Program Description

The Adaptive Sports Option prepares professionals for middle to upper-level administrative positions within the adaptive sports sector of the field, including positions within parks and recreation departments, rehabilitation hospitals, Veteran’s Administration hospitals and outpatient clinics, non-profits agencies, public school settings, grassroots adaptive sport organizations, national and international adaptive sport organizations, and/or commercial sport and recreation providers.

The Adaptive Sports Option leverages our unique partnership with Northeast Passage, a nationally recognized TR and adaptive sports program associated with the RMP Department, and Chapter of Move United. Graduate students will be exposed to Northeast Passage’s Adaptive Sports and Recreation program, which offers a spectrum of services from entry-level instruction to ongoing recreation and competitive sports opportunities for people with disabilities (www.nepassage.org).

Requirements for the Program

The 32-33 credit Adaptive Sports option consists of required and elective coursework. In consultation with a faculty adviser, students will select either a thesis or portfolio track. The core curriculum combines courses in adaptive sports and recreation facilitation, program administration in sport and recreation, law and public policy, non-profit administration and leadership, fund development and grant writing, and a supervised fieldwork experience in an adaptive sports setting. Students develop research competencies through a capstone portfolio or thesis specifically tailored to adaptive sport practice. Students also take one elective course to support desired specialization.

Full-time students typically take up to two years and one summer session to progress through the Adaptive Sport option degree requirements. Part-time students may take longer to complete the degree.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Required Core Competencies
RMP 820	Adaptive Sport Facilitation for Recreation Therapy and Related Professions	3
RMP 872	Law and Public Policy in Leisure Services	3
RMP 912	Non-Profit Administration and Leadership	3
RMP 924	Fund Development and Grantwriting	3
RMP 963	Graduate Field Practicum	2
Required Research Competencies
RMP 992	Research Methods in Recreation Management and Policy	3
SW 962	Data Analysis and Statistics	3-4
or EDUC 881	Introduction to Statistics: Inquiry, Analysis, and Decision Making
Capstone - choose Thesis or Portfolio track
Thesis Track:
RMP 899	Master's Thesis (Sections I & II - 6 credits total )
Elective Course
Portfolio Track:
RMP 995	Capstone Seminar
Elective Course
Elective Course
Elective Courses (not an all-inclusive list)		3-6
EDUC #852	Contemporary Issues in Learning Disabilities
EDUC 856	Advocating for Diverse and Inclusive Family-School-Community Partnerships
EDUC #857	Contemporary Issues in Autism Spectrum Disorders
KIN 831	Inclusive Teaching Through Sport
KIN 865	Advanced Topics in Coaching (highly encouraged)
KIN 881	Inclusion in Physical Education
OT #826	Assistive Technology and Sensory, Communicative, and Cognitive Disabilities
SW 812	Understanding Developmental Disabilities
SW 897	Special Topics in Social Work and Social Welfare (Mental Health Aspects of IDD)
SW 897	Special Topics in Social Work and Social Welfare (Youth Emotional Behavior)

Student Learning Outcomes

Students will know the roles and interrelationships of diverse leisure service delivery systems, as well as professionalism in the discipline.
Students will know and apply the psychological, sociological, and social psychological theories and philosophies associated with leisure and recreation behavior.
Students will develop the ability to translate and apply relevant theory to park and recreation programs and services.
Students will know the historical and cultural perspectives associated with the park and recreation field, and will apply issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion to park and recreation management.
Students will apply financial, budgetary, planning, marketing, program evaluation, and human resource knowledge and skills to meet present and future organizational needs and challenges.
Students will implement leadership skills that advance the park and recreation profession and broader society.
Students will design and conduct research, analyze and interpret data, and apply research findings to the park and recreation profession.
Students will explore the interrelationships of allied professions with the park and recreation profession.
Students will know how to promote the benefits of recreation and leisure to enhance individual, social, economic, and environmental well-being and quality of life.
Students will demonstrate effective conceptual and technical communication skills, both in oral and written form.

