Department of Recreation

and Leisure Studies

 

 

 

 

 

Undergraduate Handbook

 

2003-2004

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

 

Table of Contents
 

 

 

Section                                                                                              Page

 

Introduction                                                                                                                1

 

Professional Opportunities in Recreation and Leisure Studies                              2

 

Declaring a Major                                                                                                     3

 

Declaring a Minor                                                                                                     3

 

RECR Advising                                                                                                         3

 

General College Years                                                                                              3

 

The RECR Major                                                                                                      5

 

Internship Experience                                                                                               6

 

Suggested Registration Patterns                                                                              7

 

Coursework for a Minor in RECR                                                                           9

 

Independent Study (RECR 96)                                                                                 9

 

Honors Thesis (RECR 98 & 99)                                                                               10

 

Drop, Add, Pass/Fail, and Over/Under loads                                                           10

 

Graduation Procedures                                                                                              11

 

Certification as CPRP or CTRS/TRS                                                                       11

 

The Student Recreation Society                                                                               11

 

Other Useful Resources and Information                                                                12

 

Professional Associations                                                                                          12

 

Financial Aid for Special Projects                                                                             13

 

RECR Faculty                                                                                                            14

Introduction

 

            The design of this handbook is as a guide to help students who have chosen to major or minor in Recreation and Leisure Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While providing a limited amount of general University information this booklet will not supplant other information students will find in the Undergraduate Record and An Academic Self-Advising Manual. Students should consult both for additional information and for details, as well as meet with their Arts and Sciences advisor each semester.

 

            The Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies is a unit of the College of Arts and Sciences. The Department reflects the role of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a research university.

 

            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. The faculty considers the systematic study of recreation and leisure behavior as a major area of inquiry. Recreation Administration is the only major in the College of Arts and Sciences primarily concerned with leisure behavior.

 

The Department offers both a major and a minor at the undergraduate level. The Department received accreditation in 1978 by the Council on Accreditation of the National Recreation and Park Association in cooperation with the American Association for Leisure and Recreation. Currently, students who complete the appropriate courses in the RECR major are eligible to sit for the national certification examinations for becoming a Certified Park and Recreation Professional  (CPRP). Which the National Recreation and Park Association offers or the certification examination for the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) offered by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification through the North Carolina Therapeutic Recreation Certification Board (NC- TRCB).

 

 

 

            Students who major in RECR have a variety of options available to them upon graduation. Recreation specialists work in a wide range of public agencies, commercial establishments, and various private/not-for-profit enterprises as recreation administrators, program managers, and therapeutic recreation specialists. While the following descriptions are not exhaustive of the possibilities, they will illustrate the flexibility of the degree related to job possibilities. 

 

Community Recreation Provider: positions include public recreation administration, public information, planning and development, park management, recreation supervision, aquatics, athletics, grounds maintenance, golf course management, cultural arts programs, outdoor recreation programmer, community centers, senior centers, and special populations programmer.

 

Voluntary Agencies and Youth Organizations: positions include programmers, administrators, volunteer coordinators and sports supervisors for the Girl/Boy Scouts, 4-H, YM/YWCAs, Campfire, and Girls/Boys Clubs.

 

Therapeutic Recreation: therapists work in settings that include in-patient as well as outpatient and community based treatment settings such as pediatrics, burn units, oncology, psychiatric, rehabilitation, geriatrics, corrections, substance abuse, group homes, and camps and outdoor programs. Positions also include inclusion and mainstreaming in community settings where professionals provide recreation services to persons with disabilities.

 

Outdoor Recreation/Outdoor Education: positions include jobs in organized camps (i.e. Scouts, 4-H, Y's, churches, private organizations), schools, nature centers, parks (federal, state, local), environmental organizations, federal organizations (U.S. Forest Service, BLM, etc.), outfitters, ecotourism, zoos, and treatment programs that use the outdoors as a therapeutic setting.

 

Commercial Recreation and Travel/Tourism: positions include programmers and administrators in hotels and resorts, travel agencies, golf courses, amusement parks, clubs (tennis, racquet, and swim), skating rinks, ski operations, cruises, marinas, campgrounds, sport clothing and equipment businesses, outfitters and adventure based enterprises, promotional organizations, and various ecotourism related businesses.

 

Campus Recreation /Intramurals: positions include, college and university recreational sports/intramural programs.

 

Corporate Fitness and Wellness/Employee Recreation: positions include recreation programmers and administrators in corporations and industries that manage programs in fitness and exercise, team and individual sports, family recreation programs, hobbies and clubs, and cultural programs.

