Leadership Education: Recreation Leadership - MS

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Description of Program (Master’s in Leadership Education)

The goal of a Master’s in Leadership Education is to prepare collaborative leaders who sustain and renew America’s democracy by transforming and managing schools and organizations for the benefit of each learner and with a view to the common good. A core of education leadership courses is combined with course work and experiences in one of four different emphases to earn the degree. The emphases are:

Organizational Leadership
Professional Leadership Studies
Recreation Leadership (in collaboration with RTTR Department)
Sport Management (in collaboration with PESS Department)

Graduates are prepared to take leadership roles in non-profit, government, and public organizations.

Three requirements must be satisfactorily completed to earn the degree: 33 graduate credits, a capstone paper/thesis, and the Comprehensive Exam. A core of five Leadership Education courses (15 S.H.) is required of all degree candidates - each emphasis has an additional 18 credits specific to its mission.

Recreation Leadership (33 S.H.)

In cooperation with the Recreation, Tourism and Therapeutic the Recreation (RTTR) Department, their graduate certificate in Recreation Leadership can be combined with the five core courses in Education Leadership for the Master’s Degree. Graduates work in K-12 schools supporting student learning and health, and the rapidly growing fields of adventure tourism and team building in organizations.

A certificate in Recreation Leadership is available through the Recreation, Tourism and Therapeutic the Recreation (RTTR) Department.

Leadership Education Core Courses (15 S.H.)

A core of five Leadership Education courses is required of all degree candidates.

Recreation Leadership Required Courses (18 S.H.)

Choose two from: (6 S.H.)

CE 615 - Group Theory and Practice (3 S.H.)
CE 620 - Tests & Measurements (3 S.H.)
EL 600 - Workshops in Educational Leadership (1-4 S.H.) (1 S.H. required)
LDRS 660 - EL Masters Internship (3 S.H.)
LDRS 699 - Master’s Thesis (Thesis Advisement Credits) (3 S.H.)
RTTR 514 - Recreational Leadership (3 S.H.)
RTTR 517 - Special Topics in Recreation, Tourism and Therapeutic Recreation (1-3 S.H.) (3 S.H. required)
RTTR 613 - Independent Study in Recreation, Tourism and Therapeutic Recreation (1-3 S.H.) (3 S.H. required)
CE 595 - Workshop: Counseling Specialties (0.5-4 S.H.) (3 S.H. required)

Capstone Writing Requirements

Candidates must write a significant research paper or master’s thesis to show proficiency in research and writing at the graduate level. The topic and proposal for this paper is initiated in LDRS 618 - Scholarship and brought to completion under the guidance of a capstone/thesis advisor. Guides for form and style are available from the Department of Leadership Education.

Non-Thesis Option - student completes LDRS 618 - Scholarship and writes the paper under the guidance of their capstone advisor.

Thesis Option - student completed LDRS 618 - Scholarship , takes LDRS 699 - Master’s Thesis (Thesis Advisement Credits) , writes the paper under the guidance of their thesis advisor, and defends their research to a faculty panel.

Comprehensive Examination

Each candidate must pass a written comprehensive examination on required course work.