Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources

This program focuses on human dimensions of recreation, tourism and natural resources. We include a diverse group of publics in our training, research, and technical assistance programs such as policy-makers, tourists, communities, resource managers, entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, and private landowners. We aim to understand how human and organizational values, perceptions, attitudes, and behavior shape and are shaped by recreation, tourism, and natural resource management systems.

Graduate students customize their program of study and research in coordination with a major faculty advisor and graduate committee. Together, an academic program is designed that challenges and stimulates while meeting the career objectives of the student.

All students are required to complete a total of 34 credit hours and complete a thesis. A thesis requires collecting a qualitative or quantitative data set for the purpose of conducting action oriented research (e.g., program or needs assessments), cooperative research (e.g., cooperative problem solving), and/or theory development (e.g., hypothesis testing). The specific requirements for each student are determined by the thesis chair and committee members.