Recreation, Park, and Nonprofit Administration, Bachelor of Science (5010)
Department website: http://www.wku.edu/krs
Program Coordinator
Raymond A. Poff, raymond.poff@wku.edu, (270) 745-2498
The major in Recreation, Park, and Nonprofit Administration prepares students for numerous and exciting careers in the nonprofit, government, and private sectors. These careers are designed to help individuals, families, and communities improve their quality of life. Students pursue a concentration in: Essentials of Recreation, Parks Events and Tourism (30-36 hours); Comprehensive Study of Recreation, Parks, Events, and Tourism (48 hours); or Nonprofit Administration (48 hours).
The major requires a minimum of 30-48 semester hours and leads to a Bachelor of Science degree. It is accredited by The Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions.
Key career areas in Recreation and Park Administration include: community recreation, outdoor recreation, recreational sport, event management, tourism, nonprofit organizations, campus recreation, recreation business, and Armed Forces recreation.
Key career areas in Nonprofit Administration include, arts, culture, humanities, community development, disability services, disaster relief, education, environment, food, fundraising, healthcare, museums, nature, professional organizations, recreation, science, seniors, sports, wildlife, youth services, and NGOs (Non-governmental organizations) - international nonprofits.
For more information on career opportunities related to this major, please visit, https://www.wku.edu/recreation/career-opps.php.
Concentrations
- Comprehensive Study of Recreation, Parks, Events, and Tourism (RECS)
- Essentials of Recreation, Parks, Events, and Tourism (REER)
- Nonprofit Administration (RENA)
Program Requirements (30-48 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
The major requires a minimum of 30-48 semester hours and leads to a Bachelor of Science degree.
Students in this major will complete:
- Core courses (18 hours).
- Internship experience (9-12 hours).
- Additional concentration coursework (3-18 hours).
Core Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| REC 200 | Recreation in Society | 3 |
| REC 302 | Recreation Leadership | 3 |
| REC 306 | Experience Planning and Evaluation | 3 |
| REC 328 | Inclusive Recreation | 3 |
| REC 402 | Fiscal Practices in Recreation | 3 |
| REC 406 | Recreation Administration | 3 |
| Total Hours | 18 | |
The three concentrations available to choose from include:
- Essentials of Recreation, Parks, Events, and Tourism (30-36 hours);
- Comprehensive Study of Recreation, Parks, Events, and Tourism (48 hours);
- Nonprofit Administration (48 hours).
Essentials of Recreation, Parks, Events, and Tourism Concentration*
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students will complete the core courses as detailed above, plus the following requirements: | ||
| Internship Experience: | ||
| REC 490 | Internship in Recreation | 9 |
| Complete 3-9 hours of REC courses (unduplicated) from REC 2**, REC 3**, REC 4**, or other courses approved by major advisor. | 3-9 | |
| Total Hours | 12-18 | |
- *
Students in this concentration will also need to complete a certificate, minor, or second major. The combination must include at least 54 hours (48 unduplicated). For a list of popular programs to pair with this concentration, please visit www.wku.edu/recreation.
