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Curriculum Bases |
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The intellectual
bases of the program's curriculum are the study of: 1) leisure as a human, cultural
and societal phenomena; 2) the essence of recreation as a human experience; 3)
the relationship of the environment to that experience; and 4) modalities of guidance
of that human experience. The discipline and profession draws from a wide variety
of academic areas and professional practices interfaced with its own unique body
of knowledge. Academic areas such as psychology, sociology, philosophy, anthropology,
history, political science, natural science, geography, the humanities, and the
arts each contribute in unique ways to the study of leisure and the delivery of
recreation services. Knowledge and skills from professional and applied professional
fields such as health, medicine, law, counseling, education, physical education,
marketing, personnel management, public administration, and business administration
are incorporated into the science and art of guiding the leisure activity. Research
and evaluation techniques parallel those in the social and behavioral sciences,
the natural sciences, the humanities, business, and education, depending on the
nature of the setting and the problematic area in question.
Finally, the
curriculum draws upon the discipline's own body of unique knowledge and methodologies,
especially in the areas of leisure service activity skills (arts and crafts, outdoor
adventure recreation pursuits, conference and special event planning, and community
service), activity leadership, programming, and program and resource planning
and evaluation as applied to all populations.
The major thrusts of the
curriculum are to: 1) prepare professional workers in recreation and leisure services
to direct, develop, or coordinate public, voluntary and private enterprise programs
and resources in a variety of community and special settings; 2) prepare them
to meet the needs of unique or special participant populations; 3) prepare students
for positions with supervisory and administrative responsibility, as needed, in
the design, planning, management and evaluation of leisure services and environmental
resources. The curriculum also seeks to engender in the pre-professional student
a capability for guiding others in the disposition of uncommitted time and resources
in leisure settings, and in the general student, a better understanding of the
leisure phenomenon and the importance of well-directed leisure pursuits.
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