Parks, Recreation and Tourism Undergraduate Program
| Get in Touch |
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David R. Vaught, Ph.D. Department Chair Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism 105d Anheuser-Busch Natural Resources Building Columbia, MO 65211 Dept. Phone: 573-882-7086 Office Phone: 573-882-9517 Fax: 573-882-9526 E-mail: VaughtDR@missouri.edu |
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| Major Curriculum* |
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| Course | Credit |
| First Semester | |
| Intro to Leisure Studies | 3 |
| Academic Planning and Career Orientation | 1 |
| English Composition | 3 |
| Science Elective | 5 |
| Psychology | 3 |
| Second Semester | |
| Planning and Evaluating Leisure Environments | 3 |
| College Algebra | 3 |
| History | 3 |
| Finite Mathematics | 3 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 |
| Third Semester | |
| Recreation and Special Populations | 2 |
| Public Speaking | 3 |
| Science Elective | 5 |
| Principles of Human Development | 4 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 |
| Fourth Semester | |
| Personnel Mgt. and Leadership in Leisure Services | 3 |
| Accounting | 3 |
| Social Science Elective | 3 |
| Program Delivery | 3 |
| Economics | 3 |
| Fifth Semester | |
| Marketing | 3 |
| Humanities Elective | 3 |
| Professional Concentration Electives | 6 |
| Tourism Mgt. | 3 |
| Intro to Parks and Outdoor Recreation Services | 3 |
| Sixth Semester | |
| Behavioral Science Elective | 3 |
| Statistics | 3 |
| Administration of Leisure Services | 3 |
| Private and Commercial Recreation | 3 |
| Principles of Interpretive Outdoor Recreation | 3 |
| Professional Concentration Elective | 3 |
| Seventh Semester | |
| General Elective | 3 |
| Communication Elective | 3 |
| Professional Concentration Electives | 6 |
| Park Mgt. | 3 |
| Pre-Internship Seminar | 1 |
| Eighth Semester | |
| Tourism Planning and Development | 3 |
| Practicum in Natural Resources | 3 |
| Professional Concentration Electives | 6 |
| General Electives | 4-7 |
| Summer: PRT Internship | 12 |
| Note: The Parks, Recreation and Tourism program also offers emphasisis areas in Leisure Service Management, Natural Resources Recreation Management and Tourism Development. | |
Whether it's summer camp for the kids, an exclusive resort getaway for Mom and Dad, or a vacation for the entire family, the demand for high-quality, well-managed recreation facilities and programs continues to grow worldwide.
If you're interested in learning how to design, promote, operate and evaluate quality recreation experiences to meet diverse consumer demands, then consider a career in parks, recreation and tourism.
Career Opportunities
A bachelor's of science degree in parks, recreation and tourism from the School of Natural Resources will provide you with all the skills you'll need to succeed in a wide variety of parks, recreation and tourism careers.
You can individualize your degree program by choosing from three degree options — tourism development, leisure service management or natural resource recreation management — that prepare you for the career field that most interests you. Some parks, recreation and tourism careers you might consider include:
- Facility managers are employed by a wide variety of private business and public entities, including public parks, sport complexes, theme parks, golf courses, youth service agencies and community centers. They are responsible for ensuring the safety of facility users and staff, supervising programs, scheduling facility bookings, maintaining financial records, and supervising staff.
- Marketing specialists find employment with tourism enterprises, resort and recreation complexes, sport-related organizations, and local, state and regional economic development agencies. They are responsible for promoting their clients in the recreation industry. This might involve organizing promotional events, developing public relations materials or establishing relationships with various local interest groups.
- Park directors often are employed by state and federal agencies such as the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. National Park Service, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management. Their responsibilities might include managing park resources and facilities, providing for visitor safety, managing park wildlife, supervising park operations, and preparing budgets and operating plans for the park.
Research/Internship Opportunities
As a parks, recreation and tourism student, your chances to gain real-world field experience through research and internships are almost limitless.
Each PRT student completes a minimum of 12 consecutive weeks in a professional internship prior to graduation. This hands-on training allows you to apply the lessons of your academic curriculum to professional practice. Often, this experience is a key link to future career opportunities.
MU PRT students have completed internships with a wide variety of local, state, and federal agencies; private and nonprofit foundations; resort and conventions sites; professional sports organizations; and private businesses.
If you're interested in research, many of the PRT faculty members hire undergraduate students to assist with their projects. These opportunities allow you to learn research techniques and to broaden your educational experience.
