Americans spend hundreds of billions of dollars on outdoor recreation and travel every year. With a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Recreation and Tourism Management from Georgia Southern University, you’ll learn to lead individuals and organizations to new heights — including parks departments, resorts and hotels, sports programs, community recreation centers and other places designed for activity, leisure and exploration.
Locations
- Statesboro Campus (In Person)
Why Major in Recreation and Tourism Management at Georgia Southern?
- Get up to 600 hours of internship experience.
- Only COAPRT-accredited bachelor’s degree of its type in Georgia.
- Tie into a nationwide network of job opportunities.
- Get a head start on a Master of Public Administration degree through our Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s pathway.
- Start early with high school dual-enrollment credit.
- 124 credit hours to completion.
It’s a big world — and you can help people discover all that awaits with a B.S. in Recreation and Tourism Management from Georgia Southern. This program combines theory and practice as you learn how to provide quality leisure services in outdoor recreation, sports and athletics, event planning and tourism.
Additionally, business is booming across these sectors. Outdoor recreation on its own accounted for $563.7 billion of the nation’s economy in 2022, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Preparing you to entertain, engage and educate, emphasis areas in outdoor recreation and tourism and community leisure services allow you to focus on the areas of the field that interest you. No matter which you choose, you’ll get out of the classroom and into the real world. Internships, service learning, research and other experiences show you how the work you’ll do can change lives.
Ready to Apply?
What Can You Do With a Bachelor’s in Recreation and Tourism Management?
When you think of recreation and tourism, do you picture yourself guiding clients on a remote wilderness adventure? What about ensuring resort guests have a five-star experience? Or giving kids the tools to discover the joys of staying active? Our graduates pursue careers across these fields and many more.
Where our graduates work:
- Delta Airlines
- Florida State Parks
- Georgia Aquarium
- InterContinental Hotels Group
- Marriott International
- Savannah Convention and Visitors Bureau
- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
- U.S. Forest Service
- YMCA
What our graduates do:
- Athletic coordinator
- Camp director
- Campus recreation director
- Cruise ship activities director
- Environmental educator
- Event coordinator
- Flight attendant
- Game warden
- Natural resource manager
- Park ranger
- State tourism coordinator
What You’ll Learn
Every recreation and tourism management student learns the fundamental aspects of the field. Required courses focus on the history of leisure services, while classes in management, marketing, financial and legal issues, and professional development are specifically tailored to parks, hotels, athletics and similar operations.
Because the recreation and tourism management major touches so many areas, many students complement their studies by declaring a minor in a field related to their career aspirations. Georgia Southern offers dozens of programs; in the past, students have minored in anthropology, coaching, marketing, nonprofit management, public relations or another discipline rounding out their skill set.
See the CurriculumEmphasis Areas
Whether your passion lies in the outdoors or in developing and managing recreation programs and facilities, these two emphasis areas prepare you to oversee services and launch programs from the day you graduate.
Outdoor Recreation
Learn to manage natural resources or provide outdoor recreation opportunities to the public. Potential careers include environmental education, outdoor leadership and park law enforcement. Graduates work for a range of private, nonprofit and government organizations.
Tourism and Community Leisure Services
Explore the ins and outs of managing recreation programs and facilities for public, private and nonprofit organizations, including event management, resort operations and coordinating athletic programs. Graduates gain the skills to work in settings as diverse as cruise ships, hotels, recreation departments and community centers.
Build Your Experience
Recreation and tourism are about doing. So is Georgia Southern’s recreation and tourism management major. We make sure you get the kinds of experiences, both on campus and in the real world, that translate into jobs.
Internships and Work Experience
Every senior completes an all-encompassing 480-600 hour internship before graduating — but even before that, you’ll log at least 200 hours of work or volunteer experience in the local community.
Research
Undergraduates have the chance to conduct research with experienced faculty mentors, converting their field observations into knowledge that shapes the industry. Our majors are active in the University Honors College, have presented their work at the Georgia Southern Student Scholarship Symposium, and have co-authored peer-reviewed research articles with faculty mentors.
