Recreation & Leisure Studies

Career potential

Higher standards of living and advances in technology have given people more opportunities to play, to relax or to pursue a hobby or sport. As a result, a profession has emerged to help people use their leisure time to enrich their lives. Recreation programs can be found in large institutions and in small community centers. Recreation professionals work in state and municipal parks, YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, professional sports programs, health clubs, the military, corporations, and in the private sector. They also work at theme parks, tourist attractions and resorts. They organize various leisure activities, including arts and crafts, fitness, sports, and special events.

Therapeutic recreation, an allied health field, uses activities such as art, dance, drama, games, music and sports as a form of therapy for people with disabilities. Therapeutic recreation specialists work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and psychiatric institutions. Community programs, retirement communities, day treatment centers and schools also employ therapeutic recreation specialists.

With a bachelor's degree you will be qualified for entry-level positions in recreation and leisure studies. However, to advance into management or to establish your own clinical practice in therapeutic recreation, you may need a graduate degree.

UNT's recreation and leisure studies program is accredited by the National Recreation and Park Association (22377 Belmont Ridge Road, Ashburn, Va. 20148, telephone 703-858-0784, fax 703-858-0794). The courses are structured so that you can apply theoretical knowledge to practice and leave the program ready to step into a career.

UNT's Career Center can help you prepare to pursue your career. The center has information about jobs and employers, and the staff can help you with resume and letter writing, job search strategies, and interview preparation.

Majoring in recreation and leisure studies

As a recreation and leisure studies major, you will take courses that emphasize life development and communication studies. You will learn how to plan, design, and evaluate recreation and sport programs. If you are interested in program or sport management, you will take courses that address the delivery of leisure services, such as special events/program planning and evaluation; the history and philosophy of leisure; leadership and management; risk analysis; and planning, designing and operating facilities. If you are interested in therapeutic recreation, you will take courses that focus on how recreation is used as a therapeutic technique, and how to adapt activities to accommodate people with various disabling conditions.

As a student, you will have access to the Pohl Recreation Center, which features a lap pool, a leisure pool, a large weight room, an indoor soccer facility and a climbing wall, as well as a learning lab for class assignments.

You may join the Recreation and Leisure Studies Society student organization. The group attends professional meetings and plans on-campus educational opportunities, service projects, outings and social events. The society also is a good stepping stone to other professional organizations that can help you in your career. Several departmental scholarships are available for you. You may apply for these scholarships through the Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation upon enrolling at UNT.

Recreation and leisure studies faculty members have various areas of expertise, including diverse populations, community programming, trail use and development, older adults, and management of leisure services.

Getting hands-on experience

In your senior year as a recreation and leisure studies major, you will be required to complete a 12-credit-hour internship. An internship advisor will help you choose an appropriate setting in line with your career goals. Some of our interns have worked in municipal parks and recreation departments, community centers, corporations, hospitals, the military, rehabilitation centers, sports and recreation businesses, state parks, and YMCAs.

Upon completion of 12 semester hours at UNT with at least a 2.5 GPA, you may work in a job related to your major through UNT's Cooperative Education and Internships office. You may earn academic credit and money and gain valuable work experience.

Co-op employers pay extremely well, and the jobs usually last several semesters, often until graduation. More than 1,800 employers work with the office to provide excellent learning opportunities, many of which become permanent full-time positions upon graduation. The office staff also assists with placing students in internships, which last for one full semester or summer.

Preparing for UNT

If you are a high school student, we suggest you prepare for college by becoming computer proficient and taking:

• English … 4 years
• Math … 4 years
• Social science — economics, geography, government, history … 4 years
• Science … 3 years
• Foreign language … 3 years
• Fine arts … 1 year

You will need to take courses in most of these subjects under the university core curriculum required of all undergraduates, in addition to your major courses. Talk with your high school counselor about preparing for college, including the entrance exams (SAT Reasoning Test or ACT) that you should take during your junior year.

As a benefit for transfer students, UNT participates in the Texas Common Course Numbering System. This system makes it easier to transfer credits for general academic courses from one Texas institution to another.

If you're attending a Texas community college, you should consult the UNT Transfer Guide, the UNT Undergraduate Catalog and an academic counselor/advisor to discuss your degree plan. Proper planning will help you receive the maximum amount of transfer credits.

Charting your path with academic advising

You will be assigned a recreation and leisure studies faculty advisor who will provide career advice. General academic advising is provided by the College of Education's Student Advising Office. The recreation and leisure studies program office is in the Physical Education Building, Room 209. The College of Education's Student Advising Office is in Matthews Hall, Room 105.

Curious about courses and other features of this major?
See the current catalog.