Comprehensive Study of Recreation, Parks, Events, and Tourism Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students will complete the core courses as detailed above, plus the following requirements: | ||
| Internship Experience: | 12 | |
| Internship in Recreation | ||
| Or | ||
| Internship in Recreation and Recreation Practicum | ||
| REC 320 | Professional Development in Recreation | 3 |
| REC 338 | Parks, Recreation, and Quality of Life | 3 |
| Complete 6 hours (unduplicated) from REC 2**, REC 3**, or REC 4**. | 6 | |
| Complete 6 hours (unduplicated) from the following: | 6 | |
REC 2**, 3**, or 4** | ||
| Introduction to Sport Management | ||
| Governance and Public Policy in Sport | ||
| Sport Event Management | ||
| Sport Ethics and Moral Issues | ||
| Sport Communication | ||
| Sport Facility Management | ||
| Legal Issues in Sport | ||
| Net / Wall and Target Sports | ||
| Striking / Fielding and Invasion Sports | ||
| Lifespan Leisure & Recreation Activities | ||
| Adapted Physical Education | ||
| Football Coaching | ||
| Basketball Coaching | ||
| Track and Field Coaching | ||
| Baseball Coaching | ||
| Foundations of Kinesiology | ||
| Introduction to Exercise Science | ||
| Tourism Planning and Devlopment | ||
| Hospitality and Tourism Marketing | ||
| Meeting and Convention Management | ||
| Advanced Event Planning in Hospitality | ||
| Basic Marketing Concepts | ||
| Social Media Marketing | ||
| Organization and Management | ||
| Management of Nonprofit Organizations | ||
| Principles of Financial Accounting | ||
| Entrepreneurship | ||
| Principals of Public Administration | ||
Or, other courses approved by major advisor | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Nonprofit Administration Concentration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Students will complete the core courses as detailed above, plus the following requirements: | ||
| Internship Experience: | 12 | |
| Internship in Recreation | ||
| Or | ||
| Internship in Recreation and Nonprofit Internship | ||
| REC 320 | Professional Development in Recreation | 3 |
| REC 338 | Parks, Recreation, and Quality of Life | 3 |
| REC 220 | Understanding the Nonprofit Sector | 3 |
| REC 460 | Grant Writing for Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
| MGT 333 | Management of Nonprofit Organizations | 3 |
| or PS 340 | Principals of Public Administration | |
| MKT 220 | Basic Marketing Concepts | 3 |
| Or other courses approved by major advisor | ||
| Total Hours | 30 | |
Finish in Four Plans
Four Year Plans
Comprehensive Study of Recreation, Parks, Events, and Tourism Concentration
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| COMM 145 | 3 | ENG 100 | 3 | ||
| Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences with Lab | 3 | ||
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | MATH 109, MATH 116, or MATH 183 | 3 | ||
| Colonnade: Arts & Humanities | 3 | REC 302 | 3 | ||
| REC 200 (Colonnade - Social & Behavioral) | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective or World Language (if needed) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| ENG 200 | 3 | REC 328 | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 |
| REC 306 | 3 | ENG 300 | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | REC 338 (Connections - Local to Global) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 3 | |||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| REC 320 | 3 | REC 402 | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Connections - Systems | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| Connections - Social and Cultural | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| REC 406 | 3 | REC 490 | 12 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 12 | ||||
| Total Hours 120 | |||||
Essentials of Recreation, Parks, Events, and Tourism Concentration
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| COMM 145 | 3 | ENG 100 | 3 | ||
| Colonnade - Natural & Physical Sciences | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences with Lab | 3 | ||
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | MATH 109, MATH 116, or MATH 183 | 3 | ||
| Colonnade: Arts & Humanities | 3 | REC 302 | 3 | ||
| REC 200 | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective or World Language (if needed) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| ENG 200 | 3 | REC 328 | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 |
| REC 306 | 3 | ENG 300 | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Connections - Local to Global | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 3 | |||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | REC 402 | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Connections - Systems | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| Connections - Social and Cultural | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| REC 406 | 3 | REC 490 | 12 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 12 | ||||
| Total Hours 120 | |||||
Nonprofit Administration Concentration
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| COMM 145 | 3 | ENG 100 | 3 | ||
| Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences with lab | 3 | ||
| HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 | MATH 109, MATH 116, or MATH 183 | 3 | ||
| Colonnade: Arts & Humanities | 3 | REC 302 | 3 | ||
| REC 200 | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective or World Language (if needed) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer | Hours |
| ENG 200 | 3 | REC 328 | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 |
| REC 306 | 3 | ENG 300 | 3 | ||
| REC 220 | 3 | MKT 220 | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | REC 338 (Connections - Local to Global) | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | 3 | |||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| REC 320 | 3 | REC 402 | 3 | ||
| MGT 333 or PS 340 | 3 | Connections - Systems | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | REC 460 | 3 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| Connections - Social and Cultural | 3 | Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||
| REC 406 | 3 | REC 490 | 12 | ||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||||
| Major/Minor/Cert/Elective | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 12 | ||||
| Total Hours 120 | |||||