Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies
GRADUATE
STUDENT
HANDBOOK
2003-2004
RECR
Graduate
Student Handbook
Table of
Contents
Page
Table
of Contents
2
Introduction
3
Admission
Policies
4
Re-Admission
Policies
5
Financial
Assistance
5
The
Graduate Degree
6
MSRA
Degree Requirements
7
Concurrent
Work Experience
7
Faculty
8
Course
Listings
8
Core
Requirements
8
Specialization
in Therapeutic Recreation 10
Specialization
in Recreation Management 12
Graduate
Seminar 14
Statistics
Requirement 15
Placing
Out of Courses 15
Graduate
Prerequisites 15
Inter-Institutional
Registration Policies 15
CTRS
and TRS Certification 16
CPRP
Certification 17
Academic
Regulations 17
Typical
Schedule 18
Graduate
Carrels 19
Final
Comprehensive Exams 19
Dates
set for 2003-2004 20
Tentative
Dates set for 2004-2005 20
Guidelines
for Completion of the Degree Requirements 21
Thesis
Guidelines (RECR
393) 21
Relationship
Between Thesis and RECR 250/251 23
Independent
Study Option Guidelines
(RECR 290) 24
Internship
Guidelines (RECR
280/281) 25
Applying
for Graduation 25
Special
Requests 26
Commencement 26
Honor
Code 26
Lauth Scholarship 26
Sessoms Scholarship 27
Chisenhall Travel Award 28
Other
Financial Assistance 29
Professional
Opportunities 30
Appendix
A--Form for Independent Study 33
Appendix
B-- Graduation Deadlines 34
In
addition to this RECR Handbook, students are responsible for the information in
the Record of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (most
current edition) and the current year's Graduate School Handbook.
Introduction
The
The Department of Recreation and
Leisure Studies (RECR) provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of
leisure and the preparation of specialists to work in the field of recreation
and leisure services. The University
offers a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Recreation Administration and
a Master of Science in Recreation Administration (MSRA). Within the MSRA, students may choose to
specialize in either Therapeutic Recreation or Recreation Management. The Department’s website is found under
http://www.unc.edu/depts/recreate.
The emphasis in recreation was
originally established in 1941 as a program area within the Department of
Sociology. The Masters program was begun
in 1957. At the undergraduate level,
both a major and a minor are offered.
The Department of Recreation and
Leisure Studies is a unit of the Division of Social Sciences in the
The mission of the Department is to
pursue excellence in transdisciplinary teaching, scholarship, and service to
address evolving recreation and leisure rights, needs, and interests and to
promote inclusion and social justice in state, national, and international
communities. The Department focuses on graduate professional education,
undergraduate professional education, and recreation and leisure education for
the university community.
The faculty in the Department of
Recreation and Leisure Studies (RECR) are committed to the education of
students who can function effectively as professionals and advocate for the
value of leisure in their own lives and the lives of the people they
serve. The Department faculty encourages
the preparation of recreation professionals through an interdisciplinary
education and practical work experience. The Department faculty does research
to generate new ideas, to contribute to the conceptual base in the study of
recreation and leisure, and to raise the level of practice in the delivery of
recreation and leisure services. Faculty consider the systematic study of recreation and
leisure behavior as a major area of inquiry.
RECR is the only major in the
The Department serves
The program at UNC-CH is structured so
that differences exist between the graduate and undergraduate programs. The graduate program is seen as a
specialization in one of two areas.
Students take coursework that will allow them an in-depth examination
through writing and critical thinking of history/philosophy of the field and
research methods applied specifically to recreation and leisure services. In addition, each graduate student has an
opportunity through coursework or concurrent learning experiences to gain an
expertise in particular aspects of either therapeutic recreation or recreation
management. Students in the recreation
management specialization have latitude in choosing courses in other
disciplines to supplement their career goals.