 

Cultural Arts: positions include municipal cultural arts programmers, festival planners, special event coordinators, and museum curators

 

Correctional Recreation: positions in the federal and state correctional institutions as well as in private treatment agencies that focus on youth as well as adult offenders.

 

Military Recreation: positions include civilian programmers and administrators in general recreation, athletics, family recreation, clubs, and outdoor/adventure programs in all branches of the military around the world.

 

            To avoid problems with registration and to insure graduation by the expected date, students are strongly encouraged to officially declare their major during their sophomore year. Students should complete a Declaration of Major form from their General College advisor no later than the spring semester of their sophomore year. Junior transfer students should declare the major upon enrollment in the university. This declaration will also help students and advisors plan for course selections that will have the greatest benefits to the students as they enter the major. Students who are in their junior year may also declare RECR as a major but will need to consult with their Arts and Sciences advisor and complete a change of major declaration form. Students who change majors should be aware that they might need at least an additional semester to complete the RECR requirements. 

 

            Some students may be interested in completing a double major. The university does allow this opportunity, but it is limited to students seeking a Bachelor of Arts degree in programs administratively located in the College of Arts and Sciences. One exception would be the doubling of majors in B.A. programs in the College of Arts and Sciences and professional schools (i.e. School of Journalism). Double majors must declare a primary major and a secondary major and obtain written permission from each program chairperson. Double majors are encouraged, although not required, to designate RECR as their primary major in order to facilitate advising.

 

 

 

            Students may also pursue a minor in RECR that emphasizes professional preparation. Students will need to complete a declaration of minor form obtained from the Arts and Sciences advising office. Students who wish to choose RECR as their minor, will need to contact the Recreation and Leisure Studies Department Chair (962-1222) as soon as possible to schedule an advising appointment.

 

 

 

            The Department will assign RECR majors an advisor as soon as the Department office receives the declaration of major form. Students will need to come to Evergreen House, home of the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies to determine their advisor. Majors must meet with their advisors at least once a semester and only the advisor will provide the PIN number to the student during registration. Students must meet with the Arts and Sciences Advisor before scheduling advising with the RECR advisor.

 

            During the first two years at the University of Carolina at Chapel Hill, students receive advisement through The General College. Students will be required to fulfill General College requirements and perspectives. Students interested in the RECR major or minor, should complete general courses that will be useful in their professional preparation program these first two years. Students should work closely with their General College advisors, consult An Academic Self-Advising Manual, and follow the instructions contained in The Undergraduate Record.

 

During these two years of studies, students are encouraged to take RECR 10, Introduction to Leisure Services, which is a pre-requisite for the major and Stat 11 or Stat 31(or equivalent, i.e., Stat 23, Psyc 30, Econ 70, EXSS 73, Busi 24, Soci 52) that satisfies the General College math requirement and is a pre-requisite for RECR 150, Evaluation of Recreation Services. Students are also encouraged to consider enrolling in RECR 70, Recreation Services Across the Lifespan, during their sophomore year. Students should take an introductory sociology and an introductory psychology class to meet the RECR coursework requirement. 

 

            When fulfilling General College perspectives, students should keep in mind several recommendations for courses that are required or encouraged for RECR majors.    

 

            Social Science Perspective: Sociology 10, 11,12 or 20 satisfies both the RECR sociology requirement and a social science perspective. 

 

            Natural Science Perspective with lab:  Biology 11 and 11L are pre-requisites for Biology 45- Fundamentals of Human Anatomy and Physiology; a minimum three (3)-semester hour course in human anatomy and physiology is required for professional certification as a CTRS.

PSYC 10 satisfies the required introductory psychology course and satisfies the Natural Science perspective without lab requirement. 

 

            Philosophical Perspective:  RECR majors should consider a philosophical perspective course in ethics.

 

            Western Historical/Non-Western/Comparative Perspective:  Sociology 11 also satisfies both the RECR requirement for a sociology course and a Non-Western History.

 

◊◊ Students should check the current course listing on line and/or the printed lists in the General College office in Steele Building for additional courses that satisfy the General College perspectives.

 

            Students should also check with their General College advisor to be sure to take a course fulfilling the Cultural Diversity requirement. Many Departments offer a wide variety of courses each semester that fulfill this requirement. Students can met this requirement in any semester of upper level undergraduate study.

 

            Students are encouraged to select courses for their free electives and perspectives in General College based on their personal and professional interests particularly in areas such as business, city and regional planning, sociology; psychology, political science, exercise and sport science, music, drama, art, speech, geography, health behavior and health education, special education, American history, and economics.

