Program Detail

California State University - Sacramento

Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration

Dr. Jamie Hoffman, Chair
Email
3228 Serra Way
Sacramento, CA  95816-7024
(916) 278-2936

Accredited Programs




The BS in Recreation Administration prepares students to work in a wide range of fields that serve the public; protect our natural, cultural and heritage resources; and support a healthy quality of life. Students follow a set of foundational core classes that are augmented with the student’s choice of additional courses in one or more of the following areas: Nonprofit and Community Engagement. Leadership. Community Events & Fundraising. Volunteer Management. In this area, students choose from courses that will help develop skills and improve confidence in the areas of grant writing, leadership, community outreach and advocacy, finding and managing volunteers, creating fundraising events, and other related areas. There is an emphasis on engaging diversity to help nonprofit agencies best serve their local communities. Outdoor Recreation. Natural Resource. Experiential Education. Parks & Protected Areas. In this area, students choose from courses that will prepare them for ranger, park law enforcement, or wilderness interpreter jobs in federal or state government funded agencies such as the National Park Service, the United States Forest Service, the Army Corps of Engineers, California Department of Parks and Recreation, or the Bureau of Land Management. Additional coursework prepares students to serve as adventure recreation or experiential education leaders for recreation providers such as Peak Adventures. Public and Agency Recreation. Campus & Military Recreation. Community Sports. After-School Programming. In this area, students will gain skills in planning, implementing, managing, and evaluating comprehensive recreation programs that are a vital part of healthy communities. Students choose from courses that will teach them age-appropriate recreation programming across a wide-range of location and facility types including campus recreation centers, community park settings, summer camps, military bases, after-school sites, and others

COAPRT Standard 7.01. - Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate the following entry-level knowledge: a) the nature and scope of the relevant park, recreation, tourism or related professions and their associated industries; b) techniques and processes used by professionals and workers in these industries; and c) the foundation of the profession in history, science and philosophy.
  • Outcome:
    RPTA 30 -- Recreation, Parks & Tourism in Contemporary Society 7.01(a) Demonstrate entry-level knowledge of the scope of the professions in recreation, parks, sport management, hospitality, and tourism. RPTA 32 -- Leadership & Group Development 7.01(b) To practice leadership situations outside of the formal classroom to enhance their perspective of leadership. RPTA 30 -- Recreation, Parks and Tourism in Contemporary Society 7.01(c) Demonstrate entry-level knowledge of historical and philosophical foundations of the recreation, parks, sport management, hospitality, and tourism professions
  • Measure Type:
    Direct
  • Assessment Method:
    Fall 2022/Spring 2023 RPTA 30 -- 7.01 (a) Informational Interview -- Interviews with professionals and a paper RPTA 32 -- 7.01 (b) Team Leadership Activity RPTA 30 -- 7.01 (c) Module 1 Quiz
  • Result:
    Fall 2022 RPTA 30-- 7.01 (a) -- Informational Interview Assignment -- 92% of students scored at least 70% and above RPTA 32 -- 7.01 (b) -- Team Leadership Activity (Section 01) 90% of students scored 80% and above (Section 02) 83% of students scored 80% and above (Section 03) 83% of students scored 80% and above on the Team Leadership Activity RPTA 30 -- 7.01 (c) -- Module 1 Quiz-- 99% of students scored at least 70% and above (major increase) Spring 2023 RPTA 30-- 7.01 (a) -- Informational Interview Assignment -- 97% of students scored at least 70% and above RPTA 32 -- 7.01 (b) -- Team Leadership Activity (Section 01) 96% of students scored 80% and above (Section 02) 96% of students scored 80% and above (only two sections taught in spring of 2023) RPTA 30 -- 7.01 (c) -- Module 1 Quiz-- 88% of students will score at least 70% and above
COAPRT Standard 7.02. - Students graduating from the program shall be able to demonstrate the ability to design, implement, and evaluate services that facilitate targeted human experiences and that embrace personal and cultural dimensions of diversity.
  • Outcome:
    RPTA 136 Program and Event Planning in RPTA 7.02 To understand the recreation program planning process and factors involved
  • Measure Type:
    Direct
  • Assessment Method:
    Fall/Spring RPTA 136 -- 7.02 Program Manual
  • Result:
    Fall 2022 RPTA 136 -- 97% of students scored 70% or above on the Program Manual Assignment Spring 2023 RPTA 136 -- 93% of students scored 70% or above on the Program Manual Assignment
COAPRT Standard 7.03. - Students graduating from the program shall be able to demonstrate entry-level knowledge about operations and strategic management/administration in parks, recreation, tourism and/or related professions..
  • Outcome:
    Fall 2022/Spring 2023 RPTA 60 -- Budgeting for Recreation Services (7.03) To distinguish various pricing strategies and appropriate settings for their use.
  • Measure Type:
    Direct
  • Assessment Method:
    Fall 2022/ Spring 2023 RPTA 60 -- Budgeting for Recreation Services (7.03) -- Program Grant Application with Budget Assignment
  • Result:
    Fall 2022 RPTA 60 -- Final Project (Program Grant Application with Budget) -- 75% of students scored 80% or above on the Budget Assignment Spring 2023 RPTA 60 -- Final Project (Program Grant Application with Budget) -- 70% of students scored 80% or above on the Budget Assignment (On average, students met and/or exceeded the metric however the assignment is being reviewed for clarity and ease of understanding. There were also a number of non-major Health Science students in the course which is not typical and which may have skewed the percentages.)

