Outdoor recreation is one of the world’s most diverse and fastest -growing industries. It is often intertwined within another worldwide growth industry, tourism.
The Parks, Recreation and Tourism (PRT) program is designed to provide students with training that will qualify them to work in a variety of work settings such as parks and protected natural areas, the public and private business sectors, nonprofit environmental organizations, as well as state and federal natural resource agencies. The PRT program emphasis on the integration of natural, social, and management sciences reflects the interdisciplinary context in which recreation, tourism, natural resource planning, and environmental concerns are addressed.
Students interested in the study of Parks, Recreation and Tourism will find the program ideally situated close to the rocky coasts, mountains, Acadia National Park, Baxter State Park, the Appalachian Trail and Maine tourism developments. Visits to these sites afford students unique and exciting opportunities both during class and leisure to observe and participate in on-going operations relevant to the profession. We frequently have guest lectures from the public sector and commercial recreational enterprises to acquaint students with the diversity of professional management issues and practices.
Our faculty, both full-time and cooperating, are unique in their extensive experience in the field as well as their national and international reputations. A wide array of academic experiences are available to students: field experiences, studies abroad and assisting with recreation-related research enhance our students’ education and employability.
Small class sizes ensure student/professor interaction and a more personal learning experience. A faculty advisor works closely with students to assist in choosing a program of study, provide career counseling, and provide a better understanding of the profession.
Students interested in summer intern and cooperative education opportunities can receive academic credit in addition to the valuable on-the-job training experiences. Numerous and diverse intern opportunities exist in the area allowing students to take classes simultaneously if they wish.
The location of the PRT program within the Department of Forest Management provides students with a solid grounding in natural resource management training.
Bachelor of Science in Parks, Recreation and Tourism
The Parks, Recreation and Tourism curriculum is designed to develop proficiency in the profession while providing a broad general education. There are four major study areas within the PRT curriculum:
- Natural Sciences: forest biology, wildlife conservation, ecology, geology, dendrology, conservation biology
- Social Sciences: communications, social psychology, environmental ethics, sociology, environmental history
- Management: ecology and environmental sciences economics, land use planning, forest management, environmental law and policy, business administration, public management
- PRT Professional Preparation: forest recreation management, visitor behavior and management, tourism management and planning, environmental interpretation
Specialization within Parks, Recreation and Tourism
In addition to the base curriculum students may elect courses for a minor in Public Relations, Business Administration, International Affairs, Ecology and Environmental Sciences or Psychology and several other related fields.
This program is part of the School of Forest Resources which has the largest scholarship endowment fund on campus. These funds are available to help support academic studies in Forest Resources.
The University of Maine The University of Maine
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