Application Requirements & Deadlines

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Deadlines

Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:

Fall: February 1
Spring: November 1
Summer: N/A
Special: N/A

Application fee: $65

Campus: Durham

New England Regional: ME MA RI

Accelerated Masters: Yes (for more details see the accelerated masters information page)

New Hampshire Residents

Students claiming in-state residency must also submit a Proof of Residence Form. This form is not required to complete your application, but you will need to submit it after you are offered admission or you will not be able to register for classes.

Transcripts

If you attended UNH after September 1, 1991, and have indicated so on your online application, we will retrieve your transcript internally; this includes UNH-Durham, UNH-Manchester and UNH Non-Degree work.

If you did not attend UNH, or attended prior to September 1, 1991, then you must upload a copy (PDF) of your official transcript in the application form. International transcripts must be translated into English.

If admitted, you must then request an official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. We accept transcripts both electronically and in hard copy:

Electronic Transcripts: Please have your institution send the transcript directly to grad.school@unh.edu. Please note that we can only accept copies sent directly from the institution.
Paper Transcripts: Please send hard copies of transcripts to: UNH Graduate School, Thompson Hall- 105 Main Street, Durham, NH 03824. You may request transcripts be sent to us directly from the institution or you may send them yourself as long as they remain sealed in the original university envelope.

Transcripts from all previous post-secondary institutions must be submitted and applicants must disclose any previous academic or disciplinary sanctions that resulted in their temporary or permanent separation from a previous post-secondary institution. If it is found that previous academic or disciplinary separations were not disclosed, applicants may face denial and admitted students may face dismissal from their academic program.

Letters of recommendation: 2 required

Two separate recommendation letters written by someone who can speak to the applicant’s work and academic performance must be submitted. Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Please provide typed responses to the following questions. Each response should be limited to a maximum of 300 words.

Why are you seeking to earn an MS Degree in Recreation Management and Policy from the University of New Hampshire? How does your previous academic background and work experience contribute to the Department of Recreation Management and Policy as a graduate student?
Which specific RMP MS Option are you interested in pursuing and why? The RMP MS program offers three unique RMP MS options to students:
Which specific RMP MS faculty member are you interested in working with and why?
- *Note: Accelerated Masters applicants do not need to answer this question.
Are you interested in pursuing the RMP MS thesis or portfolio option and why?
- *Note: Accelerated Masters applicants do not need to answer this question.
- RMP MS thesis students conduct rigorous independent research to examine a specific problem/question. The end product is either a traditional monograph-style thesis or a peer-reviewed journal article. This option prepares graduates for either professional practice and/or advanced doctoral programs. For more information, please see the RMP Graduate Handbook (pages 15-17).
- RMP MS portfolio students conduct rigorous capstone projects in each of their courses to acquire a portfolio of knowledge, skills, and abilities. The end product is a comprehensive portfolio of acquired competencies. This option prepares graduates for professional practice. For more information, please see the RMP Graduate Handbook (pages 18-20).
What are your future career goals – what do you plan to do after completing the RMP graduate program and how with this degree help you obtain said goal?

Resume

A current resume is required with your submitted application.

Important Notes

All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program-specific application questions.

Additional Department Requirements

The RMP MS admission application process has 4 steps:

1) Applicants must attend an RMP MS information sessions via Zoom.

2) Applicants must directly contact via email the RMP MS faculty member with whom they wish to work and set up a Zoom or phone interview.

3) Applicants must apply for admission online to the RMP MS program through the UNH Graduate School online portal no later than February 1.

International Applicants

Some academic departments recommend that international applicants, living outside of the United States, and planning on pursuing a research based degree, submit our extended inquiry form before submitting a full application. The extended inquiry form will be reviewed by the academic faculty and a department representative will reach out if your background and qualifications are a good fit for the program.

Prospective international students are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. English Language Exams may be waived if English is your first language. If you wish to request a waiver, then please visit our Test Scores webpage for more information.