Outdoor Recreation Degree

The Bachelor of Science Degree in Outdoor Recreation in Parks and Tourism (ORPT) is an interdisciplinary degree program offered by the Department of Kinesiology and Outdoor Recreation within the College of Health Sciences. The interdisciplinary nature of the program includes course work from Agriculture Science, Biology, Communications, Geology, and Hotel and Hospitality Management.

The degree program in ORPT is intended to provide students with training that qualifies them to work in a variety of work settings including recreation management agencies, outdoor and experiential education organizations, outdoor tourism companies, and outdoor recreation service and instruction programs. Employment opportunities typically exist with local, state and national agencies, protected natural areas, outdoor leadership and service programs, commercial recreation enterprises, and wilderness adventure/therapy organizations. Combined with the broad educational background provided by SUU’s Baccalaureate Core, this program will give students a wide range of opportunities upon graduation including solid preparation for graduate studies at Utah System of Higher Education’s Research I institutions in fields such as recreation resource management, parks and recreation, tourism; or related areas of graduate study.

Southern Utah University is located at the western edge of the Colorado Plateau in Southwest Utah. The university is within ½ day’s drive of at least 11 national parks, national monuments and recreational areas including, Zion National Park, Arches, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and the Grand Canyon. Few universities in the country can boast such close contact to such a magnificent landscape. ENJOY THE JOURNEY!

ORPT students are encouraged to meet with Dr. Kelly Goonan (435-865-8098) to plan your program based on your goals for the future.

Outdoor Recreation Core Courses
Course Number and Title Credit Pre-Requisite & Instructions
Core Courses 42 cr.
ORPT 1030 Introduction to Backpacking 2
ORPT 1542 Wilderness First Responder 3 Or current certification
ORPT 2040 Americans in the Outdoors 3
ORPT 3000/3005 Foundations of Outdoor Recreation & Lab 4
ORPT 3030 Foundations of Recreation Resources Management 3 ORPT 3000
ORPT 3040 Leadership in Outdoor Recreation 3 ORPT 3000
ORPT 3050 Risk Management & Safety for Outdoor Rec. 3 ORPT 3000
ORPT 4740/4745 Organization & Administration for ORPT and Lab 4 ORPT 3000
ORPT 4890 Outdoor Recreation Tourism Internship 8 Completed 90 credits
ORPT 4900 ORPT Senior Seminar 3 ORPT Senior
COMM 4240 Technical Writing 3
HRHM 3000 OR Introduction to Hospitality Management 3
HRHM 3010 Tourism Management
Elective: Choose 3 credits
AGSC 1750 Horsemanship 1 1
ORPT 1035 Winter Backpacking and Travel Techniques 2
ORPT 1050 Canyoneering 1 1
ORPT 1055 Canyoneering 2 1 ORPT 1050 or inst. approval
ORPT 1300 Leave No Trace Trainer 1
ORPT 1310 Primitive Skills and Ten Essentials 1
ORPT 1350 Scuba Diving 1
ORPT 1351 Advanced Scuba 1 ORPT 1350
ORPT 1527 Climbing I 1
ORPT 1528 Climbing II 1 ORPT 1527 or instructor approval
ORPT 1610 Skiing/Snowboarding I 1
ORPT 1611 Skiing/Snowboarding II 1
ORPT 1625 Skiing (Nordic) 1
ORPT 2000 Outdoor Skills Seminar 1-3
General Education Required & Recommended Courses
Written Communication ENGL 1010 Introduction to Academic Writing

ENGL 2010 Intermediate Writing
6 Required
Quantitative Literacy MATH 1040 Statistics 4 Recommended
American Institutions POLS 1100 American National Government

HIST 1700 American Civilization
3 Recommended
Integrated Learning INFO 1010 Information Literacy 1 Required
Fine Arts ART 1050 Introduction to Photography

DANC 1010 Inside the Art of Dance

ENGL 2020 Introduction to Creative Writing

MUSC 1050 Music of the World

THEA 1013 Introduction to Theater

THEA 1023 Introduction to Film
3 All Recommended
Humanities COMM 2010 Interpersonal Communication

HIST 1100 Western Civilization I

HSS 1120 Introduction to Diversity

PHIL 1000 Introduction to Philosophy
3 All Recommended
Social & Behavioral ANTH 1010 Cultural Anthropology

