Recreation Undergraduate Program | SIU

Recreation Undergraduate Program

Program Information

The Department of Health Education and Recreation offers three specializations within the recreation major. These three specializations are Therapeutic Recreation, Leisure Services Management and Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management. A careful selection of recommended electives can be used to build competencies in recreation administration, outdoor recreation, and commercial recreation.

Students majoring in recreation should meet early in their college careers with a faculty member in the Department of Health Education and Recreation to identify their area of interest and recommended electives. Within the field of recreation, certifications may be required for employment in different interest areas and the faculty member will discuss these with interested students. All students are encouraged to obtain the American Red Cross First Aid Certificate. Students focusing on a therapeutic orientation should attempt to acquire either academic or practical experience related to physiological, psychological and sociological functioning and the concomitant effect of disability. As soon as possible, recreation majors will decide on one of the three specializations and elect courses pertaining to their selection.

Our Undergraduate and Graduate Program is Accredited by the Wilderness Education Association (WEA)

Quick Facts

• Three specializations are Therapeutic Recreation, Leisure Services Management and Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management.
• Students majoring in recreation should meet early in their college careers with a faculty member in the department to identify their area of interest and recommended electives.
• All students are encouraged to obtain the American Red Cross First Aid Certificate.
• As soon as possible, recreation majors will decide on one of the three specializations and elect courses for their area of specialization.
• A 2.25 grade point average is required for admission into the undergraduate recreation program.
• A 2.25 SIUC GPA required for REC 380 & 490. A "C" or better grade is required for all major courses in the undergraduate recreation program.

Requirements for a Major in Recreation

specializations

• Leisure Services Management
• Therapeutic Recreation Specialization
• Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Management

NOTE: To graduate, you must complete a minimum of 60 hours at a senior institution and a total of 120 hours AND apply to graduate by the second week of the semester in which you plan to graduate.

Internship

All students majoring in recreation at SIUC are required to complete two field experiences and an internship with a professional recreation agency. Field experiences are usually arranged with local agencies, but may also be approved off campus during the summer months.

The internship, a more formal relationship, is a semester-long, full-time experience, often with a salary or stipend; students are chosen on their merits. Our students have completed internships with Disney World, Martin-Marietta, Johnson Wax, Chicago Rehabilitation Institute, Veterans Administration hospitals, Illinois Children's Research Hospital, and the Land Between the Lakes environmental center, among others. Our students gain first-hand experience by doing field work under the supervision of trained recreation professionals who may assist in future job searches.