Advance your career and improve quality of life for people of varying ages and abilities by learning how to plan, develop and manage recreation programs and services. The recreation administration master’s degree program will provide you with a solid foundation in leisure theory, research and data analysis, and administration. You’ll be able to explore areas that interest you, such as camp administration, outdoor recreation, natural resources management, nonprofit administration, commercial recreation, youth services, sports and fitness management, community recreation and more. Our M.S. degree will prepare you for leadership and administration positions in this growing field.
At UNH, you’ll find an atmosphere of collegiality and collaboration. You’ll also find exceptional opportunities for coursework, fieldwork and research through our Applied Recreation Research Collaborative (ARRC), which provides public, private, and nonprofit recreation resource managers and practitioners with data-driven solutions to inform decision making and policy. You will also benefit from our partnerships with UNH Campus Recreation and Northeast Passage, a nationally recognized therapeutic recreation and adaptive sports organization, affiliate of Disabled Sports U.S.A. and Gold Level Club member of U.S. Paralympics.
Phone: (603) 862-2391
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.
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/).
Applied research opportunities are available through our Applied Recreation Research Collaborative (ARRC Lab: The Applied Recreation Research Collaborative, which provides public, private, and non-profit recreation resource managers and practitioners with data-driven solutions to inform decision-making and policy.
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.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Core Competencies | ||
| RMP 800 | Concepts of Recreation and Leisure | 3 |
| RMP 806 | Recreation Administration and Organizational Behavior | 3 |
| Required Research Competencies | ||
| RMP 998 | Special Topics (Research Methods) | 3 |
| SW 962 | Data Analysis and Statistics | 3 |
| or EDUC 881 | Introduction to Statistics: Inquiry, Analysis, and Decision Making | |
| Capstone Course (choose 1 track) | 6 | |
| Thesis Track: | ||
RMP 899 | Master's Thesis (Sections I & II - 6 cr total) | |
| Non-Thesis Track: | ||
RMP 980 | Independent Study (counts as elective course for non-thesis track; can take twice) | |
RMP 995 | Colloquium Seminar | |
| Elective Courses in RMP Dept (Thesis track takes 4 electives; Non-thesis track takes 5 electives. Both tracks may also take electives outside Dept) | 12 | |
RMP 811 | Recreation Resource Management | |
RMP 820 | Adaptive Sports and Recreation Facilitation | |
RMP 830 | Camp Administration and Leadership | |
RMP 850 | Aging, Advocacy, and Active Learning | |
RMP 860 | Program Administration in Recreational Sport | |
RMP #868 | Theories of Youth Development | |
RMP 870 | Management and Design of Recreation and Park Facilities | |
RMP 872 | Law and Public Policy in Leisure Services | |
RMP 875 | Entrepreneurial and Commercial Recreation | |
RMP 912 | Non-Profit Administration and Leadership | |
RMP 924 | Fund Development and Grantwriting | |
RMP 964 | Graduate Internship | |
RMP 970 | Teaching Practicum | |
RMP 980 | Independent Study | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Elective Options Outside of RMP Department (not all-inclusive list): | ||
ADMN 832 | Exploration in Entrepreneurial Management | |
ADMN 852 | Marketing Research | |
ADMN 952 | Organizations, Leadership, and Environments | |
ADMN 953 | The Social Power of Leadership in the 21 Century | |
ADMN 956 | Managerial Decision Making | |
ADMN 960 | Marketing/Building Customer Value | |
ADMN 970 | Economics of Competition | |
ADMN 982 | Creating Winning Strategies | |
HMP 900 | Introduction to the Health Services Industry | |
HMP 812 | Health Analytics | |
KIN 802 | Health Content and Youth Risk Behaviors | |
KIN 831 | Inclusive Teaching Through Sport | |
KIN 841 | Social Issues in Contemporary Sports | |
KIN 840 | Athletic Administration | |
KIN 843 | Sport Marketing | |
KIN 865 | Advanced Topics in Coaching | |
KIN 880 | Psychological Factors in Sport | |
KIN 882 | Therapeutic Applications of Adventure Programming | |
KIN 881 | Inclusion in Physical Education | |
KIN 883 | Psych Factors of Adventure Ed | |
KIN 884 | Historical Foundations of Outdoor Experiential Education | |
KIN 885 | Program Models and Evaluation in Outdoor Education | |
PHP 902 | Environmental Health | |
PHP 904 | Social and Behavioral Health | |
PHP 924 | Policy and Practice of Community Health Assessment | |
PHP 938 | Health Education and Promotion | |
PHP 940 | Health and the Built Environment | |
PHP 922 | Public Health Economics | |
RAM #805 | Ecotourism: Managing for the Environment | |
RAM 867 | Social Impact Assessment | |
RAM 877 | Topics in Community Planning | |
SOC 880 | Social Conflict | |
SW 840 | Implications of Race, Culture, and Oppression for Social Work Practice | |
SW 814 | Introduction to Addiction: Assessment and Intervention | |
Applications must be completed by the following deadlines in order to be reviewed for admission:
Application fee: $65
Campus: Durham
New England Regional: ME MA RI
Accelerated Masters: Yes
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.
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:
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.
Prepare a careful statement regarding:
Statements must be included with your submitted application.
A current resume is required with your submitted application.
All applicants are encouraged to contact programs directly to discuss program specific application questions.
The University of New Hampshire recommends that international applicants who are living outside of the United States, and are planning on pursuing a research based degree, submit a preapplication form before submitting a full application. Your preapplication request will be carefully reviewed and a decision usually provided within 3 weeks. If your preapplication is approved then it is recommended you then submit a full application. If you are currently living in the United States (on a H1B visa, etc.), or you plan on pursuing a professional master’s degree, then you do not need to submit a preapplication.
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.
