Recreation Sciences, MS

Program Coordinator: Stacy Warner (2406 Carol Belk Building; 252-328-0095; warners@ecu.edu)

The Department of Recreation Sciences offers a Recreation Sciences, MS with three concentrations – recreation management, recreational therapy administration, and sport management.The program is designed for individuals employed in or seeking employment in a diverse range of settings.

The concentration in recreation management prepares students for positions in multiple settings including community parks and recreation, human dimensions of recreation resource management, and travel and tourism.

The concentration in recreational therapy administration provides advanced education for clinical, administrative, and research positions in recreational therapy and healthcare-related careers. Individuals pursuing the recreational therapy administration concentration who do not meet national certification requirements upon admission will be required to take supplemental coursework while enrolled in the graduate program.

The concentration in sport management offers innovative training in sport administration, marketing, finance, leadership, legal aspects, and contemporary sport issues to prepare students for careers in collegiate, community, professional, and nonprofit sport settings.

The degree requires a minimum of 36 s.h. as follows:

1. Core - 12 s.h.

2. Concentration - 12 or 15 s.h.

(Choose one concentration.)

Recreation management - 12 s.h.

Choose 6 s.h. from the following courses:

Note:

RCSC 6990

will be required of recreation management students who do not have approved prior experience or internship in recreation.

Recreational therapy administration - 12 s.h.

Choose 3 s.h. from the following courses:

Note:

RCSC 6990

is required for recreational therapy administration students who are not currently state or nationally credentialed in recreational therapy.

Sport Management - 15 s.h.

Notes:

May not count RCSC 6005 as an approved elective if selected as a core course.
May not count SMGT 6001 as an approved elective if selected as a core course.

3. Thesis or non-thesis option - 9 or 12 s.h.

(Choose an option by concentration.)

Recreation management:

Thesis option (12 s.h.)

Requires a comprehensive examination
RCSC 7000 - Thesis (6 s.h.)
6 s.h. of approved electives

Non-thesis option (12 s.h.)

Requires a comprehensive examination
RCSC 6501 - Capstone Experience in Recreation Sciences (3 s.h.)
9 s.h. of approved electives

Recreational therapy administration:

Thesis option (12 s.h.)

Requires a comprehensive examination
RCSC 7000 - Thesis (6 s.h.)
6 s.h. of approved interventions-based electives

Non-thesis option (12 s.h.)

Requires a comprehensive examination
RCTX 6502 - Capstone Experience in Recreational Therapy (3 s.h.)
9 s.h. of approved interventions-based electives

Sport management:

Thesis option (9 s.h.)

Requires a comprehensive examination
SMGT 7000 - Thesis (6 s.h.)
3 s.h. of approved electives

Non-thesis option (9 s.h.)

Requires a comprehensive examination
Requires 9 s.h. of approved electives from one of the following options:
- Students may apply electives towards the Higher Education Athletics Leadership Certificate . Students applying to the certificate will take LDHE 8070 - History and Philosophy of Higher Education , LEED 8065 - Ethics and Equity in Higher Education Athletics Leadership , and LEED 8075 - Philanthropy and Fundraising in Higher Education from the below list of approved electives to complete the certificate requirement of 15 s.h.
  - Note: Six semester hours can may be shared between the master’s degree and the certificate. (SMGT 6001 - Administration of Intercollegiate Athletics is a sport management concentration core course and RCSC 6131 - Management and Leadership in Recreation and Sport is a core course for the degree. )
- Students may apply electives towards the Sport and Coaching Leadership Certificate . Students applying to the certificate will take 2 approved electives from the below list to be applied towards the 12 s. h. certificate requirement.
  - Note: Six semester hours can may be shared between the master’s degree and the certificate. (RCSC 6131 - Management and Leadership in Recreation and Sport is a core course for the master’s degree and SMGT 6001 - Administration of Intercollegiate Athletics is a sport management concentration core course.)
- Students may take RCSC 6501 - Capstone Experience in Recreation Sciences (3 or 6 s.h.) and approved electives (3 or 6 s. h.) from the below following list of approved electives.

Approved electives list

Notes:

May not count RCSC 6005 as an approved elective if used as part of the non-thesis option.
May not count SMGT 6001 if used as part of the non-thesis option.
Students may be able to count electives to the Sport and Coaching Leadership Certificate or the Higher Education in Athletics Certificate. Before selecting electives for one of these certificates, please discuss electives with the program coordinator.