Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management (BS): Tourism and Event Management Concentration
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The curriculum in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management is a professional program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions. The curriculum provides students with a broad education in natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences, and fosters the professional, technical, and communication skills needed to plan and implement recreation programs and tourism events, manage parks and facilities, and design tourism services.
The curriculum is designed to prepare students for a variety of positions in a dynamic, people-centered profession that includes some of the fastest growing sectors of the global economy. The curriculum provides 42 hours of core coursework that includes foundations of tourism and event management, geospatial problem solving, outdoor recreation management, organizational leadership, fiscal management, and recreation programming.
In addition to the general education requirements and the core professional requirements, students can attain specialized training by choosing a concentration - either Recreation and Park Management (RPM) or Tourism and Event Management (TEM) - and selecting 15 hours of coursework related to their professional interests.
Academic studies on campus are supplemented by service learning opportunities, practical experiences in the Triangle area, and a 10-week internship with a park, recreation, event, or tourism organization. Other optional and encouraged opportunities include a weeklong experience at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, faculty-supervised research projects, and study abroad opportunities.
Tourism & Event Management (15 hours)
Tourism and Event Management students seek opportunities to work with people; think strategically and enjoy the process of planning; are inspired by the world’s unique natural and cultural resources; and want to use travel and events to bring people closer together. Examples of concentration courses include: Sustainable Tourism; Destination Planning and Management; Services, Facilities, and Event Marketing;Tourism, Poverty, and Health; and Special Event Planning.
Plan Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRT Major | |||
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý150 | Recreation, Sport, Tourism, and Event Management Orientation | 1 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý152 | Introduction to Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Event Management (CP) | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý220 | Foundations of Tourism and Event Management | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý230 | Foundations of Outdoor Recreation Management | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý238 | Diversity and Inclusion in Recreation and Sport | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý240 | Geospatial Applications for Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý358 | Recreation Program Planning | 4 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý359 | Organizational Leadership in Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management (CP) | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý371 | Risk Management in Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Event Management | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý375 | Professional Development and Internship Orientation | 2 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý380 | Evidence-based decision making in Recreation, Sport, Tourism, and Event Management (CP) | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý454 | Finance and Economics of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Event Management | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý475 | Recreation and Park Internship | 8 | |
| Math | |||
| ²Ñ´¡Ìý105 | Mathematics of Finance | 3 | |
| ´Ç°ùÌý²Ñ´¡Ìý107 | Precalculus I | ||
| ´Ç°ùÌý²Ñ´¡Ìý111 | Precalculus Algebra and Trigonometry | ||
| ´Ç°ùÌý²Ñ´¡Ìý114 | Introduction to Finite Mathematics with Applications | ||
| ´Ç°ùÌý²Ñ´¡Ìý121 | Elements of Calculus | ||
| ³§°ÕÌý311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 | |
| ´Ç°ùÌý³§°ÕÌý350 | Economics and Business Statistics | ||
| ´Ç°ùÌýµþ±«³§Ìý350 | Economics and Business Statistics | ||
| Other Major | |||
| °ä°¿²ÑÌý110 | Public Speaking | 3 | |
| ´Ç°ùÌý°ä°¿²ÑÌý112 | Interpersonal Communication | ||
| ´¡¸é·¡Ìý201 | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | 3 | |
| ´Ç°ùÌý´¡¸é·¡Ìý201A | Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | ||
| ´Ç°ùÌý·¡°äÌý201 | Principles of Microeconomics | ||
| ´Ç°ùÌý·¡°äÌý205 | Fundamentals of Economics | ||
| Concentration Electives | 15 | ||
| Free Electives (12 Hr S/U Lmt) | 21 | ||
| GEP Courses | |||
| GEP Natural Sciences | 7 | ||
| ·¡±·³ÒÌý101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4 | |
| GEP Humanities | 6 | ||
| GEP Social Sciences | 3 | ||
| GEP Additional Breadth (Humanities/Social Sciences/Visual and Performing Arts) | 3 | ||
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 5 | ||
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 2 | ||
| GEP U.S. Diversity (verify requirement) | |||
| GEP Global Knowledge (verify requirement) | |||
| Foreign Language Proficiency (verify requirement) | |||
| Total Hours | 120 | ||
| 1 | A grade of C- or higher is required. |
Acad Writing Research
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acad Writing Research | |||
| ·¡±·³ÒÌý101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 | |
| ¹ó³¢·¡Ìý101 | Academic Writing and Research | 4 | |
| Transfer Sequence | |||
| ·¡±·³ÒÌý1³Ò·¡±Ê | 100 Level English Composition | 3 | |
| ·¡±·³ÒÌý202 | Disciplinary Perspectives in Writing | ||
Concentration Electives
| Code | Title | Hours | Counts towards |
|---|---|---|---|
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý250 | Facilities Management in Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý307 | Services, Facilities and Event Marketing | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý319 | Sustainable Tourism | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý410 | Food and Beverage Management | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý420 | Destination Planning and Management | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý430 | Tourism, Poverty, and Health | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý458 | Special Events Planning | 3 | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý452 | Field Experience in Nature-Based Recreation & Tourism Management | 3 |
Semester Sequence
This is a sample.
