Program: B.S., Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation Management
Program Description
Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation Management (B.S. degree program): Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation professionals can make a difference in the quality of life for all citizens by encouraging and facilitating the positive use of leisure time, whether that is while at home, traveling, engaging in recreation, recreational sport or entertainment. The Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation Management degree program educates students in leisure and play theory, event planning, leadership, management and working with diverse groups while embracing sustainability of resources while participating in leisure-time pursuits. Students complete practicum and internship experiences in various leisure service settings in the for-profit, government and nonprofit sectors.
Program Requirements
Grade Requirements for Core Classes
Undergraduate majors in Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation Management are required to earn a grade of “C” or better in each of the core classes for the units to be counted as progress toward a degree.
Each class can be repeated once to improve the grade. Subsequent retakes must be appealed to the Department of Recreation and Tourism faculty. First Aid and CPR certification (non-online) is required at time of graduation.
Students must also complete a minimum of 400 hours of professional practice hours prior to graduation to develop professional competencies and to adequately prepare for their career.
Professional Preparation Opportunities
Professional learning experiences are offered to students throughout the program. Experiential education and community service learning opportunities are included in coursework. Students are provided the opportunity to engage in a wide variety of leisure organizations. Students complete their 400 minimum internship hours in several ways. At least 60 of these hours will be completed in core classes taken prior to taking two sections of the RTM 494C internship class (170 supervised hours of internship per section) in a career setting.
Internship: All students enroll in a capstone (6 units) senior internship. To ensure the highest-quality internship experience possible, the department requires all students to have completed all 200- and 300-level core courses and the majority of their electives package prior to enrollment in the internship program. However, it is strongly encouraged that the senior internship experience be taken as the culminating learning opportunity toward the B.S. degree. See academic advisor for further requirements.
Students consult with faculty regarding policies and procedures governing practical experience. Multiple professional certifications are both possible and encouraged through judicious selection of field placements and elective coursework.
Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation Management (60 units)
The department is committed to providing a generalist framework from which students may seek one or more professional certifications. See advisor for specific career preparation patterns. Electives are selected in consultation with and approved by the departmental academic advisors.
1. Lower Division Core (9 units)
RTM 202/L Planning Programs and Events for the Recreational Experience and Lab (2/1)
RTM 204 Introduction to Recreation Therapy (3)
RTM 278 Exploring the World of Tourism, Hospitality, Recreation, and Parks (3)
2. Upper Division Core (27 units)
RTM 300 Recreation and Community Development (3)
RTM 302 Dynamics of Leadership in Recreation and Human Services (3)
RTM 303 Promotion of the Recreation Experience (3)
RTM 304 Entrepreneurial Ventures in Recreation and Human Services (3)
RTM 314 Hospitality and Customer Service (3)
RTM 403 Evaluation Research in Recreation and Human Services (3)
RTM 490 Challenges in Leisure Services Seminar (3)
RTM 494C Senior Internship (3-3)
3. Electives (24 units)
15 units minimum to be selected from the following:
ACCT 220 Introduction to Financial Accounting (3)
FCS 304 Food Service Production (2)
RTM 251 Recreation and the Natural Environment (3)
RTM 280 Organizing Campus Recreation and Sport (3)
RTM 294CS/L Recreation Service Learning Theory and Practicum and Lab (1/2)
RTM 305 Dynamics of Early Childhood Play (3)
RTM 306 Leadership Coaching (3)
RTM 310/L Adventure Recreation and Human Relations and Lab (2/1)
RTM 330 Women, Leisure and Ethnicity in the U.S. (3)
RTM 351 Outdoor and Environmental Education (3)
RTM 352 Play and Human Potential (3)
RTM 353/L Literature of the Wilderness Experience and Lab (2/1)
RTM 402 Models of Play, Leisure and Recreation (3)
RTM 405 Play and the Exceptional Child (3)
RTM 406/L Enhancing Childhood Creativity and Lab (2/1)
RTM 414 Food and Beverage Management (3)
RTM 415 Leisure and Aging (3)
RTM 424 Meetings and Conventions Management (3)
RTM 434 Accommodations Management (3)
RTM 444 Nonprofit Organizations and Fund Development in Leisure and Human Services (3)
RTM 452/L Outdoor Recreation Leadership and Lab (3/2)
RTM 480 Recreational Tourism: Issues and Trends (3)
RTM 481 Principles of Sustainable Tourism (3)
Up to 4 elective units may be selected from the following:
RTM 151A Backpacking (2)
RTM 151B Rock Climbing and Mountaineering (2)
RTM 151C Winter Mountaineering (2)
RTM 151D Flat-Water Boating (2)
RTM 151E Whitewater Boating (2)
RTM 151F Survival (2)
RTM 151G Challenge/Ropes Courses (2)
RTM 151H Caving (2)
RTM 265 Water Skiing and Wakeboarding (1)
RTM 267/L Sailing and Lab (1/1)
Up to 3 elective units may be selected from the following:
RTM 398A Supervised Individual Project (1)
RTM 498A Field Assignment and Reports (1)
RTM 498B Field Assignment and Reports (2)
RTM 499A-C Independent Study (1-3)
Up to 6 elective units may be selected in career-related courses outside the department subject to the approval of the departmental advisor.
4. General Education (48 units)
Undergraduate students must complete 48 units of General Education as described in this Catalog, including 3 units of coursework meeting the Ethnic Studies (ES) graduation requirement.
6 units are satisfied by the following course in the major: RTM 403 satisfies B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning; and RTM 278 satisfies E Lifelong Learning.
If taken, RTM 310/L or RTM 330 satisfies upper division F Comparative Cultural Studies. RTM 251, RTM 310/L or RTM 352 fulfills the Information Competence requirement.
Total Units in the Major: 60
General Education Units: 42
Additional Units: 18
Total Units Required for the B.S. Degree: 120
More information
For more information about this program, please contact rtminfo@csun.edu.
Contact
Department of Recreation and Tourism Management
Chair: Nathan Martin
Redwood Hall (RE) 262
(818) 677-3202
Program Learning Outcomes
Students receiving a Bachelor of Science in Tourism, Hospitality, and Recreation Management will be able to:
- Demonstrate critical thinking, including innovation, analysis, synthesis and application to the fields of recreation, play, leisure, parks, hospitality and/or tourism throughout the THRM program.
- Demonstrate entry-level knowledge in the nature and scope of the park, recreation, tourism and hospitality professions and the historic, scientific and philosophical foundations of the profession based on evaluation of key class assignments and industry standards.
- Demonstrate the ability to design, implement and evaluate services, events and programs that model inclusive practices and that enhance the quality of life for all people through recreation and leisure experiences in a minimum of three required assignments in core courses.
- Demonstrate entry-level knowledge and skills associated with delivery, leadership and operations management, including skills in emotional intelligence as assessed on outcome measures.
- Demonstrate application and integration of theoretical knowledge in a practical setting through successful completion of learning outcomes generated for a professional internship (minimum of 400 hours) in preparation for pursuing employment in the parks, recreation, tourism and hospitality industry.