Recreation Administration

The mission of the Recreation Administration Program at North Carolina Central University is to prepare students academically and professionally to become leaders prepared to advance the park, recreation, and leisure profession, whose purpose it is to enhance the quality of life for all people.

Vision Statement

The Recreation Administration Program is dedicated to sustaining and improving the social, environmental, economic, and cultural well-being of our local and global communities through education, research, and service. 

Values

We believe that achieving a state of leisure is a biological need, that as part of the human condition, we believe in the importance of leisure and the value of leisure experiences, and we believe that every person has the right to seek leisure irrespective of one’s station in life and that access to leisure opportunities should not be denied.

We believe in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and support Article 31, not just for children, but that everyone has “a right to relax and play and to join in a wide range of recreational and cultural activities.”

Purpose

The Recreation Administration Program is designed to prepare students for entry-level, supervisory/middle management and administrative positions in therapeutic recreation, or park, recreation and/or leisure service delivery systems in public, quasi-public and private sectors of society. Further, the Program entails an advanced degree component that is designed to prepare top level park, recreation and leisure service administrators for challenging managerial positions throughout the profession.

The Program encompasses three concentrations pertaining to recreation administration: Parks and Recreation Management, Recreational Sports Management, and Recreation Therapy. Each concentration represents a distinct area of professional preparation and reflects universal integrative themes of leisure service provision, which contributes to Department, College and University’s mission of preparing students academically and professionally to become leaders prepared to advance the consciousness of social responsibility in a diverse, global society.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) based on COAPRT “7.0” Learning Outcomes

7.01 Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate the following entry-level knowledge: (a) the nature and scope of the relevant park, recreation, tourism or related professions and their associated industries; (b) techniques and processes used by professionals and workers in these industries; and (c) the foundation of the profession in history, science and philosophy.

• 1.0 Students shall demonstrate entry-level knowledge of the nature and scope of  recreation and leisure services.
• 2.0 Students shall be able to demonstrate techniques and processes to facilitate group activities.
• 3.0 Students shall be able to describe recreation management techniques and processes.
• 4.0 Students shall be able to identify various historical figures and movements in the profession that have had an impact on the development of the profession.
• 5.0 Students will demonstrate knowledge of the philosophical foundations of recreation and leisure services, articulating their values in the area of diversity and inclusion.
• 6.0 Students will demonstrate the ability to advocate for and integrate nature-based activities into their professional recreation programming and be familiar with the theoretical foundations that support that integration.

7.02 Students graduating from the Program shall demonstrate the ability to design, implement, and evaluate services that facilitate targeted human experiences and that embrace personal and cultural dimensions of diversity.

• 1.0 Students shall demonstrate the ability to assess recreational needs and to use needs assessment data to improve the quality of offerings.
• 2.0 Students will demonstrate the ability to design appropriate programs.
• 3.0 Students will demonstrate the ability to facilitate appropriate programs.
• 4.0 Students will demonstrate the ability to facilitate programs that promote inclusivity.
• 5.0 Students will demonstrate competency in developing outdoor recreation programs, incorporating current best practices in outdoor leadership.
• 6.0 Students shall demonstrate the ability to evaluate service and experience offerings and to use evaluation data to improve the quality of offerings.

7.03 Students graduating from the program shall be able to demonstrate entry-level knowledge about operations and strategic management/administration in parks, recreation, tourism and/or related professions.

• 1.0 Students will be able to identify distinct management styles and factors determining the effectiveness of each style.
• 2.0 Students will be able to apply basic functions of infrastructure and facility operations.
• 3.0 Students will be able to demonstrate standard budgeting procedures to create an appropriate budget.
• 4.0 Students will be able to identify legal concepts and principles applicable to Human Resources.
• 5.0 Students will be able to demonstrate principles of marketing and promotion.
• 6.0 Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of legal liability and evaluate recreation facility safety.
• 7.0 Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to utilize current technology for the management of leisure services.

7.04 Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate, through a comprehensive internship of no fewer than 400 clock hours and no fewer than 10 weeks, the potential to succeed as professionals at supervisory or higher levels in park, recreation, tourism, or related organizations.

• 1.0 Student will complete an internship of no fewer than ten weeks and 400 hours as documented by an approved internship site supervisor.
• 2.0 Students will complete appropriate goals and objectives associated with their internship site.
• 3.0 Students will demonstrate competencies associated with Recreation Administration Professional core academic courses.

All students accepted into the Recreation Administration Program are expected to accomplish the following achievements:

1. Apply to and be accepted into the Recreation Administration Program.
2. Join and maintain their membership in the North Carolina Recreation and Park Association (NCRPA).
3. Join and be active in the Physical Education and Recreation Majors Association (PERMA).
4. Complete the core of professional courses with a grade of “C” or better.
5. Maintain an overall GPA of 2.0 or better and a GPA of 2.25 or better within the major.
6. Declare a concentration of either Parks and Recreation Management, Recreational Sport Management, or Recreational Therapy and fulfill the requirements of each (see respective four-year plan) with a grade of “C” or better.
7. Participate in an outdoor recreation camping event.
8. Pass an elementary swim class.
9. Obtain Red Cross First Aid and CRP certification.
10. Attend a recreation-based conference, either state or national.
11. Complete no less than 600 hours of professional field experience, which includes a practicum experience in an appropriate recreation setting of not less than 100 hours and an internship experience of not less than 400 hours.
12. Participate in at least one Rho Phi Lambda service event.
13. Create and display a Research Poster.
14. Create a web page promoting your professional accomplishments.
15. Maintain an online portfolio using Blackboard containing (Artifact and Course):

• Leisure Ledger/RECR1000
• Personal Philosophy of Leisure/Leisure Values Advocate Position Paper/RECR1000
• Leadership Self Evaluation Video/RECR2120
• Natural Environment Advocate Position Paper/RECR2230
• Recreation Inclusion Advocate Position Paper/RECR2250
• Architectural Barriers Instrument/RECR2250
• Professional Resume/RECR3500
• Mock Interview/RECR3500
• Personality Assessment (Jung Typology Test)/RECR3600
• Marketing/Promotion Plan/RECR3700
• Assessment Plan/RECR3800
• Program Evaluation Plan/RECR3800
• Recreation Facility Safety Evaluation/RECR3900
• Program Plan/RECR4150
• Budget Plan/RECR4610
• Internship Program or Plan/RECR463x
• Infographic/RECR4900
• Recreation Technology Presentation Video/RECR4900