BS in Recreation and Park Management
Have you ever thought about making a living through which you can play to work? Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others using fun and recreation as a medium for personal growth?
ECU's BS in recreation and park management will provide you classroom, service-learning, and internship experiences where you will work with people in a wide range of settings. You'll learn how to plan and conduct programs, engage in marketing, supervise others, design recreation facilities, host special events, and engage in many other experiences putting recreation to work for others. Our field changes lives: We help make people happier, more fulfilled, and closer to friends and family. We also aim for a sustainable environment in all that we do.
The breadth of the field allows you to put your skills to work in a wide range of settings such as military recreation in the United States and abroad; tourism including cruise ships, major hotel lines, and tour companies; city parks and recreation departments running parks, sports, arts and crafts, theater, trips, and other programs; state parks; youth sports; festivals and special events; outdoor leadership; campus recreation; nonprofit agencies such as the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club, and 4-H; organized camping; church recreation programs; and employee recreation services.
Admission Requirements
Students who want to declare a major in recreation and park management at the time of entrance into the degree need to have completed 30 s.h. of coursework at ECU or in transfer credits; possess a minimum overall GPA of 2.0.
Program Requirements
Accelerated BS/MS Recreation Science program
Students majoring in recreation and park management must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA and a minimum cumulative 2.0 overall GPA in all core and restricted elective courses to remain in good standing. Majors must earn a minimum grade of C (2.0) in all required core RCSC prefix courses. If a course without the RCSC prefix is approved as a substitution for a required core RCSC prefix course, a minimum grade of C (2.0) must be earned. Students dropping below the required 2.0 GPA will not be allowed to enroll in any additional RCSC prefix courses until the GPA meets the 2.0 requirement. If a student receives a grade lower than a C (2.0) in a required core course, the student may re-take that course without meeting the 2.0 GPA requirements.
Delivery Methods
This program is only offered in an on-campus, Face to Face format. Some courses within the degree program are offered as hybrid courses or online courses. However, degree seeking students will find most courses are face-to-face.
Accreditation Information
The recreation and park management (RPM) program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Recreation, Parks, Tourism, and Related Professions (COAPRT). COAPRT is, in turn, accredited by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). RPM at ECU is listed in COAPRT’s directory: COAPRT Accreditation Programs’ Directory
Important Information Regarding Degree Mills. Please watch this important video (http://youtu.be/a1voHNMQDrk) regarding degree and accreditation mills. According to CHEA, “Degree mills and accreditation mills mislead and harm. In the United States, degrees and certificates from mills may not be acknowledged by other institutions when students seek to transfer or go to graduate school. Employers may not acknowledge degrees and certificates from degree mills when providing tuition assistance for continuing education. “Accreditation” from an accreditation mill can mislead students and the public about the quality of an institution. In the presence of degree mills and accreditation mills, students may spend a good deal of money and receive neither an education nor a usable credential.”
As part of COAPRT accreditation RPM reports annually on aggregated data reflecting program academic quality and student achievement, consistent with The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) requirements. Below is the (internal) annual report submitted to ECU’s Institutional Planning, Assessment and Research (IPAR) and) the three most current (external annual reports submitted to COAPRT.
IPAR Report:
RPM Annual Report to ECU IPAR 2023
COAPRT Reports:
Institutional and Professional Licensure Disclosures for Enrolled and Prospective Students
ECU degree programs satisfy the professional licensure and/or certification requirements in North Carolina and prepare students to sit for these exams. However, requirements in other states may be different.
If you are considering a degree program that may, would, could or potentially lead to a professional license and/or certification, please note that at this time ECU may or may not be able to advise whether a program meets requirements outside of North Carolina. Prior to enrolling in a degree program, please discuss this important topic with your program of interest.