San Francisco State University
Department of Recreation, Parks, and Tourism
Graduate Courses

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As of Fall 2009 the following is an overview of the graduate level core, elective or culminating experience (CE) courses for the Recreation Graduate Program:

700: Orientation and Professional Development in Recreation and Leisure Service(1)

Students undertake a supervised comprehensive self-assessment of current professional career status. Each student would develop a plan for professional growth, using feedback from two mentors, an existing recreation graduate student and a professional in their chosen professional area.

720: Developing Collaborative Leaders in Leisure Services (3)

The course examines leadership behaviors and principles associated with creating and/or guiding a leisure service organization's efforts to develop collaborative leaders. Emphasis is on creating an organizational environment with a diverse work force where shared leadership is valued and practiced.

730: Foundations of Leisure (3)

Seminar in the concepts of leisure, recreation, play and related areas such as time, work, tourism, etc. Selected readings in cultural, philosophical, behavioral and social scientific literature related to the above.

740: Leisure and Aging (3) Elective

Trends, concepts, challenges of aging related to leisure. Focues on issues of lifespan, retirement, changing roles, and lifestyle adjustment. Applications and implications for leisure service delivery in a variety of clinical, custodial/long-term care, and community organizational settings.

810: Research Methods in Recreation and Leisure Studies (3)

Prerequisites of REC 700 and REC 730. Introduction to general research approaches, design, and methodology, with emphasis on research design and methods used in recreation and related fields. Review of pertinent literature.

850: Human Resources Development in Leisure Studies (3)

Seminar in supervision including includeing volunteer management, situational leadership; coaching and counseling personnel, performance appraisal, and personnnel management systems.

862: Management of Leisure Services (3)

Prerequisite: REC 500 or 550 or equivalent. Organization and management of services in public and private leisure service agencies. Emphasis includes legal issues, fiscal resources, management trends, political issues, community involvement, organizational effectiveness, and current problems and issues affecting leisure service agencies.

880: Trends and Issues In Leisure Services (3)

Prerequisites: REC 700, REC 720, REC 730, 850 and 862. Intensive study of selected trends, issues and problems in recreation.

891: Independent Research In Leisure Studies (1-3) Elective

Prerequisite: graduate advisor approval and REC 810. Independent, original research investigations supervised by a graduate advisor. Normally taken during the semester you take a comprehensive exam. Not required for students doing a thesis. Does not count toward 34 units master's degree requirements.

895: Applied Research Project (3) CE

Prerequisite: approved culminating experience forms, RPT 810 and RPT 880, both with B or better. Thorough investigation of recretaion, parks or tourism issue or problem based on original analysis; writing of professional paper based on project results.

898: Master's Thesis (3) CE

Prerequisites: advancement to candidacy for the Master of Arts; REC 810 and consent of graduate major adviser. An approved Proposal for Culminating Experience Requirement form must be on file in the Graduate Division before registration. Conducting an intensive research project and writing a formal thesis.

899: Special Study (3-6) Elective

Prerequisites: consent of division graduate coordinator and supervising faculty member. Study is planned, developed, and completed under the direction of a member of the school. Open only to graduate students of demonstrated ability to do independent work. Enrollment by petition.