The purpose of the Recreation Therapy (RT) degree is twofold. First, the RT degree provides academic course work and field-based experiences, which enables graduates to enter the profession qualified to effectively and successfully provide recreation therapy services to individuals with disabilities in clinical, transitional, and community settings. Competencies addressed in the RT degree are designed to meet the standards and evaluative criteria of the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT), the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). Second, the RT degree provides to all department students, and campus-wide students who are non-majors, an orientation to individuals with disabilities and to the profession of Recreation Therapy. This knowledge will enable graduates to better provide recreation and other services to individuals with disabilities that are more comprehensive and sensitive to their needs.

COAPRT Standard 7.01. - Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate the following entry-level knowledge: a) the nature and scope of the relevant park, recreation, tourism or related professions and their associated industries; b) techniques and processes used by professionals and workers in these industries; and c) the foundation of the profession in history, science and philosophy.
  • Outcome:
    RPTA 116 -- Recreation Therapy Principles and Practices and the Recreation Therapy Process -- 7.01 (a) Describe standards and regulations which govern therapeutic recreation programs and services RPTA 118 -- Recreation Therapy Facilitation Techniques 7.01 (b) Students will be able to discuss issues and trends regarding ethical standards in health care professions BIO 25 Human Anatomy & Physiology 7.01 (c) Human functioning including anatomy and physiology, human growth and development through the lifespan, variations in development and resulting disability, psychology, including abnormal psychology, and theories of human behavior change
  • Measure Type:
    Direct
  • Assessment Method:
    RPTA 116 -- 7.01 (a) Online Assignment: NCTRC Quiz RPTA 118 -- 7.01(b) Facilitation Assignment BIO 25 -- 7.01 (c) Students final grades as posted on RT Verification Form and university transcripts
  • Result:
    Fall 2022 RPTA 116 -- 7.01(a) 86% of students scored 70% or above for the online NCTRC Quiz RPTA 118 -- 7.01(b) 100% of students scored 80% and above on the Facilitation Assignment BIO 25 -- 7.01(c) 100% of students earned 70% or above in BIO 25 or an equivalent course before RPTA 195D RT Internship Spring 2023 RPTA 116 -- 7.01(a) 84% of students scored 50% or above for the online NCTRC Quiz RPTA 118 -- 7.01(b) 100% of students scored 80% and above on the Facilitation Assignment BIO 25 -- 7.01(c) 100% of students earned 70% or above in BIO 25 or an equivalent course before RPTA 195D RT Internship
COAPRT Standard 7.02. - Students graduating from the program shall be able to demonstrate the ability to design, implement, and evaluate services that facilitate targeted human experiences and that embrace personal and cultural dimensions of diversity.
  • Outcome:
