Master of Arts
      Admission Requirements
      Conditional Admission
      Core Courses
      Concentrations
National Certification
Unspecified Content or Variable Credit Courses
RPL Course Descriptions

Department of Recreation, Parks and Leisure Services Administration website

Roger Coles, Chairperson
115 Finch, (989) 774-3858

Patricia Janes, Ph.D., Commercial Recreation
Roger Coles, Ed.S., Administration and Therapeutic
Recreation
Lynn Dominguez, Ph.D., Outdoor Recreation
Al Ellard, Re.D., Recreation Administration
Robert Frost, M.A., Therapeutic Recreation
Todd Paxton, Ph.D., Recreation Administration
Dean Pybus, Ph.D., Recreation Administration
Mary Lou Schilling, Ph.D., Therapeutic Recreation
Mary Wisnon, Ph.D., Commercial Recreation
Al Zainea, M.A., Recreation Administration

The Department of Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services Administration offers a Master of Arts degree in Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services Administration, with options in Recreation and Parks Administration and Therapeutic Recreation. The Department also offers a concentration on the Master Science in Administration program, an interdisciplinary degree.

The graduate programs in Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services Administration are strengthened by the diverse academic and professional background of the faculty. The faculty members provide information, suggest areas of study and research, and furnish expertise in the areas of administration (community, commercial, travel, and tourism) including personnel management, financing and marketing; and therapeutic recreation including administration, programming, federal regulations, and advocacy.

Graduates of the department have been well accepted in the professional fields as well as at doctoral level programs at other institutions. Over 750 graduates of these master’s programs are now located throughout the United States.

Graduate assistantships are available in the RPL Department. Opportunities involve research, teaching assignments, and/or assisting in the management of the undergraduate internship programs.

The graduate program continues to evolve to meet the changing needs in the field of recreation, parks, and leisure services.
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Master of Arts
Admission Requirements
The student must meet the general requirements for admission to the College of Graduate Studies. In addition, applicants for admission to the RPL programs must:

A. Have a bachelors degree with (a) a major in Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services Administration on campus (or similarly titled program) with appropriate concentration, or (b) a degree in another area with attained competencies commensurate with a RPL degree.

B. Have a grade point average of 3.0 over the last 60 hours of undergraduate work.

C. Submit two references for academic potential and two references for human service abilities.

D. Submit a written candidate's paper, discussing professional/career goals in relation to the graduate program in RPL at CMU and identifying and discussing prior experiences relevant to proposed program and professional/career goals.

Forms are available from the RPL graduate coordinator or on the department website above.

Conditional Admission
A. If the student has insufficient background in RPL, that applicant must complete 3-12 credits of course work in RPL, which is determined by the student and graduate advisor.

B. If the last 60 hours GPA is below 3.0, the student must attain a GPA of 3.00 in the first 12 semester hours of graduate courses.

Core Courses (9-12)
(depending on entry-level competencies)
RPL 605 (3) Administration of Leisure Service System
RPL 611 (3) Evaluation in Recreation and Leisure Services
RPL 618 (3) Issues in Leisure
PES 670 (3) Research Methods for Physical Education and Sport, Health and Recreation

Recreation and Park Administration Concentration (6-9 hours from the following):
RPL 508 (3) Budgeting for Leisure Service Agencies
RPL 511 (3) Risk Management and Loss Control for Recreation and Parks
RPL 521 (3) Financial Assistance for Recreation and Parks
RPL 545 (3) Promoting Leisure Service Agencies and Programs
RPL 552 (3) Environmental Interpretation
RPL 620 (3) Planning Park and Recreation Facilities
PES 672* (3) Statistics for Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Other courses may be selected in consultation with an advisor.

Therapeutic Recreation Concentration (6-9)
(select from courses below)
RPL 511 (3) Risk Management and Loss Control for Recreation and Parks
RPL 521 (3) Financial Assistance for Recreation and Parks
RPL 580 (3) Programming for Therapeutic Recreation
RPL 581 (3) Therapeutic Recreation: Issues and Trends
PES 672* (3) Statistics for Physical Education and Sport, Health and Recreation
Other courses may be selected in consultation with an advisor.

Scholarly Option (6 hours - select one of the following):
Plan A RPL 798 (6) Thesis
Plan B RPL 699 (6) Project
Plan C RPL 698 (6) Graduate Internship

Required Core Hours: 12

Required Concentration: 6-9

Electives: 6-9 (Selected in consultation with advisor)

Scholarly Option: 6

Total Hours for Degree: 33

*Required for students completing a thesis for the Scholarly Option.
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National Certification:
For national certification a Therapeutic Recreation student must have an internship/practicum; complete a total of 18 semester units in therapeutic recreation and general recreation content coursework with no less than a minimum of 9 of those units completed in therapeutic recreation content (each content course must be taken for a minimum of 3 units); a total of 18 semester units of support coursework in the professional academic path with a minimum of 3 semester hours in anatomy and physiology, 3 semester hours in abnormal psychology, and 3 semester hours in human growth and development. The remaining semester hours must be fulfilled in supportive courses from any three of the following: psychology, sociology, adapted PE, biological/physical sciences, human services, or special education. (This is not required for graduation in the TR curriculum, but is required if one desires to apply for certification as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist).
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Unspecified content or variable credit courses. Click here for additional information regarding these types of courses. The following courses offered through the department are of unspecified content or variable credit: RPL 500, 503, 600, 603, 791.
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