Recreation Management & Recreational Therapy
Academic programs
Undergraduate programs
Outdoor, Recreation, Tourism & Event Management
Outdoor, Recreation, Tourism & Event Management (ORTEM) students learn the skills and knowledge to pursue professional careers designing, facilitating, and managing recreation, tourism, and outdoor experiences. They work with people from diverse backgrounds in settings such as parks and recreation departments, outdoor adventure agencies, camping organizations, and tourism and event management businesses.
Emphasis
Community-Based Recreation
Undergrad majorThe community-based recreation emphasis prepares students for professional roles in programming and management in a wide variety of recreation related fields in the public and non-profit sectors such as municipal parks and recreation departments, state agencies, youth serving agencies, religious-affiliated agencies, social service agencies, and campus recreation.
Emphasis
Generalist
Undergrad majorThe recreation management generalist emphasis allows students to explore all areas of recreation. Students in the generalist emphasis take the recreation management core curriculum and an additional nine credits selected from the other three emphasis areas.
Emphasis
Outdoor Recreation
Undergrad majorThe outdoor recreation emphasis is for students who want to work in natural resource-based recreation settings. This program helps students develop skills in outdoor programming and leadership, environmental education, outdoor guiding and adventure, and nature-based recreation management.
Outdoor and Recreation Management
Undergrad minor
Emphasis
Tourism & Event Management
Undergrad major Undergrad minorThe tourism and event management emphasis is for students interested in creating and managing visitor experiences. Whether it is managing a resort, promoting a destination, leading adventure tours, or planning events, a career in tourism is about helping others enjoy their travel and event experience as much as you enjoy your own.
Bachelor of Science in Recreation Management (four emphasis options) & Master of Science in Recreation Management Dual Degree Program
Undergrad + graduate dual degree
Undergrad major Graduate degreeStudents in this dual degree program in recreation management earn a Generalist Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in Recreation Management.
- Community-Based Recreation
- Generalist
- Outdoor Recreation
- Tourism/Event Management
Recreational Therapy
Undergrad majorRecreational therapists assist people who are marginalized and/or live with disabilities and illnesses to help them improve their health and well-being. This is achieved through a wide range of recreation and leisure activities, as well as techniques to improve their physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and leisure needs.
Undergrad + graduate dual degree
Undergrad major Graduate degreeAs the field of recreational therapy moves toward master’s level entry, this dual degree program offers students a more efficient path toward completion of their master’s degree. Students earn a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in recreational therapy.
Inclusive Recreation
Undergrad minorThose involved in the inclusive recreation field help a community or space adapt so everyone has an equal opportunity to feel welcome, comfortable and develop to their fullest potential. This way the responsibility of adapting is placed on the space or community instead of people with disabilities.
Recreation and leisure is one way people can express who they are. If people encounter barriers in the process of recreating, it is much harder to find their authentic self in that space. If we truly value diversity within a community and everyone’s contributions, then inclusion in these activities needs to be fully embraced.
Graduate programs
Recreation Management
Graduate degree The Master of Science in Recreation Management prepares graduates for careers in public, private, non-profit, and commercial sectors of the recreation field.Recreation Management - Professional Development
Graduate degree This online master's degree program in recreation management is designed for working professionals.Recreational Therapy
Graduate degree The Master of Science in Recreational Therapy prepares graduates for careers in the diverse field of recreational therapy.RMRT Majors
Want to learn more about one or more of our majors? Expand the boxes below.
Program Highlights
Recreational Therapy (RT)
Why Recreational Therapy (RT) at UWL?
To start, it is one of only a few college or university independent major recreational therapy programs in the nation. Students choosing the RT program have a passion for helping persons with disabilities or illnesses improve their functioning and quality of life. You’ll learn how to use recreation activities to develop and implement therapeutic programs. Take a look at some of the experiences RT students are gaining in and out of the classroom, and follow the course catalog link at the top of this page if you want to know more about the program and coursework.
 Pass |
During the testing period January 2017 – November 2017, 100% of UWL students & alumni who took the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) exam passed! |
In the Classroom
Lindsey Kirschbaum, an associate lecturer in the Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation Department, oversees students in her therapeutic recreation class working with residents in a La Crosse manor.