Get Involved
Stay up-to-date on the latest issues in parks, recreation and tourism management while building your network through the Recreation Student Association (RSA). In this group open to all Georgia Southern students, you’ll have the chance to meet working professionals and participate in community service projects.
Want to Learn More?
Explore essential information about our B.S. in Recreation and Tourism Management program, including application details, accreditation status, and licensing disclosures. Gain insight into the program’s credibility and requirements to help you start your journey toward success with the knowledge you need.
Follow these steps to complete the Georgia Southern application:
- Create an application account.
- Complete our online application using the PIN you received after creating your application account.
- Once complete, pay the $30 application fee or upload a valid fee waiver. Previous Georgia Southern applicants and dual enrollment students do not need to pay the fee.
You can check your application status at My.GeorgiaSouthern.edu/admissions three days after completing your application. This page contains live information about your admission status, including a checklist of missing documents we need to make a decision.
Apply as a First-Year Student Transfer to Georgia SouthernHoney Bowen Scholarship
The Honey Bowen Scholarship was established in 2000 in honor of Genaria Honey Bowen, a Statesboro civic activist. During her time, Bowen organized the first Parks and Recreation Department in Bulloch County in 1948 and served as the director. Bowen received countless awards for the effort she put into her community, including being inducted into the Georgia Parks and Recreation Association Hall of Fame. Bowen continued to serve her community until her passing in 1997 at the age of 91. This scholarship is available to students majoring in Recreation and Tourism Management.
Wayne and Syble Gay Scholarship
Established in 2013, this scholarship was created by Wayne and Syble Gay to financially support Georgia Southern students. Wayne Gay graduated from Georgia Southern in 1968 with a B.S. in Recreation and earned an M.S. in Recreation Administration in 1973. Syble Gay received three separate degrees from Georgia Southern in 1967, 1972 and 1985, all in Upper Elementary Education. This scholarship is available to rising juniors and seniors majoring in Recreation and Tourism Management who have maintained a GPA of 3.25 or higher.
Internship Scholarship Program
The Internship Scholarship Program (ISP), offered by the Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD), provides scholarships for career-related internships. Beginning in Summer 2019, the OCPD has provided unrestricted awards of up to $3,000 to offset the cost of professional internships that provide minimal or no compensation. Starting in Fall 2022, these internship scholarships will be available to students every academic semester.
More Scholarships How to ApplyBolster your degree with a certificate that shows you have what it takes to enter a managerial role in the hospitality and tourism industry. Couple this 18-credit-hour program with your recreation and tourism management coursework to get additional insight into event planning, facility operation, hotel and lodging management and more.
Learn MoreInterested in building the management skills needed to lead a nonprofit organization or government agency? Get a head start on a Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with our Accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s (ABM) pathway program. Once admitted into the MPA-ABM program, you can take up to 12 graduate credit hours while still an undergraduate. This saves you time and money as you earn two degrees.
Department of Public and Nonprofit Studies ABM Programs About Accelerated Pathways at Georgia SouthernOur undergraduate major in Recreation and Tourism Management is accredited by the Council on Accreditation for Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT). COAPRT is, in turn, accredited by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Learning Outcomes
COAPRT standard 2.05.05 requires reporting of aggregated results of learning outcomes assessment and other evidence of program academic quality. Results for the most recent academic year (AY 2021-2022) follow:
- Student performance on learning outcomes that address COAPRT Standards 7.01-7.04 exceeded a 70% achievement target by 17%.
- 100% of student interns met or exceeded expectations on their supervisor’s final evaluation; 80% of students exceeded expectations (scored 90% or higher).
- Undergraduate students are mentored by senior faculty and obtain advising and course scheduling support via a professionally staffed advisement center. (CBSS Advisement Center)
- 88% of student interns secured professional employment within parks, recreation and tourism organizations, or were admitted to graduate school within six months of their final academic semester.
Additional evidence of student achievement and academic quality may be discerned in the following documents. Please contact the Program Coordinator to obtain copies of these documents.