           

            Students are encouraged to take RECR 10, Introduction to Leisure Services, during their sophomore year. This course is required for all RECR majors and minors, and majors must obtain a minimum of a C in the course. However, the RECR 10 course does not meet the requirement for one of the minimum eight courses (24 hours) required for the major.

 

Note:  Students interested in becoming a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) are encouraged to read the Candidate's Bulletin of Information published by NCTRC, read the N.C. State requirements for TRS, and to meet with their advisor for guidance concerning requirements in related coursework.

 

 

            The Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies does not offer options, specializations or emphases in the undergraduate program. The philosophy of the faculty is to prepare students with general and professional competencies. Students accomplish this preparation through a broad interdisciplinary-based education coupled with practical work experience. This professional education enables the student to understand and relate to a changing social order as well as to assume professional positions in recreation and human service agencies. The program is flexible enough to offer individualized opportunities to students as a way to meet specialized goals while at the same time, attaining coursework requirements. For example, a student may be interested in therapeutic recreation or outdoor recreation. While specific coursework is limited, students will have opportunities to fit their interests into the general coursework and can take RECR elective courses in their interest areas. Students may also want to consider inter-institutional registration for a course at Duke University, North Carolina State University, North Carolina Central University, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, or The University of North Carolina at Greensboro at no additional cost while regularly enrolled in a degree program at UNC-CH (contact the Registrar's Office, 105 Hanes Hall, for additional information).   

 

            The major in Recreation and Leisure Studies consists of a minimum of eight courses (24 hours) and includes seven required core courses and one free elective. As previously mentioned, RECR 10 is a prerequisite for most RECR courses and does not count as one of the eight major courses. The required core for majors is:

 

            RECR 70          Recreation Services Across the Lifespan

            RECR 120        Program Planning for Recreation Services

            RECR 130        Introduction to Group Dynamics and Community Leadership

            RECR 150        Evaluation of Recreation Services

            RECR 160        Administration of Recreation Services

            RECR 180        Supervised Field Practice in Recreation  (Internship)

            RECR 181        Supervised Field Practice in Recreation  (Internship)

 

Majors may choose elective courses from the following:

 

            RECR 40*        Outdoor Recreation and Environmental Issues

            RECR 96*        Special Topics and Independent Study (1-3 credits)

            RECR 98**      Honors Thesis

            RECR 99**      Honors Thesis

            RECR 101*      Women, Work, and Leisure

            RECR 111*      Play in America

            RECR 112*      Leisure in a Diverse Society

            RECR 140*      Recreation Spaces: Their Design and Use

            RECR 175*      Introduction to Therapeutic Recreation Services

            RECR 176**     Clinical Skills in Therapeutic Recreation

            RECR 177**     Disabling Conditions & the Practice of Therapeutic Recreation              

 

*May be taken by non majors with RECR 010 prerequisite strongly encouraged

** RECR majors only

Note:  Students interested in becoming a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) must take RECR 175, RECR 176, and RECR 177 to meet a portion of the academic requirements for certification. A total of 18 semester hours of support coursework will be required with a minimum of 3 hours in anatomy and physiology (usually BIOL 45); 3 hours in abnormal psychology (usually PSYC 80), 3 (at UNC 6 credits is needed to meet this certification requirement) hours in human growth and development across the lifespan*; and the remaining 9 hours in Human Services as defined by NCTRC. Students should consult the Candidate's Bulletin of Information and meet with their advisor for additional certification advising. 

 

*Students are required to take a course in Human Growth and Development that includes birth to death.  Since no single course addresses this issue, students will need to take one child-oriented course (at UNC this is PSYC 24) and one adult-oriented course (at UNC this is PSYC 141; note:  PSYC 24 is a prerequisite for this course).

 

Since none of these classes is required for the major, a student will take them as electives.  These classes (or a single course in Human Growth and Development or Lifespan Development) might be taken at Duke, NCSU, or NCCU.  A student might also wish to take the courses required for certification elsewhere, such as at a community college, if they are not needed as credits for graduation.

 

            The College of Arts and Sciences requires students to pass 18 semester hours in the major with a grade of C or better in each of these courses (not C- or a C average). However, if a student passes a major course, whether required or elective, but does not achieve a C or higher, the student may take another approved elective to fulfill the requirement rather than repeat the course. Students should remember that no more than 40 hours of RECR courses count toward graduation total hours.