The graduate program contributes depth to the undergraduate program that
focuses on obtaining information about the breadth of the field. In addition, graduate students are expected
to take responsibility for their learning.
Thus, the more that a student puts into his/her graduate work, the more
he/she is likely to get from it.
Admission Policies
The process of being admitted to the
graduate program is explained in the graduate school materials but the
following two pieces of information may be of interest:
1.
A student is permitted, upon the recommendation of the RECR faculty and
the approval of the
2.
In the event that a student is not enrolled for
a semester (not including summer school), s/he must go through a re-admission
process by contacting the RECR Director of Graduate Studies and reapplying to
the graduate school. AS A STUDENT, IT IS
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE RE-ADMITTED BY THE APPROPRIATE
DEADLINE IF YOU DO NOT COMPLETE THE DEGREE IN A CONTINUOUS FASHION.
Re-Admission Policies
When a student has not been enrolled
for at least one semester and wishes to re-admit, they must send a completed
Application for Re-Admission to the
Financial Assistance
Graduate
students in need of financial aid to meet the costs of attending the University
should apply to the Office of Scholarships and Student Aid. In addition to student loans and
University fellowships, graduate, research, and teaching assistantships may
also be available and include assignments with faculty members in the
Department. Other assistantships may be
available through UNC Campus Recreation Office and part-time work is usually available
with local agencies such as the
Assistantships may carry
out-of-state tuition waivers, but only a limited number of these waivers are
available during any given year. The
out-of-state waivers are awarded based on student need, academic ability, and
the type of assistantship held. At the
time the student is offered the assistantship, he/she will be informed of the
recommendation of the faculty to the Dean concerning out-of-state waivers. The out-of-state waiver is valid only
for the academic year
(fall and spring) in which the student holds the assistantship
appointment. The need for out-of-state
tuition waivers for the second year of study must be requested in writing to
the Director of Graduate Studies prior to March 1.
Students who hold graduate assistantships
may be eligible for in-state tuition scholarships (this scholarship includes
tuition but not fees). At the time that
a student is awarded an assistantship, he or she will be informed of whether
this benefit applies. In addition,
students holding assistantships may be eligible for health insurance
benefits. This possibility will also be
discussed at the time the assistantship is offered.
The Graduate Degree
The Department of Recreation and
Leisure Studies provides an interdisciplinary approach to the study of leisure
and the preparation of specialists to work in the area of recreation and
leisure services. The Department offers
the Master of Science in Recreation Administration (MSRA) degree at the graduate
level. Two areas of specialization, therapeutic
recreation and recreation management, are available.
This professional MSRA degree program
is a 33-36 credit program (with a minimum of 24 hours taken in residence) that
combines both academic and practical experience. For the most part, the program is
individually focused with the specific requirements depending upon the
student's undergraduate major, work experience, and professional
objectives. A minimum of twenty-one
credits of coursework in Recreation and Leisure Studies (RECR) is required; the
remaining credits may be taken in RECR and/or related areas of study depending
upon the student's career goals.
Those students involved in the
therapeutic recreation specialization will be required to take most of the
remaining credits within the area of therapeutic recreation, particularly if
they wish to be certified by the National Council on Therapeutic Recreation
Certification.
The MSRA degree typically requires two
years (four semesters) to complete the
coursework. The recommended normal
course load for a full time student is no more than nine (9) credits per
semester. The final requirements
(thesis, internship, or independent study) may take an additional semester or
summer to complete or may be done in conjunction with coursework with the
permission of the faculty.
MSRA Degree Requirements
Three options are available for the
fulfillment of the degree requirements.
In addition to the ten courses that must total 30 semester credits, a
student may choose one of the following: (a) a thesis (3 credits), (b) a
full-time internship (4 credits) equivalent to 12 weeks of full-time work
experience, or (c) two 3 credit projects of independent field study. This choice is based upon the student's
interest and past experiences. The
decision concerning which option to select is generally made during the first
or second semester of coursework at the university in consultation with the
student's advisor. The option chosen for fulfilling the final degree
requirements is not begun until at least 18 credits of the coursework
requirements are completed. (Note:
Incomplete courses are not completed courses).
