Recreation and Leisure Studies

Graduate Program

The department offers the Master of Science in Recreation and Leisure Studies for students interested in advanced professional study in Therapeutic Recreation or Recreation and Leisure Services Management. The Department also accommodates individuals interested in the disciplinary aspects of recreation and leisure behavior.

Persons without baccalaureate degrees in recreation and leisure studies are welcome into the graduate program but, on an individualized basis, are advised into undergraduate-level classes as prerequisites to graduate study. The Master of Science consists of a common core of 24 credits in recreation and leisure-related philosophical, behavioral, statistics, and research courses. Professionally experienced graduate students select an appropriate graduate elective, while others complete a graduate internship at an approved site. The remainder of the core is either the completion of a research project or the completion of a master's thesis. Further, an additional six credits in one of our two areas of concentration enable a more thorough understanding of the substance and theory of therapeutic recreation or recreation and leisure services management.

Our graduate program is new enough to be small and personal, and yet it is built on the tradition of an accredited undergraduate program and expertise of a nationally respected faculty. The program provides a specialized approach to academic advisement, a contemporary outlook on the discipline, and access to excellent library resources and state-of-the-art computing facilities. Students gain the education and experience needed for advanced education and experience needed for advance practice in the discipline and for admission into doctoral programs nationwide.

Links

REL Graduate Program Mission

Departmental Policies

Therapeutic Recreation Curriculum

Recreation and Leisure Services Management Curiculum

Apply Now! The College at Brockport Graduate Education Web Site

Career opportunities

The Therapeutic Recreation (TR) area of concentration provides graduate students with academic courses and field and research experiences that meet the National Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) Standards. Students are prepared to address the recreation and leisure needs of persons with disabilities from a life-course, developmental perspective. Graduates have found professional positions in the clinical, transitional, or community delivery of habilitative or rehabilitative recreation and leisure programs and services to individuals with disabilities.

The Recreation Management (RM) concentration provides graduate students with academic courses and field and research experiences that have prepared them for upper-level managerial positions in the public, private, or market sectors, and in planning and research. Students are given opportunities to examine the underlying philosophies, behavioral implications, and professional practices essential to the delivery of effective and efficient recreation and leisure programs, services, and products in an increasingly diverse society.

Financial aid and scholarships

The Financial Aid Office provides information regarding financial assistance in meeting education costs. Well over half of the students at SUNY Brockport receive financial assistance. Students interested in applying for grants, work, or educational loans should familiarize themselves with the Financial Aid Handbook for Brockport Students and consult with the Financial Aid Office in the Rakov Center.
There is also the Martin H. Rogers Award for which matriculated recreation and leisure studies master's degree students may apply. In addition, many regional recreation and park professional societies provide scholarships and/or grants to residents of their locality who are pursuing graduate education in recreation and leisure. Students interested in applying for such aid should contact their regional recreation and park society.

Specialization within the MPA

Effective January 1994, a new opportunity is available to REL professionals who are committed to the public sector. The Master's of Public Administration (MPA) program in collaboration with REL is offering a Non Profit Specialization under the General Emphasis of the MPA. It is designed for those who want to "keep their fingers" in REL, but who want their graduate degree in the broader area of public administration in order to open up career paths in city management or human resources administration.

For more information contact:

Graduate Coordinator, Dr. Lynda Sperazza
(585) 395-5490
lsperazza@brockport.edu
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Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies
350 New Campus Drive
SUNY Brockport
Brockport, NY 14420-2976
(585) 395-2994
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Office of Graduate Studies
SUNY Brockport
350 New Campus Drive
Brockport, NY 14420-2914
(585) 395-5465