Degree Offered
- Bachelor of Science
Nature of the Program
The Bachelor of Science degree in Adventure Recreation Management will prepare students for employment and/or future study in the management of public and private enterprises that deliver adventure recreation activities and related services. Operations management of paddle sports, rock climbing, mountain biking and aerial venues are emphasized in the coursework. Examples of career opportunities include county or city adventure programmer, challenge course manager, scouting council program manager, therapeutic adventure counselor, rafting river manager, ski school director, climbing guide service manager, outdoor retail store manager and other positions. Each student will be required to achieve an instructor or guide certification in at least one field skill area as an important foundation for understanding program design and delivery. To reinforce coursework, students will complete a professional field experience to gain first-hand experience in the application of management practice in the field of adventure recreation.
This program will leverage partnerships with private tourism businesses, land management agencies, recreational service organizations and the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve in the New River Gorge and Central Appalachian Region to offer hands on learning opportunities for both technical skill development and management practice. This region is known nationally and internationally for its world class venues and adventure tourism offerings including the New and Gauley whitewater rivers, extensive rock climbing sites, miles of recreational trails and the 12,000 acre Boy Scouts of America high-adventure base.
General Education Foundations
Please use this link to view a list of courses that meet each GEF requirement.
NOTE: Some major requirements will fulfill specific GEF requirements. Please see the curriculum requirements listed below for details on which GEFs you will need to select.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations | ||
| F1 - Composition & Rhetoric | 3-6 | |
| Introduction to Composition and Rhetoric and Composition, Rhetoric, and Research | ||
or ENGL 103 | Accelerated Academic Writing | |
| F2A/F2B - Science & Technology | 4-6 | |
| F3 - Math & Quantitative Reasoning | 3-4 | |
| F4 - Society & Connections | 3 | |
| F5 - Human Inquiry & the Past | 3 | |
| F6 - The Arts & Creativity | 3 | |
| F7 - Global Studies & Diversity | 3 | |
| F8 - Focus (may be satisfied by completion of a minor, double major, or dual degree) | 9 | |
| Total Hours | 31-37 | |
Please note that not all of the GEF courses are offered at all campuses. Students should consult with their advisor or academic department regarding the GEF course offerings available at their campus.
Curriculum Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| University Requirements | 48 | |
| Adventure Recreation Management Major Requirements | 72 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
University Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| General Education Foundations (GEF) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 (31-37 Credits) | ||
| Outstanding GEF Requirements 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8 | 31 | |
| WVUE 191 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| General Electives | 16 | |
| Total Hours | 48 | |
Adventure Recreation Management Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| An overall GPA of 2.0 is required in all major coursework. | ||
| ADRC 102 | Adventure in Society (GEF 5) | 3 |
| Theoretical Foundations Coursework | ||
| ADRC 103 | Introduction to Adventure Recreation | 3 |
| ADRC 301 | Adventure Recreation Program Management | 3 |
| ADRC 303 | Management of Adventure Resources | 3 |
| ADRC 305 | Adaptive & Inclusive Recreation | 3 |
| ADRC 401 | Risk Management and Legal Issues | 3 |
| ADRC 403 | Senior Project - Capstone | 3 |
| ADRC 405 | Ethical Issues in Recreation | 3 |
| ADRC 491 | Professional Field Experience | 6 |
| ADRC 494 | Seminar | 3 |
| RPTR 242 | Environmental and Cultural Interpretation | 3 |
| RPTR 251 | Leadership in Experiential Education | 3 |
| Field Skills Coursework | ||
| ADRC 101 | Essential Skills in Adventure Recreation | 3 |
| ADRC 304 | Adventure Guiding and Instruction | 1 |
| RPTR 148 | Wilderness First Responder | 3 |
| Students are required to complete one primary skill area track to the Instructor Development/Rescue level and at least one additional secondary skill course to the Techniques level. | ||
