Published on Brock University (http://brocku.ca)

Bachelor of Recreation and Leisure Studies (4-year, Outdoor Recreation)

Christine Fisher (BRLS Outdoor Recreation)

Name: Recreation and Leisure Studies
OUAC Code: BW
Degree: Bachelor of Recreation & Leisure Studies
Program: 4-Year BRLS (Honours)
Program Coordinator: Michael Fawkes
Entrance Requirements: Required 4U Subject: English (ENG4U).
Expected Cut-off: Mid 70s
Faculty: Faculty of Applied Health Sciences (FAHS)
Department: Recreation & Leisure Studies (RECL)
Level: Undergraduate studies

Description
The Recreation & Leisure Studies program is designed to prepare you for a wide range of options in the rapidly expanding field of recreation and leisure services.

The Outdoor Recreation program focuses on leadership in the natural environment. This program provides students with the skills, knowledge and dispositions necessary to serve as wilderness trip leaders, to facilitate groups in outdoor recreation settings, to work in a variety of outdoor and experiential education environments, and to serve as agents of social and environmental change in the world.

This program prepares you to facilitate outdoor experiences using a socially and environmentally focused ethical framework. The Outdoor Recreation program provides you not only with a philosophical and theoretical grounding in outdoor recreation, group dynamics and leadership, but also with opportunities to apply knowledge, skills and dispositions through outdoor field experiences. Further, we foster critical thinking about peoples’ relationships with nature and relationships with others.

Careers:
A Bachelor of Recreation & Leisure Studies degree with a concentration in Outdoor Recreation opens the door to a wide variety of job possibilities! Here is just a sample:

Wilderness Guide
Camp Director
Adventure Program Leader
Outdoor Interpreter
Park Manager
Outdoor Educator
Adventure Travel/Tourism Guide
Naturalist
Wilderness Therapy Workers
Outdoor Risk Management Specialist

A firm grounding in Recreation & Leisure Studies also enables Outdoor Recreation students to find work in other areas including:

Designing and implementing employee wellness, fitness and health promotion programs
Supporting inclusion of individuals with disabilities to participate in mainstream community recreation
Health Promoter, Leisure Educator and Counselor
Managing volunteer programs
Program Coordinator in municipal recreation, Boys’ and Girls’ Clubs, YW/YMCA
Corrections facility/group home/transitional services Recreation Programmer
Manager/Director of staff and facilities
Program/Entertainment Director at a resort or on a cruise ship
Marketing & Promotions Director
Coach/Sport Administrator/Official
Campus Recreation/Intramural Sport Coordinator at post secondary institution
Special Event/Conference/Tournament Coordinator
Supervisor in an area of program expertise such as aquatics, fitness, early years, school aged, youth or older adults
Fundraising/Grant Coordinator
Adult Educator/Staff & Volunteer Trainer
Municipal planning/community development
Researcher/Consultant
Open space, facility and play space development
Entrepreneur
Teacher/Educational Assistant/College Instructor/Professor

A Bachelor of Recreation & Leisure Studies degree will prepare you for further education:

Pre-service education (Teacher's College)
Graduate studies (Masters programs)
Post degree/diploma certificate programs

* Please note that some careers may require additional professional or graduate qualifications.

Affiliations & Partnerships
The Outdoor Recreation concentration in the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies has affiliations with many of the leading outdoor recreation schools and agencies in Canada and around the world. These affiliations allow students to participate in agency programs/courses and receive up to 2.5 credits for their experience.