CJ 1010 Introduction of Criminal Justice

COMM 2150 Intercultural Communication

PSY 1010 General Psychology

SOC 1010 Introduction to Sociology
3 All Recommended
Life Sciences BIOL 2500 Environmental Biology

BIOL 1610/1615 Gen. Biology I & Lab*
3

4
Recommended

*Required for Natural Resource Emphasis
Physical Sciences GEO 1050/1055 Geology of Nat'l Park/Lab
OR GEO 2210/2215 Geology of S. Utah/Lab
4 4 cr. of GEO req. for majors/minors
In addition to completing the core and elective courses, students must complete one emphasis area (Listed below):
Tourism Emphasis 18 cr.
ORPT 4020 Interpretation 3
HRHM 4600 Strategic Leadership in HRHM 3 Senior ORPT Major
Choose 3 credits of Business Skills
ACCT 2010 Accounting Principles 3
MGMT 2220 Small Business Management 3
ENTR 3210 Entrepreneurship 3 Junior and Inst. permission
Choose 6 credits of Hospitality
HRHM 3020 Hospitality Safety & Sanitation Management 3
HRHM 3300 Facilities and Housekeeping Management 3 HRHM 3000
HRHM 3400 Front Office and Hotel Analytics 3 HRHM 3000
HRHM 4300 Resort Recreation Management 3 HRHM 3000
HRHM 4700 Special Topics in Hospitality Management 3
Choose 3 credits of Supportive Knowledge
PSY 3500 Environmental Psychology 3 PSY 1010
NR 3000 Wildlife Ecology and Management 3
ORPT 4030 Interdisciplinary Outdoor Education 3
BIOL 2050 Southern Utah Flora 3
Outdoor Recreation Tourism Emphasis Total 60 cr.
Outdoor Education Emphasis 18 cr.
ORPT 4030 Interdisciplinary Outdoor Education 3
Select one of the following:
COMM 4501 Conflict Management 3
PSY 3500 Environmental Psychology 3 PSY 1010
PSY 4330 Theories of Learning 3 PSY 1010
SOC 3300 Sociology of Education 3 SOC 1010 or 1020
SOC 3410 Environmental Sociology 3
SOC 3560 Sociology of Leisure and Tourism 3
Choose 3-4 credits of Science
BIOL 2050 Southern Utah Flora 3
NR 3000 Natural Resource Management 3
Upper Division Biology Course 3-4 Consult with Department
Choose 3 credits of Teaching Skill Development
ORPT 4020 Interpretation 3
PSY 3820 Human Relations in Group Dynamics 3 PSY 1010
ORPT 4860 ORPT Skills Practicum 3
Choose 3 credits of Business or Communication Skills
ACCT 2010 Accounting Principles 3
COMM 2120 Team Work, Decision Making & Leadership 3
MGMT 2220 Small Business Management 3
ENTR 3210 Entrepreneurship 3 Junior and Inst. permission
Outdoor Education Emphasis Total 60-61 cr.
Natural Resource Recreation Emphasis 28 cr.
BIOL 1620/1625 General Biology II & Lab 4 BIOL 1610/1615
BIOL 3030/3035 Ecology & Lab 4 BIOL 1610/1615 and 1620/1625; MATH 1040 recommended
BIOL or AGSC An approved biology or agriculture course 3
GEOG 2900 GPS Theory, Techniques & Methods 2 Instructor Permission
NR 3000 Natural Resource Management 3 Instructor Permission
ORPT 4020 Interpretation 3
ORPT 4500 Recreation Ecology 3 GEOG 2920 and ORPT 3000 and ORPT 3060
ORPT 4600 Outdoor Recreation Policy and Planning 3
Select one of the following:
GEOG 3400 Environmental Geography 3
GEOG 3600 Geography of Utah 3
PSY 3500 Environmental Psychology 3 PSY 1010
Natural Resource Recreation Emphasis Total 70 cr.

Recommended Minors:

  • Agriculture: 20 credits
  • Anthropology: 18 credits
  • Biology: 19-20 credits
  • Communication - Strategic Communication Emphasis: 18 credits
  • Criminal Justice: 18 credits
  • Event Planning and Management: 18 credits
  • Geography: 20 credits
  • History: 18 credits
  • Hotel, Resort & Hospitality Management: 18 credits
  • Management: 22 credits
  • Psychology: 18 credits