 

            The College of Arts and Sciences also requires the fulfillment of upper level perspective courses. Students must fulfill coursework in four of the following areas: aesthetics, social sciences, western/non-western/comparative, natural and math sciences, and philosophical perspectives. Students who chose two Western historical courses to fulfill General College historical perspectives must take an upper level Non-Western/comparative course as one of their four upper-level perspectives. Students need to consult with their Arts and Sciences advisor on the Cultural Diversity requirement. Students take these perspective courses for a standard letter grade, not pass/fail, nor may students take a perspective course in the major (or second major) or minor fulfill the requirement.

 

 

            Experiential education is an essential component of a student's learning before entering the field of recreation services as a professional practitioner. The design of RECR 180-181 provides majors with a full time structured learning experience in a recreational setting of the student's choice. RECR 180 focuses on the practical experience and RECR 181 focuses on the written internship report. Enrollment for internship credit during the semester(s) of the internship is required. For example, a student completing an internship during the summer would enroll in RECR 180 for First Summer Session and RECR 181 for Second Summer Session while a student who chose to do the internship during the Fall semester would enroll in RECR 180-181 concurrently. The grade for RECR 180 is Pass-Fail while RECR 181 receives a standard letter grade. 

 

            To be eligible for the internship, majors must have completed RECR 120, RECR 130, and RECR 70. Therapeutic Recreation students must have also completed RECR 175 and RECR 176 (with RECR 177 highly recommended). Preparation for the internship begins a full semester before the internship is to be undertaken. Prospective interns are expected to meet as a group at least 6 times in organized sessions with the Internship Coordinator (or take RECR 199 if offered to address internship topics) that focus on issues such as personal skill assessments, designing goals and objectives, expectations for the intern, application and interview procedures, and the summary internship report. Students typically complete internships during the summer before the Graduation year but can complete this requirement in any semester. However, approval of the internship by the Internship Coordinator is a requirement of all internships. Please see the RECR Internship Manual (http://www.unc.edu/depts/recreate/undergrad/intern.htm) or the Internship Coordinator for further details concerning the internship. Additional internship criteria are required for students who want to be eligible to take the TR certification exam upon graduation (consult the most current NCTRC bulletin).

 

            The following course patterns are examples of how a student may chose to meet RECR and UNC-CH requirements for completing a major. Students are strongly encouraged to meet with their Arts and Sciences advisor and their RECR advisor at least once a semester, before the registration period for the next semester.

 

 

 

Pattern I  General Recreation Professional Degree

(RECR 010 is a prerequisite or a co-requisite for all other RECR courses) 

Junior Year

           

            Fall Semester                                        Spring Semester

RECR 120                    (3)                                            RECR 130                                (3)

RECR elective**           (3)                                            RECR 70                                  (3)

A&S perspective           (3)                                            A&S perspective                       (3)

A&S perspective           (3)                                            A&S perspective                       (3)

General elective*           (3)                                            General elective                        (3)

*(or RECR 010)

                                    (15)                                                                                          (15)

 

Summer Session

 

            Summer Session I                                             Summer Session II

RECR 180                    (3)                                            RECR 181                                (3)

 

Senior Year

 

            Fall Semester                                        Spring Semester

RECR 160 (Pre-req.                                                  RECR 150 (Pre-req. Stat 11)         (3)

RECR 120)                   (3)                                            or Stat 31 and RECR 120

RECR elective*            (3)                                            RECR elective**                       (3)

General elective            (3)                                            General elective                        (3)

General elective            (3)                                            General elective                        (3)

General elective            (3)                                            General elective                        (3)

(15)                                                                                                                                                                                   (15)

 

           


Pattern II  General Recreation (with Therapeutic Recreation Interest)

(RECR 010 is a prerequisite or a co-requisite for all other RECR courses) 

Junior Year

           

            Fall Semester                                        Spring Semester

RECR 120                    (3)                                            RECR 130                                (3)

RECR 175                    (3)                                            RECR 70                                  (3)

RECR 176                    (3)                                            RECR 177 (or Senior yr.)          (3)

A&S perspective           (3)                                            A&S perspective                       (3)

A&S perspective*         (3)                                            General elective**                     (3)

*(or RECR 010)

                                    (15)                                                                                          (15)                

 

Summer Session

 

            Summer Session I                                             Summer Session II

RECR 180                    (3)                                            RECR 181                                (3)

 

Note:  The agency supervisor for RECR 180-181 must be a CTRS if the student wants to be eligible to sit for the certification exam (see Candidate's Bulletin and the N.C. certification guidelines).