- COAPRT Series 7.0 Learning Outcomes Performance
- SACSCOC Recreation & Tourism Management Program Assessment Report
COAPRT Reaccreditation Granted
The Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT) granted continuing accreditation of Georgia Southern University’s Recreation and Tourism Management program on October 28, 2022. The Council approved the following commendations:
Campus and program services for students with disabilities are a significant strength of the program.
The program is commended for its continued commitment to accreditation for the past 39 years.
Faculty demonstrated strong regional, state and national connections to industry professionals in order to support experiential learning, curriculum development and mentorship.
Program faculty are committed to the support of student success through their accessibility to students, outreach/networking, formal and informal advising, and creation of experiential learning opportunities.
Internship Requirement
Students complete a 480- to 600-hour internship in the final semester of their senior year as a requirement for graduation from the program. This is a work-study course supervised by a faculty member and internship site coordinator. Students are expected to apply knowledge gained through coursework to real-life situations. The internship site must meet certain criteria and be approved by the faculty coordinator in advance. Refer to the Internship Website. Students will complete Professional Development in Recreation (RECR 4630) in preparation for the internship program.
Georgia Southern graduates have been very successful in securing employment opportunities in RTM and advancing within parks, recreation and tourism careers. Alumni of the University’s RTM program include directors and superintendents of many regional and state park systems nationwide. Examples include a former Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, a former Director of Georgia State Parks and Historic Sites and the Executive Director of the Georgia Recreation and Park Association. The network of Georgia Southern University graduates working throughout the state and nation provides a tremendous resource for job and internship placement.
Recent Internship Locations
- Adaptive Sports Center
- American Conservation Experience
- Army Corps of Engineers; B. Everett Jordan Lake
- Bainbridge Decatur County Parks & Recreation
- Bill Cody Ranch
- Bluewater Bay Marina
- Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center
- Bulloch County Recreation Dept.
- Butler-Mason YMCA
- Camp Twin Lakes
- Campus Outreach
- Cape Eleuthera Institute
- City of Decatur Children and Youth Services
- Clyde Venue-Savannah
- Dalton Park and Recreation Dept.
- Dormie Network
- Driftwood Environmental Education Center
- Falling Creek Camp
- GA 4H Jekyll Island
- GA National Fairgrounds and Agricenter
- GA State Parks; Ft. Yargo
- Georgia Cooperative Extension – Tifton
- Green River Preserve
- GS Center for Wildlife Education
- Hardeeville Park and Recreation Dept.
- High Trails Outdoor Science School
- Holiday Inn
- J Strom Thurmond Lake & Dam
- LRT Sports
- Macon-Bibb County Parks and Recreation Department
- Macon Museum of Arts & Sciences
- Magnolia Spring State Park
- Marriott Park City
- Meramec Adventure Learning Ranch
- Montana State Parks
- N. Augusta Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Dept.
- National Park Service
- Oatland Island Wildlife Center
- Savannah Convention and Visitors Bureau
- Skipstone Adventures
- South Bryan Park and Recreation Dept.
- Student Conservation Association
- The Georgia Conservancy
- Tormenta FC
- UGA Cooperative Extension
- University Nevada Las Vegas Athletic Dept
- US Army Corps of Engineers
- US Forest Service; Boundary Waters
- Vail Resorts
- Walking Mountains Science Center
- YMCA of the Rockies
- Young Life Windy Gap
The links below will connect you with support staff and other resources that may prove valuable during your time as a student at Georgia Southern.
- Center for Wildlife Education
- CBSS Advisement Center
- Campus Computer Labs
- Counseling Center
- Campus Recreation and Intramurals
- Dean of Students Office
- Library Resources for Students
- Office of Career and Professional Development
- Office of Inclusive Excellence
- Student Accessibility Resource Center
- Student Code of Conduct
- Student Employment
- The Writing Center
- Strategic Plan
- Program News
Take the Next Step
Travel, tourism and recreation can each deliver life-changing experiences. Ask how a Georgia Southern degree can help you provide them.
Contact Us
School of Human Ecology
Georgia Southern University
P.O. Box 8034
Statesboro, Georgia 30460
912-478-5676
Fax: 912-478-0276
shec@georgiasouthern.edu