Usually those students who wish to do
further graduate work or seek an academic career in Recreation and Leisure
Studies elect the thesis option. Only those students experienced in any area of
recreation or therapeutic recreation services (experience refers to having at
least twelve consecutive months of full-time employment) or currently employed
full-time as recreation specialists while pursuing their graduate degree, may
undertake the six credit option of independent field study. For students with limited practical
experience who seek a practitioner role upon graduation, the internship option
is suggested. The internship (along with
other coursework) is required for those students who seek certification by the
National Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) and for
students who have not previously completed an appropriate NCTRC internship.
Concurrent Work Experience
All MSRA candidates are expected to
have a concurrent recreation work experience with their coursework. No academic credit is given for this
experience, but it is an important expectation.
A variety of opportunities, including graduate assistantships, exist through
the cooperative efforts of the various recreation services and agencies within
the University and the surrounding communities.
A concurrent work experience is defined as 10-16 hours of paid or
volunteer work each week. A part-time
student is expected to have a concurrent work (paid or voluntary) experience in
relation to the amount of coursework being taken. The nature of this concurrent work experience
and monitoring of the learning experience will be in consultation with the
student's advisor.
Faculty
When a student is accepted for
admission, the student will work with the Director of Graduate Studies and an
assigned faculty advisor prior to registering on campus. The advisor's role is:
1. To assist the
student in planning his/her curriculum and selecting appropriate courses
2. To assist the student in answering questions
about option selections
3. To meet
periodically (at least once a semester) with the student to discuss progress
toward career goals and to report this progress to other faculty
4. To assist the
student and make appropriate referrals to the Director of Graduate Studies or
other University services concerning any problems that may arise.
The faculty at UNC-CH has a wide variety of
interests. Students are encouraged to
call upon the expertise of all of the faculty during
the their time in residence at UNC-CH.
Graduate students choose any of the following professors as their permanent
advisor:
Deb Bialeschki, Ph.D., CPRP, Professor. Education: BS (Physical Education) Eastern
Interests: leisure attitudes and behaviors, women’s
leisure, outdoor recreation, youth development
Diane Groff, Ed.D., CTRS, Assistant Professor. Education: BS (Recreation and Leisure
Studies),
Interests:
adapted sports, identity formation, and physical disability
Karla Henderson, Ph.D., CPRP,
Professor and Chair. Education: BS (Physical Education)
Interests: women’s leisure, social psychology of
leisure, research methodologies
Course Listings
Core Requirements
All RECR graduate students (specialization’s
in both therapeutic recreation and recreation management) are required to take
a core of RECR courses (i.e. 210,
230, 250, 251,310). Other courses must
be taken within the Department to total 21 credits.
A student with a Recreation Management
specialization will be required to take RECR 260, 265, 365 and possibly RECR
160 depending upon her/his background.
A student with a Therapeutic
Recreation specialization will be required to take RECR 176, 177, 160, 275,
376, and 175 depending on her/his background.
The courses in the specialization are
referred to as the specialization core.
The student may elect additional RECR
courses or courses from related departments to total a minimum of 30
credits. The student has three options
as the final requirement: write a thesis, finish six credits of independent
study courses, or complete an internship.
All graduate students must pass a comprehensive examination to fulfill
the requirements for the degree.
The CORE
courses required of all students include:
RECR 210 WORK, LEISURE,
AND ORGANIZED RECREATION IN THE UNITED STATES (3). A description and analysis
of the scope of organized recreation systems, the evolution of work and leisure
attitudes, and the trends of individual recreation behavior.
RECR 230 MANAGING
ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR IN RECREATION SERVICES (3). This course addresses organizational behavior
and theory to promote insight into micro and macro issues confronting
professionals in organized recreation services.