    RPTA 115 Recreation Therapy Assessment and Documentation7.02 (a) Apply the major methods of assessment to determine a client’s physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and leisure functioning. RPTA 118 Recreation Therapy Facilitation Techniques 7.02 (b) Describe the process of developing, presenting, implementing, and evaluating treatment and program plans in therapeutic recreation RPTA 118 Recreation Therapy Facilitation Techniques 7.02 (c) Conduct various facilitation technique experiences with a variety of client populations RPTA 115 Recreation Therapy Assessment and Documentation 7 .02 (d) Describe the basic components and methods of documenting client progress. RPTA 115 Recreation Therapy Assessment and Documentation 7.02 (e) Explain processes of evaluating client progress towards meeting program plan objectives.
  • Measure Type:
    Direct
  • Assessment Method:
    Fall 2022/Spring 2023 RPTA 115 -- 7.02 (a) Treatment Plan Assignment RPTA 118 -- 7.02 (b) Facilitation Assignment RPTA 118 -- 7.02 (c) Service Learning Assignment RPTA 115 -- 7.02 (d) Peer Assessment in-class Assignment RPTA 115 -- 7.02 (e) Peer Assessment in-class Assignment
  • Result:
    Fall 2022 RPTA 115 -- 7.02 (a) Treatment Plan Assignment -- 87% of students scored 80% and above RPTA 118 -- 7.02 (b) Facilitation Assignment -- 82% students scored 80% or greater RPTA 118 -- 7.02 (c) Service Learning Assignment -- 83% of students scored 80% and above RPTA 115 -- 7.02 (d) Peer Assessment in-class Assignment -- 100% of students scored 80% and above RPTA 115 -- 7.02 (e) Peer Assessment in-class Assignment -- 100% of students scored 80% and above Spring 2023 RPTA 115 -- 7.02 (a) Treatment Plan Assignment -- 89% of students scored 80% and above RPTA 118 -- 7.02 (b) Facilitation Assignment -- 84% students scored 80% or greater RPTA 118 -- 7.02 (c) Service Learning Assignment -- 89% of students scored 80% and above RPTA 115 -- 7.02 (d) Peer Assessment in-class Assignment -- 100% of students scored 80% and above RPTA 115 -- 7.02 (e) Peer Assessment in-class Assignment -- 100% of students scored 80% and above
COAPRT Standard 7.03. - Students graduating from the program shall be able to demonstrate entry-level knowledge about operations and strategic management/administration in parks, recreation, tourism and/or related professions..
  • Outcome:
    RPTA 119 Recreation Therapy Management and Advancement of the Profession -- (7.03 a-i) Describe management techniques and issues with therapeutic recreation professionals and para-professionals
  • Measure Type:
    Direct
  • Assessment Method:
    Fall 2022/Spring 2023 RPTA 119 -- Recreation Therapy Management and Advancement of the Profession -- RT Manual Assignment
  • Result:
    Fall 2022 RPTA 119 --Recreation Therapy Management and Advancement of the Profession -- RT Manual Assignment -- 72% of students scored 80% and above Spring 2023 RPTA 119 -- Recreation Therapy Management and Advancement of the Profession -- RT Manual Assignment -- 16% of students scored 80% and above Low scoring semester in Spring/Fall 2023 included the data of students who stopped submitting work, or submitted incomplete work but did not withdraw/drop from the class. In addition, there was low enrollment in the class (Spring 2023: n=6; Fall 2023: n=3). Students who did not submit incomplete work were provided with an “Incomplete” grade in the course and have until May 2024 to submit all materials required to attain competency and a final grade.