BS in Recreation Administration

Units required for Major: 57-59
Total units required for BS: 120

Program Description

The BS in Recreation, Park and Nonprofit Management prepares students to work in a wide range of fields that serve the public; protect our natural, cultural and heritage resources; and support a healthy quality of life. Students follow a set of foundational core classes that are augmented with the student’s choice of additional courses in one or more of the following areas:

  • Nonprofit and Community Engagement. 
    Leadership. Community Events & Fundraising. Volunteer Management.
    In this area, students choose from courses that will help develop skills and improve confidence in the areas of grant writing, leadership, community outreach and advocacy, finding and managing volunteers, creating fundraising events, and other related areas. There is an emphasis on engaging diversity to help nonprofit agencies best serve their local communities.
  • Outdoor Recreation.
    Natural Resource. Experiential Education. Parks & Protected Areas.
    In this area, students choose from courses that will prepare them for ranger, park law enforcement, or wilderness interpreter jobs in federal or state government funded agencies such as the National Park Service, the United States Forest Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Parks and Recreation, or the Bureau of Land Management. Additional coursework prepares students to serve as adventure recreation or experiential education leaders for recreation providers such as Peak Adventures. 
  • Public and Agency Recreation. 
    Campus & Military Recreation. Community Sports. After-School Programming.
    In this area, students will gain skills in planning, implementing, managing, and evaluating comprehensive recreation programs that are a vital part of healthy communities. Students choose from courses that will teach them age-appropriate recreation programming across a wide-range of location and facility types including campus recreation centers, community park settings, summer camps, military bases, after-school sites, and others.

Note:

  • Students graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Recreation, Park and Nonprofit Management are not be subject to the University’s Foreign Language Graduation Requirement. Students who change major may be subject to the University’s Foreign Language Graduation Requirement.
  • No more than 6 units of RPTA 198 and RPTA 199 in combination may be used to meet program requirements. No more than 3 units of RPTA 198 may be used to meet major requirements.
  • RPTA 21, RPTA 22, RPTA 100, and RPTA 122 may not be used to meet program requirements.

Minimum Grade Requirement

Grade of "C-" or better is required in all courses applied to the major. 

Program Requirements

Required Lower Division Courses (16 Units)
RPTA 1Orientation to Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration1
RPTA 30Recreation, Parks and Tourism in Contemporary Society3
RPTA 32Leadership and Group Development 33
RPTA 42Recreation and Parks: Natural, Cultural, and Heritage Resources3
RPTA 60Budgeting for Recreation Services3
RPTA 62Introduction to Recreation Law3
Required Upper Division Courses (16 Units)
RPTA 101Senior Seminar1
RPTA 105Management in Recreation, Parks and Tourism3
RPTA 106Introduction to Inclusive Recreation and Recreation Therapy3
RPTA 110Research and Evaluation in Recreation, Parks and Tourism3
RPTA 136Program and Event Planning in Recreation, Parks and Tourism3
RPTA 183Marketing Recreation Services3
Elective Requirement (15 Units) 1,2
Selective 15 units from the following with approval from major advisor:15
Race, Class Gender and Leisure 3
The Outdoor Recreation Experience
Leisure, the Individual, and Contemporary Society
Recreation Services for Diverse, Underserved and Underrepresented Populations
Youth Development in Recreation, Parks & Tourism
Community Sport Programming
Morale Welfare and Recreation (MWR): Military Recreation Services
Campus Recreation
Community Organization
Experiential Education in Outdoor Recreation Settings
Developing and Programming Adventure Experiences
Ecology Of Resource Areas
Visitor Management in Recreation Areas
Law Enforcement for Forest and Park Rangers
Environmental Interpretation
Management of Recreation Facilities
Grant Writing for Social, Community and Human Service Organizations
Leadership and Fundraising for Non-profit Organizations
Volunteer Management in Nonprofit, Service, or Community Organizations
Administration in Recreation, Parks and Tourism
Professional Organization Leadership
Internship Requirement (10-12 Units)
Select from the following for a minimum of 10 units:10 - 12
Partial Internship: Recreation, Park and Nonprofit Management
or
Internship: Recreation, Park and Nonprofit Management
Total Units57-59

General Education Requirements1

Area A: Basic Subjects (9 Units)
A1 - Oral Communication3
A2 - Written Communication3
A3 - Critical Thinking3
Area B: Physical Universe and Its Life Forms (13 Units)
B1 - Physical Science3
B2 - Life Forms3
B3 - Lab (Note: Lab experience to be taken with one of the following: B1, B2 or B5)1
B4 - Math Concepts3
B5 - Additional Course (Any B to reach 12 units) - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements.3
Area C: Arts and Humanities (12 Units)
C1 - Arts3
C2 - Humanities3
C1/C2 - Area C Course3
C1/C2 - Area C Course - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements.3
Area D: The Individual and Society (6-9 Units)
Area D Course3
Area D Course 20 - 3
Area D Course - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements.3
Area E: Understanding Personal Development
Area E Course 30
Area F: Ethnic Studies (3 Units)
Area F Course3
Total Units43-46

Graduation Requirements1

Graduation Requirements (required by CSU) (9 Units)
American Institutions: U.S. History3
American Institutions: U.S. Constitution & CA Government3
Writing Intensive (WI)3
Graduation Requirements (required by Sacramento State) (6 Units)
English Composition II3
Race and Ethnicity in American Society (RE)3
Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement 20