Graduate Program
The graduate degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism prepares candidates for decision-making positions beyond the entry-level practitioner.
The degree enhances skills, understanding, practice and knowledge of professional service delivery, while sustaining a commitment to scholarship and investigation as foundations of professional excellence and further academic career aspiration.
Candidacy
To be accepted as a candidate for the degree, an applicant must possess an undergraduate degree and academic performance that displays a breadth and depth of university education in social, behavioral, mathematical and natural science and major-specific course work.
The master's degree can be successfully attained via two options: thesis and non-thesis.
Tract 1: Thesis Option
The thesis option is most appropriate for M.S. candidates who aspire to pursue doctoral education in the future, desire distinct research training and experience, and/or desire research or technical writing experience.
Credit Hour Requirements: The thesis option requires a minimum of 30 credit hours, which includes: a minimum of 15 hours at the 8000 level; a minimum of 12 hours of theory-based contact courses within the major; and an independent scholarship effort.
Thesis Research Boundaries: The thesis endeavor engages content of a solid academic/theoretical need that adds to or extends the knowledge base. It typically requires the student to display original scholarship or application of an existing theory to solve a specific problem. The rigor of the thesis challenges the student to address and engage the scientific process, which includes an evaluative component of peer and academic review.
Thesis Committee: The thesis committee consists of a minimum of three faculty members with graduate faculty standing, two within PRT and one outside the department. It is in the student's best interest that the committee chair is selected by the start of the second full academic semester and the complete committee be in place by the close of that semester.
Procedures: The student develops the thesis proposal with primary guidance of the committee chair. The proposal is defended in a scheduled open forum followed by committee approval or disapproval. Following proposal approval by the committee, the student conducts the research and completes the thesis paper. The student then defends the completed study in a scheduled open forum, followed by committee action to pass or fail the thesis defense.
Tract 2: Non-Thesis Option
The non-thesis option is most appropriate for M.S. candidates who view the Master's Degree as the terminal degree, aspire for practitioner work within the profession, and/or desire additional course work to balance their program of study.
Credit Hour Requirements: The non-thesis option requires a minimum of 39 credit hours, which includes: a minimum of 15 hours at the 8000 level; a minimum of 12 hours of theory-based contact courses within the major; and a 3-hour independent scholarship paper.
Non-Thesis Boundaries: The non-thesis option engages content of an academic/professional practice need that addresses issues or problems. It requires the student to display independent scholarship in the definition, review and analysis of a problem or issue under study. The rigor of the project challenges the student to engage content to professional standards, which include the evaluative component of peer and professional review.
Project Committee: The project committee consists of a minimum of three faculty members with MU graduate faculty standing, all of which may be from PRT. It is in the student's best interest that the committee chair is selected by the start of the second full academic semester and the complete committee be in place by the close of that semester.
Procedures: The student develops the project proposal with primary guidance of the committee chair. The committee chair approves the proposal. Following approval, the student completes the project. The student then defends the completed project in a scheduled open forum, followed by committee action to pass or fail the project defense.
