MS in Recreation Sciences and Sport Management: Recreation Management Concentration

MS in Recreation Sciences and Sport Management: Recreation Management Concentration

Nonprofit and community-based recreation, tourism and community development, ecotourism, and outdoor recreation are just some of the areas you can study in the recreation management concentration — where you can chart the course for your career. This concentration promotes the values of sustainability, global awareness, environmental stewardship and conservation, health and wellness, and civic engagement to promote quality of life for all. You’ll develop expertise through courses in administration, strategic planning, grant writing, tourism development and entrepreneurship, ecotourism, park management, and conservation.

Within the Recreation Management Concentration, both thesis and non-thesis options are available. Additionally, students have the ability to pursue certificates in Sustainable Tourism or Public Management and Leadership, which are outside the major but complementary to the interdisciplinary approach of the program. The curriculum in Recreation Management is flexible and based on the individual’s career goals. Our graduates find positions in practice and as administrators in municipal parks and recreation, conservation agencies, campus wellness and recreation, military recreation and in businesses that specialize in tourism and commercial recreation.

Recreation Sciences and Sport Management MS

The Department of Recreation Sciences and Sport Management offers a master’s program in recreation sciences and sport management with three concentrations: recreation management, recreational therapy administration and sport management. The program is designed for individuals employed in or seeking employment in a wide range of settings.

The concentration in recreation management prepares students for positions in multiple settings including community parks and recreation, human dimensions of recreation resource management, and travel and tourism.

The concentration in recreational therapy administration provides advanced education for clinical, administrative and research positions in recreational therapy and health care-related careers. Individuals pursuing the recreational therapy administration concentration who do not meet national certification requirements upon admission will be required to take supplemental coursework while enrolled in the graduate program.

The concentration in sport management offers innovative training in sport administration, marketing, finance, leadership, legal aspects, and contemporary sport issues to prepare students for careers in collegiate, community, professional and nonprofit sport settings.

Admission Requirements

Admission to East Carolina University does not guarantee admissions into your desired program of study.

Admission requirements to the MS in Recreation Sciences (Recreation Management program) at ECU are as follows:

  • A baccalaureate degree in a related field from an institution accredited by a regional association.
  • A grade point average of 2.7 or greater on a 4.0 scale on all undergraduate work is preferred.
  • Students, whose first language is not English, must achieve an acceptable score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
  • A Statement of Purpose that describes how an MS in Recreation Sciences aligns with one’s career and personal goals
  • A professional letter of reference from an employer, advisor, mentor, or former professor

Acceptance is subject to availability of slots in the concentration to which the application is made. For priority review, we encourage application by February 1. Applications will continue to be reviewed on a rolling basis by the Recreation Management faculty.

Program Requirements

The basic curriculum plan for the Master of Science in Recreation Sciences (Recreation Management concentration) requires a minimum of 36 s.h. and can be completed in three to four semesters.

All degree candidates must pass the comprehensive examination related to the course content.  These are completed at the end of each semester where a core course is taken. See the ECU Graduate Catalog to review core and concentration courses that align with plans of study for the Recreation Management concentration.

Required Courses

Delivery Methods

This program and require courses are only offered in on-campus and hybrid-online options.

Graduate Assistantships

While pursuing a Masters, many of our students gain valuable hand-on experience in various Graduate Assistantship roles. Graduate assistantships in the Department of Recreation Sciences are available on a competitive basis. A full-time graduate assistantship requires 20 hours per week and pays a minimum of $4500 per semester with some assignments paying higher amounts. In addition, summer session assistantships may also be available. Individuals interested in applying for a graduate assistantship in the Department of Recreation Sciences should request an application from the department chair. Additional GA positions can be found through ECU’s Campus Recreation and Wellness, Athletics and others. Admitted students will receive priority notification of these opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions

I’m an international student, what is the process for applying to your graduate program?

The ECU Recreation Management faculty love the perspective that international students can bring to our program. This site will help you navigate the admissions process https://gradschool.ecu.edu/international-students/

What is the most important things faculty look for in an application?

ECU Recreation Management faculty will consider the entire applicant package (purpose statement, GPA, references), one piece is not more important than another. It is the entire application package that will be considered by faculty when making a decision for admittance into our graduate program.