Critical Path Courses – Identify using the code (CP) which courses are considered critical path courses which represent specific major requirements that are predictive of student success in a given program/plan. Place the (CP) next to the credit hours for the course.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý150 | Recreation, Sport, Tourism, and Event Management Orientation | 1 |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý152 | Introduction to Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Event Management (CP) 1 | 3 |
| ·¡±·³ÒÌý101 | Academic Writing and Research 1 | 4 |
| Mathematics Elective | 3 | |
| GEP Requirement | 4 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý220 | Foundations of Tourism and Event Management | 3 |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý238 | Diversity and Inclusion in Recreation and Sport 1 | 3 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 16 |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý230 | Foundations of Outdoor Recreation Management | 3 |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý240 | Geospatial Applications for Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management | 3 |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| °ä°¿²ÑÌý110 or °ä°¿²ÑÌý112 | Public Speaking or Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 15 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Concentration | 3 | |
| Select one of the following | 3 | |
| Principles of Microeconomics | Ìý | |
| Fundamentals of Economics | Ìý | |
| Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | Ìý | |
| Introduction to Agricultural & Resource Economics | Ìý | |
| GEP Requirement | 3 | |
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 15 |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý359 | Organizational Leadership in Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Event Management (CP) 1 | 3 |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý371 | Risk Management in Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Event Management | 3 |
| ³§°ÕÌý311 | Introduction to Statistics | 3 |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý375 | Professional Development and Internship Orientation | 2 |
| Concentration | 3 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 14 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý358 | Recreation Program Planning | 4 |
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý380 | Evidence-based decision making in Recreation, Sport, Tourism, and Event Management (CP) 1 | 3 |
| GEP Interdisciplinary Perspectives | 2-3 | |
| GEP Health and Exercise Studies | 1 | |
| Free Electives | 6 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 16 |
| Summer | ||
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý475 | Recreation and Park Internship | 8 |
| Ìý | Hours | 8 |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| ±Ê¸é°ÕÌý454 | Finance and Economics of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Event Management | 3 |
| Concentration | 6 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 12 |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Concentration | 3 | |
| Free Electives | 6 | |
| Ìý | Hours | 9 |
| Ìý | Total Hours | 120 |
| 1 | A grade of C- or greater required. |
Career Opportunities
Tourism is one of the world's largest industries. The growth of the industry is expected to increase as people have more discretionary time. Communities around the world need leaders who can help sustainably grow the tourism industry through leisure and business travel as well as events. The goals of tourism and event management professionals are to promote the planning, development, marketing, and provision of tourism and event opportunities that enhance economies while also promoting community well-being and the conservation of natural and cultural resources. Students within the Tourism and Event Management concentration are prepared to accomplish these goals and are equipped to plan and promote sustainable tourism and event opportunities that are inclusive of, and accessible to, a diverse population of visitors in a variety of settings.
Career opportunities include employment by tourism development agencies or organizations, such as convention and conference centers; visitor bureaus and centers; tourism development authorities; hotels and hospitality operators; resorts, private clubs, theme parks, and event management companies. Other career opportunities include tourism business or event management entrepreneurship.Ìý