Lindsey Kirschbaum, an associate lecturer in the Recreation Management and Recreational Therapy Department, oversees students in her therapeutic recreation class working with residents in a La Crosse manor. Read more about A New Kind of Student
Outdoor, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management (ORTEM) - Generalist
Why Outdoor, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management?
A degree in Outdoor, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management opens the doors to a wide variety of opportunities that can connect your passion(s) to a career. Not sure what emphasis is right for you? The generalist option gives you the opportunity to take electives from the community, outdoor, and tourism emphasis. Explore various interests or simply try something new! Check out why you should choose a career with meaning.
A Career with Meaning
In (but out) of the Classroom
Students in REC 400: Planning for Parks & Recreation Facilities visit an area beach to assess inclusion for people with disabilities.
Students in REC 400: Planning for Parks & Recreation Facilities visit an area beach to assess inclusion for people with disabilities. Learn more about their goal to assess accessibility of outdoor spots across the Coulee Region.
Outdoor, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management (ORTEM) - Community Recreation Emphasis
Playing in the park, spending time after school at the Boys & Girls Club or YMCA…Sound like a part of your childhood? Students choosing the community recreation emphasis do so because they want to work for a public or nonprofit organization that provides people opportunities to enhance their quality of life, often for an organization that has played a significant role in their own life. Whether this means operating an aquatic center, running a sports league, hosting a summer camp, or maintaining a neighborhood park, community rec professions enjoy making quality recreation opportunities possible.
In (but out) of the Classroom
Students in REC 301 held the now annual log rolling event at Mitchell Hall's pool. The event was even covered by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel!
REC 301 students host a spring event in collaboration with the La Crosse Parks, Recreation, & Forestry Department.
REC 304 students maintaining trails on lower Hixon Forest.
Students in REC 304: Maintenance of Recreation Facilities helping members of the Outdoor Recreation Alliance do trail work on Lower Hixon Forest.
Outdoor, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management (ORTEM) - Outdoor Recreation Emphasis
Why Outdoor Recreation?
It’s simple really. You are probably considering an outdoor emphasis if spending time outdoors is your passion. Maybe you feel like yourself when you are in nature, or you couldn’t participate in your favorite recreational activities without a particular natural setting. Outdoor recreation professionals want to facilitate those experiences for others. Take a look at some of the experiences outdoor recreation emphasis students are having in and out of the classroom, and follow the course catalog link at the top of this page if you want to know more about career opportunities and coursework.
In (but out) of the Classroom
Explore The Depths of the Mississippi
Learn about Recreation and the Natural Environment
Students in REC 306 (Environmental Ethics, Outdoor Recreation & Natural Resources) participate in a class activity in fall semester 2015. Most students in the course are in UWL’s Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation program either as a major or minor.
Students in REC 306 (Environmental Ethics, Outdoor Recreation & Natural Resources) participate in a class activity in fall semester 2015. Most students in the course are in UWL’s Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation program either as a major or minor. They also get the opportunity to learn about Leave No Trace.
Outdoor, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management (ORTEM) - Tourism & Event Management Emphasis
Why Tourism & Event Management?
Think of tourism as recreation away from home, and event management as an opportunity to bring people together and create memorable experiences. Like recreation, tourism professionals have a passion for creating and facilitating enjoyable experiences for others. Those people might just not be from the area. It doesn’t hurt that students in this emphasis often have a passion for travel themselves. Take a look at some of the experiences tourism & Event management emphasis students are having in and out of the classroom, and follow the course catalog link at the top of this page if you want to know more about career opportunities and coursework.
In (but out) of the Classroom
REC 445: Meetings, Conventions, & Event Planning students held a press demo ahead of the 2nd annual Lederhosen Games hosted by the class at Oktoberfest La Crosse.
Parks and Recreation Salaries Reported by NRPA
Median Salaries
For a full breakdown of Parks and Recreation career salary information and additional employment benefits check out NRPA's full Salary Survey here.