Undergraduate Study in RPTA
The undergraduate curriculum in Recreation, Park and Tourism Administration prepares students for careers in a variety of leisure services fields and for advanced study. The curriculum combines a required core with elective courses both in and outside the Department, including extensive opportunities for hands on learning, traveling seminars, and independent study. All students complete an internship supervised by the participating agency, selected to advance the student’s individual career goals, and by a department faculty member. The Department of RPTA has outstanding cooperative relationships with nearly 500 agencies in Illinois and elsewhere to support students’ internship experience. The Department’s core curriculum has been accredited by the Joint Council on Accreditation of the National Recreation and Park Association and the American Association for Leisure and Recreation since 1978.
Students may choose to pursue any of the following emphasis areas:
- Commercial Recreation
- Leisure Services for the Elderly
- Outdoor Recreation & Education
- Park System Planning & Management
- Public Recreation & Parks
- Therapeutic Recreation
- Tourism
- Wilderness Leadership & Adventure Recreation
The Environmental, Conservation & Outdoor Education Expedition (ECOEE) is a unique semester-long field experience during which students receive intensive training in a variety of outdoor leadership skills.
Undergraduate Advisor: To talk or make an appointment with the RPTA Undergraduate Advisor, contact the RPTA office at 309/298-1967.
For details on degree requirements and course descriptions, see the RPTA information in WIU’s Undergraduate Catalog.
- Administration of Fitness Programs
- Administration of Leisure Services
- Advanced Administration of Leisure Services
- Clinical Therapeutic Recreation Processes
- Commercial Recreation
- Community Tourism Development
- Concepts of Leisure
- Conference & Convention Planning & Management
- Consortium in Outdoor Recreation
- Expedition Planning
- Facility Management
- Fieldwork in Leisure Services
- Group Tour Planning and Management
- Independent Study
- International Tourism
- Internship in Leisure Services
- Internship Seminar
- Interpretation of Cultural & Environmental Resources
- Introduction to Leisure Services
- Introduction to Therapeutic Recreation
- Issues in Leisure Services
- Landscape Construction
- Leadership in Leisure Services
- Leisure Services for the Elderly
- Management of Outdoor Adventure Recreation
- Management of Outdoor Recreation Resources
- Management of Therapeutic Recreation
- Outdoor Education
- Park & Open Space Planning
- Park Maintenance & Operations Management
- Perspective in Outdoor Recreation
- Principles of Camping
- Principles of Outdoor Adventure Recreation
- Principles of Therapeutic Recreation
- Programming Principles & Application in Leisure Services
- Research & Evaluation in Leisure Services
- Resort Management
- Site Planning in Recreation and Parks
- Therapeutic Recreation Assessment & Evaluation
- Tourism
- Tourism Destination Promotion
- Traveling Workshop
- Wilderness Leadership