancing human activities with environmental conservation, employing skills in project management, science communication, and natural resource management to promote sustainable stewardship and enhance visitor experiences.
• What courses will I be taking?

  General Education Core: 37 credits
  Environmental Professional Core: 13 credits
  Elective Courses: 28 credits
  Program Core: 42 credits

  • ENCJ 305 Natural Resource Law and Policy
  • GISC 101 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
  • GISC 201 Geographic Information Systems for a Changing World
  • TOUR 101 Tourism as an Integrated System 
  • TOUR 102 Introduction to Parks and Protected Areas
  • TOUR 201 Ecological, Sustainable, and Ethical Tourism
  • TOUR 202 Tourism for Environmental and Social Sustainability  
  • TOUR 204 Current and Future Trends in Tourism
  • TOUR 211 Access and Equity in Recreation Spaces
  • TOUR 210 Threats to Park Management
  • TOUR 212 Introduction to Environmental Interpretation
  • TOUR 310 Visitor Education and Interpretation
  • TOUR 401 Innovative Products in Regenerative Tourism and Hospitality 

  For course requirements and a better look into your program, view our full course catalog. Then apply online for free to get started.
• How fast can I finish?

  Our comprehensive 120-credit program can be tailored to fit your schedule and goals! Completion time is flexible, determined by the number of credits you choose to take each term (8 terms/year) and less time with transfer credits. Without transfer credits, you can anticipate the following completion times:

  • 48 credits/year: Fast-track your education in only 2.6 years
  • 30 credits/year: Achieve your degree in 4 years
  • 24 credits/year: Complete in just 5 years
• How much does it cost?

  Your online education should be affordable and manageable. Thanks to our promise to keep tuition flat through 2030, you won't be burdened with unexpected increases or fees.
  
  Our team of distance education concierges will work with you through the admissions process to help you plan and pay for your degree. Learn more about the costs here.