Parks and Recreation Management

Parks, recreation facilities, and programs enhance our communities and contribute to our quality of life; whether we are backpacking at a national park, swimming laps at our community pool, or registering a child for summer camp, these diverse resources play a vital role. Within the public sector, professionals working in national, state, and local organizations are responsible for managing and providing the public with equal access to parks, recreation areas, and facilities that promote the health and well-being of citizens and the conservation of the environment.

One Degree, Three Paths

A Bachelor of Science in Parks and Recreation Management at Auburn University prepares students with training in the design, management, and administration of programs for federal, state, or community parks and recreation areas, or to work with non-profit or private industries operating sports, tourism, and recreation facilities.

Within the Nature-Based Park and Recreation Management path, students learn to manage national, state, or private parks and recreation areas suitable for outdoor activities, including hiking, camping, kayaking, fishing, hunting, and mountain biking, among others. Alternatively, depending on a student’s career goals, they can tailor their major to focus on Community Parks and Recreation Management careers, which involve administering facilities and leading programs in areas such as city trails and parks, community recreation centers, playgrounds, aquatic centers, and other sporting facilities.

Students may also choose the *Leadership and Planning Option, which provides training for planning, conducting, developing, and administering outdoor recreation programs. Students choosing this option will take courses in community- and nature-based recreation, event management, programming, leadership, and communications.

This option prepares students for positions such as city and county park and recreation programmers, sports and recreation league coordinators, camp programming and event coordinators, private industry recreation coordinators, outdoor educators, field guides, and other similar occupations focused on creating recreational opportunities and events for the public.

*Pending ACHE approval

Career Readiness

Students benefit from our integrated curriculum that makes full use of Central Alabama’s diverse parks and recreation areas. Our faculty instruct students on topics such as environmental education, planning, management, environmental interpretation, and recreation programming, utilizing learning laboratories including the Kreher Preserve and Nature Center, the City of Auburn Parks and Recreation areas, and Chewacla State Park, among others.

Coursework for the major also includes a 2-week experiential field course, where students gather as a cohort to focus on developing outdoor skills. Faculty in the major collaborate with Auburn Outdoors to teach the course, where students can earn several micro-credentials, including Leave No Trace, Certified Interpretive Guide, Trip Leader, Wilderness First Aid, and Trail Building certifications, among other valuable skills.

Before their senior year, students pursuing the Nature-based and Community Parks and Recreation Management paths are prepared for and complete supervised internships as part of their degree requirements. (An internship is not required to complete the Leadership and Planning Option.) These internships enhance the career readiness of our students, enabling them to apply classroom theory in real-world situations under the guidance of a supervisor or mentor.

Study abroad opportunities in Sustainable Nature Tourism are available in Costa Rica, Belize, and New Zealand, and count toward restricted electives in the Park and Recreation Management emphasis.

The major is designed based on standards set forth by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions (COAPRT). After one year of employment, students who have completed the degree meet the requirements to participate in the examination to become Certified Park and Recreation Professionals (CPRP) by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).

Diverse Occupations

Parks and recreation management offers diverse and plentiful career opportunities with national, state, local, and private organizations that manage parks and recreation facilities for public or private use within occupations such as:

• Parks and recreation agency director
• Public lands manager
• Operations manager
• Outdoor recreation center director
• Camp director
• Program manager
• Wellness coordinator
• Park ranger or interpreter
• Outdoor guide or outfitter
• Sports and recreation league coordinator
• Recreation programmer
• Event and programming coordinator
• Outdoor educator
• Field guide

Note: Students may incur laboratory, transportation, or other fees associated with labs and field experiences required for course credit.

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