Recreation Management and Policy Major: Outdoor Leadership and Management Option (B.S.)

UNH’s Outdoor Leadership and Management (OLM) Program is designed for students who want to study and work in outdoor programs, parks, and public or commercial recreation settings. Our graduates are guides, leaders, directors, and managers of agencies that provide healthy outdoor activities for people across their lifespan. Our curriculum combines experiential learning in urban, rural, and backcountry landscapes with a classic liberal arts education. You’ll gain a solid foundation in the theories, philosophies, and methods of outdoor recreation leadership and management while gaining skills in outdoor activities, pursuits or disciplines such as climbing, canoeing, and backpacking. This program will prepare you for dynamic careers in outdoor education, adventure programming, outdoor recreation management, parks and protected areas management, youth and after-school programming, conservation, and other outdoor fields.   

Sample Degree Plan

This sample degree plan serves as a general guide; students collaborate with their academic advisor to develop a personalized degree plan to meet their academic goals and program requirements.

Degree Requirements

All Major, Option and Elective Requirements as indicated.
*Major GPA requirements as indicated.

Major Requirements

All majors must complete a core curriculum.

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Professional Internship: a supervised internship is required of all majors and serves as the major capstone requirement. The internship is designed to create a bridge between theory and practical application. Students, working with their advisors and the internship coordinator, select an appropriate setting based on their professional and career interests. Students must register for an 8 credit (10-week, 400 hour) or 12 credit (14-week, 560 hour) internship that is under the supervision of a qualified professional. Specific requirements are identified in the Internship Manual available from the Department of Recreation Management and Policy.

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Other courses may be recommended by the academic advisor to fulfill the elective requirement.

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RMP students enrolled in an accelerated masters program offered by the Carsey School of Public Policy may count any Carsey graduate course as an elective toward their undergraduate RMP degree.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Students will know and demonstrate the nature and scope of the outdoor industry, including outdoor education, adventure leadership, and parks and protected-areas management.
• Students will know and demonstrate the techniques and processes used by professionals and staff in the outdoor industry.
• Students will know and demonstrate the foundation of the outdoor industry in history, science, and philosophy.
• Students will be able to demonstrate the ability to design, implement, and evaluate services that facilitate targeted human experiences and that embrace personal and cultural dimensions of diversity in outdoor settings.
• Students will demonstrate entry-level knowledge about operations, strategic management, and administration in the outdoor industry.
• Students will demonstrate the potential to succeed as professionals at supervisory or higher levels in the outdoor industry through participation in structured practicum and internship experiences.