Recreation Management and Policy Major: Program and Event Management Option (B.S.)

Recreation Management and Policy Major: Program and Event Management Option (B.S.)

Students celebrate at HOLI fest

The Program and Event Management program at UNH is designed to prepare students for careers in event planning, tourism, and community recreation and sport. The Department of Recreation Management and Policy has been accredited with the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions since the early 1980s, and is nationally-known for its Therapeutic Recreation and Outdoor Leadership and Management programs.

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WHAT IS PROGRAM AND EVENT MANAGEMENT?

Whether you see yourself organizing music festivals, running a sports program or leading bicycle tours across Europe, UNH’s program and event management degree will prepare you for a career in this growing area of recreation. You will gain the planning, administrative and leadership skills to work in a diverse array of recreation and event management organizations. You’ll also study key concepts in marketing, leadership and public policy in relation to recreation services.

WHY STUDY PROGRAM AND EVENT MANAGEMENT AT UNH?

Hands-on learning is an important component of the program and event management option at UNH. Along with traditional classroom learning, you’ll study with professionals in the field and participate in a full-time internship. You’ll also have opportunities to conduct research with UNH faculty. You’ll be able to connect with fellow students through the Recreation Society, a student organization promoting education, community service and networking opportunities for recreation management and policy students on campus.

POTENTIAL CAREERS

  • Executive director for nonprofit organization
  • Festival and event planner
  • Mountain and ski resort manager
  • Municipal recreation director
  • Recreational sport manager
  • Resort recreation director
  • State or national park manager
  • Tourism manager
  • Youth program director

Contact

Department of Recreation Management & Policy
Hewitt Hall, 4 Library Way
Durham, NH 03824

Phone: (603) 862-2391

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This form is only for prospective students who are not already enrolled at UNH. If you are a current UNH student and interested in this program, please reach out to the contact on this page.


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Curriculum & Requirements

This option prepares students for managerial positions in commercial, public, and nonprofit organizations that provide recreation and leisure services. Curriculum design emphasizes the effective and efficient planning, delivery, and evaluation of leisure-based programs, services, and enterprises. Applied experience is a component of most courses, in addition to a required practicum and the 10-16 week full-time internship under professional supervision. Depending upon the RMP electives and the career support emphasis or minor chosen, students may expect to find employment in a broad range of settings. Recent graduates have found employment in the areas of conference and event planning, municipal park and recreation services, recreational sports, commercial and entrepreneurial recreation businesses, youth-serving agencies, resorts, camps, and natural resource management positions in state and federal agencies.

Core Requirements

All majors must complete a core curriculum of seven courses.

RMP 490Recreation & Tourism in Society 14
RMP 501Recreation Services for Individuals with Disabilities4
RMP 557Program and Event Design4
RMP 563Recreation Management and Policy Practicum2
RMP 654Professional Development and Ethics2
RMP 724Research, Evaluation, and Data-Driven Decisions4
RMP 764Internship 210-16

Program and Event Management Option - Course Requirements:

RMP 559Marketing the Recreation Experience4
RMP 661Leadership in Recreation Services4
RMP 663Management and Finance in the Experience Industry4
RMP 772Law and Public Policy in Leisure Services4
Statistics - select one of the following:4
PSYC 402
Statistics in Psychology
SOC 402
Statistics
MATH 439
Statistical Discovery for Everyone
ADMN 510
Business Statistics
Recreation & Programming - Career Support Electives - select two of the following: 18
RMP 560
Recreational Sport Management
RMP 668
Youth Culture and Programs
RMP 670
Venue Management Design & Operations
Event Planning & Tourism - Career Support Electives - select two of the following: 18
RMP 603
New Hampshire Ski Industry Management
RMP 680
Festival and Event Planning
RMP 775
Entrepreneurial and Commercial Recreation
RMP 780
Event and Experience Design
Emphasis or Minor requirement18-20
Emplasis (minimum of 18 credits) or Minor (18-20 credits) with C- or better, approved by their advisor.
Total Credits84-92

Professional Internship

A supervised internship (RMP 764) is required of all majors and serves as their major capstone requirement. The internship is designed to create a bridge between theory and practical application. Students, working with their advisers and the internship coordinator, select an appropriate setting based on their professional and career interests. They must register for a 10-16 credit full-time internship that ranges from 10 to 16 weeks and 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.

  • Students will know and demonstrate the nature and scope of the recreation, events, and tourism profession and their associated industries.
  • Students will know and demonstrate the techniques and processes used by professionals and staff in the recreation, events, and tourism industry.
  • Students will know and demonstrate the foundation of the recreation, events, and tourism profession in history, science, and philosophy.
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to design, implement, and evaluate services that facilitate targeted human experiences and that embrace personal and cultural dimensions of diversity.
  • Students will demonstrate knowledge about operations, strategic management, and administration in recreation, events, and tourism organizations.
  • Students will demonstrate the potential to succeed as professionals at supervisory or higher levels in recreation, events, tourism, or related organizations through participation in structured practicum and internship experiences.

Explore Program Details

The mission of the Program and Event Management Option in the Department of Recreation Management and Policy is to provide professional learning and development opportunities for UNH students interested in working with a diverse array of community-based recreation and leisure programs, special events, facilities, and organizations through classroom teaching, lab, field, and service-learning experiences.  Program and Event Management faculty and students seek to improve management and administrative practice in the recreation and leisure services field through research, engaged scholarship, and professional service throughout the country and world, with a special focus on the state of New Hampshire and the New England region.

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