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BS in Recreation Administration
In 1955 Sacramento State graduated its first Recreation Administration (RA) students for what would become the RA Concentration. This gives RA a long and proud history in the Sacramento region.
This concentration offers focus areas and certificate programs to help students select courses that will best match their academic and career interests.
With this degree you can focus in one of these four areas:
Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor recreation and adventure education courses focus on the basics of outdoor skills, leadership development, and experiential education through travel in the rich variety of river, mountain and coastal recreation areas in the Sacramento region. Students who take courses in this area are often considering work as: outdoor and environmental educators, camp counselors, and managers, as well as, other areas where learning happens that is experiential in nature. Organizations that often employ our students as interns and field educators include: Sac State’s Peak Adventures, Sac State’s Aquatic Center, local rock-climbing gyms, a variety of Girl Scout, Boy Scout and other summer camps, and environmental education schools such as Sly Park Environmental Education Center.
Municipal Recreation and Non-Profit Administration
These courses focus on skills needed for working with public recreation and park agencies at the city, county, regional, and state levels (e.g., city or county Department of Parks and Recreation), special districts (e.g., East Bay Regional Park District) and/or non-profit agencies (e.g., after-school programs, fundraising events, programs for seniors, summer camps, etc.). Students who take courses in this area are being trained for positions that involve planning, implementing, managing, and evaluating comprehensive recreation programs in public and nonprofit settings.
Natural Resources
Natural resource courses focus on approaches various government agencies and non-profits use to provide opportunities for outdoor recreation and protect natural resources. Examples include California State Parks, the US the Forest Service, the National Park Service, Sacramento County Regional Parks, and the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife. Students who take courses in this area are often considering positions as park rangers, public land managers, interpreters of natural and cultural history, game wardens, and outdoor recreation planners. The Outdoor Field Camp program is a travelling mobile classroom used to give students a chance to learn about protection of environmental and cultural resources onsite at places such as Yosemite Valley, Lake Tahoe, the north coast redwood parks, and Sequoia Kings Canyon National Park.
Experiential Education
Experiential Education is a teaching philosophy in which educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills, and encourage individuals to contribute to their communities. In the RPTA department, there are many opportunities for experiential learning. These experiences happen in the classroom, on field trips, through internships, and community engagements. Experiential education helps connect theory with "real life" practical experiences, enriching knowledge and addressing the various learning styles of students.
Career Pathways & Opportunities
Outdoor and Natural Resources:
The outdoor recreation and natural resource area of the RPTA major has a breadth of courses ranging from those focusing on experiential and outdoor education to courses focused on management issues related to the natural environment. All our courses involve field components and travel to the outstanding natural places in the Sacramento region including river, mountain, and coastal areas. Students taking courses in this area are often considering employment as:
- Park rangers
- Adventure instructors
- Raft guides
- Environmental educators
- Wilderness rangers
- Camp counselors or directors
- Rock climbing gym instructors
- Agency resource managers with federal, state, or local agencies (California State Parks, National Park Service, US Forest Service, US Army Corps of Engineers, California Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, Sacramento County Regional Parks)
Municipal Recreation:
- After-school program director
- Youth sports coordinator
- Music and arts director
- playground supervisor
- Recreation leader or supervisor
- Cultural arts director
- Aquatics director
- lifeguard supervisor
- Volunteer coordinator
Resources
Advising
When students declare RA as their major program, or during Orientation, they are assigned advisors.
The major advisor is a student's primary point of contact within RPTA and can answer questions about requirements, transfer course substitutions, major elective choices, when to petition for graduation, etc.
It is possible, within the RA major, to select major elective coursework which will also satisfy requirements for an Academic Certificate. Refer to the Certificate page or speak with your advisor about certificates.
If an advisor does not know the answer to a question, they will typically know where to direct the student next. Major advisors are generally not as knowledgeable about University-wide issues, such as Financial Aid, and students cannot expect a single advisor to know the answer to every question!