| Primary Track | 5 | |
Select one of the following: | ||
| Whitewater Rafting Primary Track | ||
| Introduction to Whitewater Rafting | ||
| Whitewater Rafting Techniques | ||
| Swiftwater Rescue | ||
| Whitewater Raft Trip Leadership | ||
| Rock Climbing Primary Track | ||
| Introduction to Rock Climbing | ||
| Rock Climbing Techniques | ||
| Lead Climbing | ||
| Climbing Rescue Techniques | ||
| Rock Climbing Instructor Development | ||
| Mountain Biking Primary Track * | ||
| Introduction to Mountain Biking | ||
| Aerials Primary Track | ||
| Challenge Course Facilitation | ||
| Canopy Tour Facilitation | ||
| Secondary Track | 3 | |
Select one of the following: | ||
| Whitewater Rafting Secondary Track | ||
| Introduction to Whitewater Rafting | ||
| Whitewater Rafting Techniques | ||
| Whitewater Raft Trip Leadership | ||
| Rock Climbing Secondary Track | ||
| Introduction to Rock Climbing | ||
| Rock Climbing Techniques | ||
| Lead Climbing | ||
| Mountain Biking Secondary Track * | ||
| Introduction to Mountain Biking | ||
| Aerials Secondary Track | ||
| Challenge Course Facilitation | ||
or RPTR 326S | Canopy Tour Facilitation | |
| Restricted Electives or Minor | 18 | |
Select coursework from ACCT, BUSA, BCOR, CJ, ECON, FIN, HUMS, MANG, MKTG, PSYC, SM, or SOC. Nine (9) credits must be at the 300 level or above. | ||
Students may select a minor in a supporting field in consultation with their advisor. | ||
| Co-Curricular Requirements ** | ||
60 Days Documented Program/Trip Leadership | ||
1 Instructor or Guide Certification | ||
| Total Hours | 72 | |
- *
Additional coursework will be chosen in consultation with advisor.
- **
To improve employment potential of each student they will be required to complete two co-curricular requirements outside of the required coursework in the program. Students will be required to document 60 days of personal experience participating in adventure field activities. In addition, students will be required to provide documentation of certification in an approved instructor or guide certification. Acceptable certifications include: American Mountain Guide Association Single Pitch Instructor, American Canoe Association Level 2 Kayak Instructor, West Virginia State Whitewater Guide License, International Mountain Bike Association Level 2 Mountain Bike Guide, Association of Challenge Course Technology Ropes Course Facilitator and other certifications completed with prior approval of program chair.
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ADRC 102 (GEF 5) | 3 | ADRC 103 | 3 |
| WVUE 191 | 1 | ADRC Intro Skill Course | 1 |
| ENGL 101 (GEF 1) | 3 | ADRC Development Skill Course | 2 |
| GEF 3 | 3 | ENGL 102 (GEF 1) | 3 |
| GEF 6 or 7 | 3 | GEF 6 or 7 | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | Restricted Elective | 3 |
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ADRC 101 | 3 | RPTR 148 | 3 |
| ADRC Intro Skill Course | 1 | RPTR 242 | 3 |
| ADRC Development Skill Course | 2 | RPTR 251 | 3 |
| ADRC Rescue Course | 1 | ADRC 494 | 1 |
| GEF 2 | 4 | GEF 4 | 3 |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | GEF 8 | 3 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ADRC 301 | 3 | ADRC 303 | 3 |
| ADRC 302 | 3 | ADRC 401 | 3 |
| ADRC 304 | 1 | GEF 8 | 3 |
| ADRC Intro Skill Course | 1 | Restricted Elective | 3 |
| ADRC Instructor/Guide Development Course | 1 | General Elective | 3 |
| GEF 8 | 3 | ||
| Restricted Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ADRC 402 | 3 | ADRC 403 | 3 |
| ADRC 491 | 6 | ADRC 494 | 1 |
| Restricted Elective | 3 | Restricted Electives | 3 |
| General Electives | 4 | General Electives | 6 |
| 16 | 13 | ||
| Total credit hours: 120 | |||
Major Learning Outcomes
Adventure Recreation Management
Upon completion of the program, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a broad-based understanding of the dynamics of the adventure recreation industry, including familiarity with a variety of program delivery models, adventure skill areas, programmatic risk management systems and fiscal operations.
- Apply theoretical knowledge, personal experience and management principles to the design of an adventure program, business or product.
- Apply critical thinking and higher level analytical skills to problems and issues in the management of adventure recreations activities and facilities.
- Communicate effectively in oral and written form and have the specialized vocabulary utilized in the adventure recreation industry.