Recreation Management and Policy: Recreation Administration M.S.

RMP Student running program at Rec Climbing Wall
Recreation Management and Policy: Recreation Administration M.S.

The Recreation Administration option prepares professionals with advanced knowledge and skills to plan and administer recreation services. Postgraduate employment opportunities include directors of municipal recreation programs, YMCAs, resort programs, camps, campus/intramural sports, fitness centers, youth services agencies, and sports and recreation facilities as well as outdoor recreation planners for the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, and state park systems. New specializations are available in adaptive sports through our partnership with Northeast Passage (www.nepassage.org), or in campus recreation through our partnership with UNH Campus Recreation (http://campusrec.unh.edu/).

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Application Requirements & Deadlines

Contact

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

Phone: (603) 862-2391

Curriculum & Requirements

Degree Requirements

The 30-credit Recreation Administration option consists of required and elective coursework. In consultation with a faculty adviser, students will select either a thesis or non-thesis track. Full-time students typically take two years to progress through the RA option degree requirements. If a student takes leveling courses, they may need to complete more than two years. Part-time students typically complete the program in three years.

Required Core Competencies12-13
RMP 800Concepts of Recreation and Leisure3
RMP 806Recreation Administration and Organizational Behavior3
RMP 998Special Topics (Research Methods)3
Select one of the following Graduate-level stats' courses
SW 962Data Analysis and Statistics3
EDUC 881Introduction to Statistics: Inquiry, Analysis, and Decision Making4
Elective Courses12-15
Select courses (4 courses/12 credits for the thesis option or 5 courses/15 credits for the non-thesis option with at least one elective from RMP):
RMP 811Recreation Resource Management3
RMP 820Adaptive Sports and Recreation Facilitation3
RMP 830Camp Administration and Leadership3
RMP 850Aging, Advocacy, and Active Learning3
RMP 860Program Administration in Recreational Sport3
RMP 868Theories of Youth Development3
RMP 870Management and Design of Recreation and Park Facilities3
RMP 872Law and Public Policy in Leisure Services3
RMP 875Entrepreneurial and Commercial Recreation3
RMP 912Non-Profit Administration and Leadership3
RMP 924Fund Development and Grantwriting3
RMP 964Graduate Internship3
RMP 970Teaching Practicum3
RMP 980Independent Study1-3
Capstone Course (choose 1 track)
Thesis Track:
RMP 899Master's Thesis (I & II, 3 credits each)6
Non-Thesis Track:
RMP 995Colloquium Seminar3
RMP 980Independent Study3

Example of electives outside of the department (not all-inclusive list):

ADMN 832Exploration in Entrepreneurial Management3
ADMN 852Marketing Research3
ADMN 952Organizations, Leadership, and Environments3
ADMN 953The Social Power of Leadership in the 21 Century3
ADMN 956Managerial Decision Making3
ADMN 960Marketing/Building Customer Value3
ADMN 970Economics of Competition3
ADMN 982Creating Winning Strategies3
HMP 900Introduction to the Health Services Industry3
HMP 812Health Analytics4
KIN 802Health Content and Youth Risk Behaviors4
KIN 831Inclusive Teaching Through Sport4
KIN 841Social Issues in Contemporary Sports4
KIN 840Athletic Administration4
KIN 843Sport Marketing4
KIN 865Advanced Topics in Coaching4
KIN 880Psychological Factors in Sport4
KIN 882Therapeutic Applications of Adventure Programming4
KIN 881Inclusion in Physical Education4
KIN 883Pysch Factors of Adventure Ed4
KIN 884Historical Foundations of Outdoor Experiential Education4
KIN 885Program Models and Evaluation in Outdoor Education4
PHP 900Public Health Care Systems3
PHP 902Environmental Health3
PHP 904Social and Behavioral Health3
PHP 905Public Health Administration3
PHP 907Public Health Policy3
PHP 924Policy and Practice of Community Health Assessment3
PHP 930Climate Change and Health3
PHP 938Health Education and Promotion3
PHP 940Health and the Built Environment3
PHP 920Social Marketing3
PHP 922Public Health Economics3
RAM 805Ecotourism: Managing for the Environment4
RAM 867Social Impact Assessment4
RAM 877Topics in Community Planning4
SOC 988Medical Sociology: Health, Healing, and Society4
SOC 880Social Conflict4
SW 840Implications of Race, Culture, and Oppression for Social Work Practice3
SW 814Introduction to Addiction: Assessment and Intervention3
SW 897Special Topics in Social Work and Social Welfare2 or 3

Deadlines

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

  • Fall: Feb. 1 (for funding and GA application); March 15 (final)
  • Spring: Nov. 1
  • Summer: N/A
  • Special: N/A

Application fee: $65

Campus: Durham

New England Regional:  ME MA RI

Accelerated Masters: Yes

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 request one official transcript be sent directly to our office from the Registrar's Office of each college/university attended. International transcripts must be translated into English. 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.

Letters of recommendation: 3 required

Recommendation letters submitted by relatives or friends, as well as letters older than one year, will not be accepted.

Special Note: Currently enrolled UNH students applying to the accelerated masters non-thesis option are only required to submit two letters of recommendation; the third letter is waived. Prior to applying, please contact Patricia Craig (patricia.craig@unh.edu or 603-862-0140) to obtain the third letter waiver.

Personal Statement/Essay Questions

Prepare a careful statement regarding:

  1. Why are you choosing to pursue graduate work in the RMP Department at UNH? 
  2. Why are you interested in this specific option of study (choose one: recreation administration, therapeutic recreation administration, or adaptive sports administration)?
  3. How does your professional and/or educational background make you suitable for a career in this specific option of study?
  4. What are your academic and research interests?
  5. What professional and/or academic accomplishments have you achieved to date that will contribute to your success?
  6. What are your future career goals – what do you plan to do after completing the RMP graduate program?


Statements must be included with your submitted application.

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 Details for International Applicants

Prospective international students are strongly encouraged to complete our international pre-application process and are required to submit TOEFL, IELTS, or equivalent examination scores. Please note that 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.

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