Department

Department of Recreation Administration

Samuel Lankford, Chair
Professional and Human Services Building, Room 121
559.278.2838
FAX: 559.278.5267
www.fresnostate.edu/recadmin

Degrees and Programs Offered

BS in Recreation Administration, B.S.
BS in Recreation Administration - Recreation Therapy Option, B.S.
BS in Recreation Administration - Adventure Recreation & Tourism Option, B.S.
BS in Recreation Administration - Special Events & Tourism Option, B.S.
BS in Recreation Administration - Community Recreation & Youth Services Option, B.S.
BS in Recreation Administration - Sports & Entertainment Facility Management Option, B.S.
MN in Recreation Administration, Minor

Courses Offered

The department offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreation Administration for individuals who are committed to the recreation and leisure services profession. The major in Recreation Administration prepares students with the knowledge, understanding, ability, and skill necessary to successfully function in professional positions related to the major.

Curriculum

Accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions, the department offers a B.S. and a Minor in Recreation Administration.

Students in the recreation administration major complete a core of courses. These courses are designed to assist students in acquiring competencies related to the principles of recreation, leadership, group dynamics, and leisure behavior. Courses also cover legal and financial aspects of recreation service, advanced program planning, organization and administration of leisure services, evaluation, and professionalism.

Students develop specific skills in the areas of communication, human behavior, youth services, entrepreneurism, and adventure-based recreation and tourism, finance, management, marketing, funding, resources, program planning and supervision, and facility management.

Under the guidance of a practitioner, students in recreation administration are encouraged to acquire 1,000 hours of paid or voluntary hands-on experience in a variety of recreation, clinical, or leisure services agencies. In addition, they complete full-time internships with commercial recreation and tourism enterprises, public recreation agencies, nonprofit organizations, park-oriented agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and other service organizations.

Students may apply for an out-of-state internship if they achieve a major GPA of 3.3 and a cumulative GPA of 3.0. Additional requirements must also be met.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science Degree Requirements
Recreation Administration Major

1. Major requirements (65-69 units)
The following core program courses are required of all candidates for this degree. Additional required courses dependent upon the selected emphasis area.

Courses
RA 55, 60, 73S, 77S, 80, 101, 125, 128, 179, 180 (27 units)

Emphases (38-42 units)

• Recreation Therapy Emphasis Area
  RA 142, 144A, 144B, 148, 149, 187; BIOL 33; PSYCH 66; CFS 38 (38 units)
  Select from the following: RA 106, 113, 146; PSYCH 101, 102; COUN 174; CFS 131, 136; CRIM 100, 120; SOC 143, 147, 168; GERON 103, 132, 161; PHTH 105 (3 units)

2. General Education requirements (49 units)

3. Other requirements (6 units)
Upper-division writing and Multicultural and International (MI)

4. Sufficient elective units to meet required total units (varies)

5. Total units (120)*

* G.E. and MI courses can be double-counted with major requirements. The writing requirement may be met by taking the upper-division writing exam. Consult the department chair or faculty advisor for additional details.

Advising Notes

1. CR/NC grading is not permitted in the recreation administration major with the exceptions of REC 74, 75, 82, 83, 84, 86, 87, 88; RA 115, and 192T.
2. General Education and elective units may be used toward a minor (see departmental minor below). Consult the appropriate department chair, program coordinator, or faculty advisor for further information.
3. Students who must complete a course to fulfill the Upper-Division Writing Skills requirement are advised to take HHS 116W.
4. All Recreation Administration courses used in the major must be completed with a grade of C or higher.

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Faculty

Faculty are committed to providing a high quality professional preparation program in recreation and leisure services, founded on a competency based curriculum. Our graduates acquire specific skills as identified by practitioners, faculty, and the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions. These competencies are related to leadership, program planning, recreation and leisure oriented activities, budgeting, evaluation of programs and personnel, history, professional ethics, philosophy, research techniques, marketing and public relations, communication skills, organi-zational systems, laws and legislation, facility management and administration, and therapeutic techniques. Students may elect to study: (1) community recreation and youth services, (2) commercial recreation and event planning, (3) adventure recreation and tourism, (4) sports and entertainment facility management, (5) recreation therapy.

For faculty phone numbers and e-mail, see the campus directory.

For more on the faculty, see the faculty pages.
The faculty pages are updated by the department or program.

Roadmap

Bachelor of Science in Recreation Administration - Therapeutic Recreation

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Careers

Recreation Administration is the academic program for students who want to prepare for a career in the "Recreation and Leisure Industry." Overall, the Recreation Industry, including tourism, is a huge and diverse industry with over $1 trillion of spending within the U.S. each year.

We manage facilities, programs, and services that help people have a higher quality of life through positive, enjoyable, and enriching recreation and leisure experiences. That's what recreation and leisure professionals do, and our curriculum helps students learn the necessary skills to facilitate such experiences.

What You Can Earn

Campus Recreation Director
$63,993 (in our region)

Recreation Coordinator 
$44,078 (Intramurals - in our region)

Source: salary.com as of December 2012

Based on a 2009 national survey of full-time professionals by Recreation Management Magazine:

Golf/Country Club
$73,900

U.S. Gov. Military Recreation
$69,800

Resort/Resort Hotel
$66,400

School District Recreation Program
$66,000

City Parks & Recreation Department
$63,300

Private Recreation/Sports Center
$60,000

Community Recreation/Sports Center
$58,200

YMCA/YWCA/JCC
$57,300

College/University Recreation/Intramurals
$57,200

Sports/Health/Fitness Club
$53,900

Youth/Private Camp
$53,000

Campground/RV Park
$52,200

Interesting Classes You Might Take

• Leadership in Recreation, Parks and Tourism
• Lifelong Learning in the Natural Environment
• Leisure and Human Behavior
• Challenge Course Facilitation
• Serving At-Risk Youth
• Special Event Planning
• Diversity and Inclusive Practices in Recreation
• Sports and Entertainment Facility Booking, Promotion, and Box Office Operations
  
  

What You Can Learn

Fundamental skills and knowledge for traveling outdoors by map and compass, and by knowledge of natural features

Leisure as related to the individual and society

A knowledge of the conference, convention, and meeting industry, inclusive of the design, budgeting, and programming principles used within the industry

The development of budgets and data analysis methods for park, recreation, and tourism agencies through the use of a variety of computer programs

About the College

The College of Health and Human Services offers a broad range of fully accredited post-secondary and graduate educational programs to more than 2100 students each year. The College includes the Departments of Communicative Disorders and Deaf Studies, Gerontology, Kinesiology, Nursing, Physical Therapy, Public Health, Recreation Administration, and Social Work Education.

Residents and communities in the Central California region continue to face serious issues within the health and human service environment that will require continuing generations of well-prepared health and human service professionals.

College Contact Information

2345 E. San Ramon
M/S MH26
Fresno CA 93740-8031

Phone: (559) 278-4004

FAX: (559) 278-4437

Department Contact Information

Department of Recreation Administration 
California State University, Fresno 
5310 N. Campus Drive M/S PH103 
Fresno CA 93740-8019

Phone: (559) 278-2838 
FAX: (559) 278-5267 
email

Where We're Located

Professional Human Services (PHS) Building Room 121