 

Senior Year

 

            Fall Semester                                        Spring Semester

RECR 160 (Pre-req.                                          RECR 150 (Pre-req. Stat 11 or (3)               RECR 120)            (3)                                            Stat 31 and RECR 120)             (3)

RECR/Gen. elect.*        (3)                                            RECR 177                                (3)

General elective            (3)                                            RECR/General elective**          (3)

General elective            (3)                                            General elective                        (3)

General elective            (3)                                            General elective                        (3)

                                    (15)                                                                                          (15)

 

            Students interested in therapeutic recreation should be aware that only RECR 175, RECR 176, and RECR 177 will meet NCTRC content course requirements. Students should be aware a total of 18 semester hours in related areas are required by NCTRC with a minimum of 3 semester hours in anatomy/physiology, 3 hours in abnormal psychology, minimum 3 hours in lifespan human growth and development, and the remaining 9 hours in human services as defined by NCTRC. 

 

            All majors and minors should also be aware of the OSHA requirements related to blood-borne pathogens and the need for the Hepatitis B vaccination series. Many internship settings (especially hospital and community based) are requiring that interns have knowledge about these regulations and have taken the vaccination series. Students have an opportunity to obtain the Hep B series through the student health services. Students are responsible for the OSHA information and should obtain clarifications from their RECR faculty advisors. 

  

            Various departments in Arts and Sciences and professional schools offer a number of relevant courses of value to RECR majors. However, students may take a maximum of 12 hours of coursework from professional schools (e.g. Business Administration, Education, Journalism, Health Affairs) for degree credit. Students should remember degree requirements allow a maximum of 40 hours of course work from the major department toward the 120 academic hours required for graduation.

 

 

            RECR offers a 15 semester hour minor with an emphasis in professional preparation. The minor is designed for students who are majoring in fields such as Social Work, Psychology, Physical Education, Art Education, as well as other human service fields in which coursework in recreation may be beneficial. The minor in recreation administration consists of five courses:  three required courses and two electives.

 

            The three required courses for the minor are:

 

                        RECR 10 - Introduction to Leisure Services

                        RECR 70 - Recreation Services Across the Lifespan

                        RECR 120 - Program Planning for Recreation Services

 

            Two courses must come from the following electives:

 

                        RECR 40 - Outdoor Recreation and Environmental Issues

                        RECR 101 - Women, Work and Leisure

                        RECR 111 – Play in America

                        RECR 112 - Leisure in a Diverse Society

                        RECR 130 - Introduction to Group Dynamics & Community Leadership

                        RECR 140 - Recreation Spaces

                        RECR 150 - Evaluation of Recreation Services

                        RECR 175 - Introduction to Therapeutic Recreation

 

            There are five courses within the department that are not allowed to be used to satisfy requirements of the minor in Recreation

 

                        RECR 160 - Administration of Recreation Services

                        RECR 176 - Special Program Services in Therapeutic Recreation

                        RECR 177- Disabling Conditions and the Practice of T R

                        RECR 180 - Supervised Field Training in Recreation  (Internship)

                        RECR 181 - Supervised Field Training in Recreation  (Internship)

 

 

 

            Some students may find that they have a specific interest in a topic related to recreation and leisure services not addressed in the coursework. For example, a student may want to complete a literature review on a relevant topic, conduct a small research project, or engage in an experiential learning opportunity such as Outward Bound or the National Outdoor Leadership School. These students are encouraged to explore the Independent Study option. Students design their Independent Study in cooperation with a supportive RECR faculty member for 1, 2, or 3 credits. The specific requirements and forms for an independent study can be obtained from the cooperating faculty member and include: a completed proposal form that includes the general scope of the study and the designation of the independent study faculty advisor, supervised meetings during the semester (monthly minimum), a final paper, and a possible oral presentation.

 

 

Honors Thesis (RECR 98 & 99)

Must be taken as a sequence

 

RECR 098- Honors in RECR- This special study for undergraduates, involves intensive study on a particular topic under the supervision of a qualified member of the staff. The course is for RECR majors only.  A student must have special permission of the faculty members involved and the Director of Undergraduate Studies.

The first course of a two-course sequence

 

RECR 099- Honors project in RECR-  The student will complete a special project, approved by the Department.  The student must have been designated a candidate for undergraduate honors.

RECR 099 is the second course of a two-course sequence

 

 

 

            Generally, students will add and drop courses during the normal period as specified by the University Registrar. On occasion, a RECR course will fill before students have an opportunity to register. If the course is critical to the student's progress toward graduation, the student may obtain faculty permission to enroll in the course. The student will need to bring the necessary information and instructor approvals to the RECR student services administrative assistant who will process the request. If a student needs to drop a course after the six-week period, the studen