RECR 250
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS I
(3). An
appraisal of current recreation research. Introduction
to research techniques and analysis; application of quantitative and
qualitative methods to research problems.
RECR
251 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS II (3).
Prerequisite, RECR 250 and a course in statistics.
Students review qualitative research methods and apply them to recreation
issues. Design and
preparation of a research proposal and completion of a mini-research project.
RECR 310 SEMINAR IN
LEISURE STUDIES (3). A
survey of contemporary views of society and their structures and functions, as
they relate to concepts of leisure and recreation behaviors.
Other courses
that might appeal generally to both TR and RM students:
RECR 101 WOMEN, WORK, AND
LEISURE (3). Implications
of the relationship between women and leisure from a lifestyle perspective, and
an analysis of the changing role of women and changing leisure concepts from a
feminist perspective.
RECR 111 PLAY IN
RECR 112 LEISURE IN A
DIVERSE SOCIETY (3). An
analysis of diverse populations and the meaning and impact of leisure in the
lives of these individuals. Race,
class, gender, culture, age, disability, employment, and sexual orientation
related to implications for leisure.
RECR 120 PROGRAM PLANNING
FOR RECREATION SERVICES (3). A study of the principles of planning recreation programs and the
factors which affect their implementation and functioning.
RECR 130 INTRODUCTION TO
GROUP DYNAMICS AND COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP (3).
An analysis of the techniques, methods, and motives of
group and community leaders.
Focus on the roles of organizational structure, personnel policies, and
in-service training programs.
Specialization in Therapeutic Recreation
Students who choose the Therapeutic
Recreation specialization may design their program to be eligible for
certification by National Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification.
The RECR course
required as a co-requisite to other courses for graduate students with a
specialization in Therapeutic Recreation who have no previous experience in
therapeutic recreation is:
RECR 175 INTRODUCTION TO
THERAPEUTIC RECREATION SERVICES (3). History and philosophy of therapeutic recreation. A survey of basic counseling/interaction
styles, clinical and administrative skills, and interdisciplinary approaches to
a variety of clinical settings.
Those RECR
courses required of all graduate students with a specialization in Therapeutic
Recreation students (unless they are currently a CTRS) include:
RECR 176 SPECIAL PROGRAM
SERVICES IN THERAPEUTIC RECREATION (3). Development of
helping skills for the practice of therapeutic recreation emphasizing
rationale, techniques, and role responsibilities of therapeutic recreation in
the area of leisure education. A
20-hour practicum is required.
RECR 177 DISABLING
CONDITIONS AND THE PRACTICE OF THERAPEUTIC RECREATION (3). A
study of the relationship between various disabling conditions and the practice
of therapeutic recreation. A
24-hour practicum is required.
RECR
160 ADMINISTRATION
OF RECREATION SERVICES (3). Analysis of recreation from the standpoint of organization,
administration, finances, training, legislation, public relations, and
coordination of community resources.
RECR 275 PRINCIPLES AND
PROCEDURES IN THERAPEUTIC RECREATION (3).
A study of the existing practices and principles
utilized in therapeutic recreation.
An in-depth study of assessment/evaluation, goal
setting, individualized planning, documentation, leisure counseling, and
clinical skills.
RECR 376 ISSUES AND
PROBLEMS IN THERAPEUTIC RECREATION (3).
An in-depth study of various issues such as
professionalism, credentialing, accessibility, mainstreaming, recent
legislation, and other topics as they relate to the provision of therapeutic
recreation services.
Examples of
additional courses in other departments that may be taken by TR students:
BIOL 045
Fundamentals of Human Anatomy/Physiology (no graduate
credit awarded)
EXSS 075 Anatomy (no graduate
credit awarded)
EXSS 076 Physiology (no
graduate credit awarded)
EXSS 276 Physical Education for the Disabled
EXSS 270 Motor Learning
EXSS 280