Recreation is an important aspect of all our lives. Through recreation we rejuvenate ourselves, socialize, improve physical fitness, build skills, gain confidence, express ourselves, manage stress, and enrich the quality of our lives. The Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies offers those who believe in the value of recreation an opportunity to prepare for a career in the recreation, park, and leisure profession. Our department slogan is "Learn it.  Love it.  Live it!"

Our students not only receive a well-rounded liberal arts education; they also develop the professional competencies for entering a thriving job market. The department offers three majors -- outdoor adventure leadership, recreation management, and therapeutic recreation. Two minors are also available -- one in recreation and one in outdoor recreation.

Class sizes are typically small, and the curriculum is interdisciplinary and experientially based. Examples of relevant courses include Leisure Travel, Ecotourism and Natural Resource Management, Commercial Recreation, Understanding Disability, and Cooperative Games Facilitation. Students have multiple opportunities for fieldwork at local community agencies and complete a 12-week internship before stepping into a career. 

 Students are involved in many aspects of department life:

• Interested students join faculty in presentations at professional conferences. 
• The Recreation Enthusiast Club (REC) is the student lead majors' club.
• The Student Advisory Council allows students to take a leadership role in shaping departmental policy and curricula. 
• The Adventure Facilitation Club gets students together for service and outdoor activities such as rock climbing, backpacking, paddling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and spelunking.
• The department, along with the Office of Recreational Sports, cosponsors the Outdoor Recreation Equipment Center (OREC) where students can rent outdoor gear for all their adventure and back-country excursions. 

Our faculty members are known nationally in their fields. They are involved in state and national professional organizations, speak at conferences, sit on editorial boards, publish in professional journals, and write textbooks. They also enjoy mentoring students along their individually chosen career paths.