Outdoor Recreation Advising Guide

The Outdoor Recreation emphasis area explores major philosophical, theoretical and professional foundations of outdoor recreation. This includes:

1. Outdoor recreation philosophy, participant motivations and behaviors, ethics, and research
2. Public and private agencies charged with managing the people-environment interaction in outdoor recreation, and
3. The public and for specific groups, including but not limited to youth, seniors, persons with varying abilities, minority groups, and others.

The outdoor recreation emphasis exposes students to a wide range of career paths, including but certainly not limited to: camp and adventure program program administration and management, trip leadership and guiding (climbing and mountaineering, kayaking, rafting, etc.), wilderness therapy or therapeutic adventure, environmental/experiential/outdoor education, state parks management, and adventure travel. Support area courses vary depending on individual student interests.

Support Area

For the 25-credit support area that is part of the Recreation Management and Leadership major, students can minor in an area (e.g., Environmental Education, Psychology, Sociology) or can take courses in a specific area to meet this requirement. Generally, students should be looking at natural resource/environment courses and/or courses in the social sciences with an emphasis on the population(s) with which outdoor leaders and managers work. The options are numerous and conversations with faculty will help shape a useful and effective support area. Specific outdoor activity skills are essential and students get these on your own. Western’s Outdoor Center trips are excellent for building skills and Wilderness First Responder courses are offered regularly on campus and elsewhere.

Applied Skill Courses

A Wilderness First Responder course (approximately 100 hours of class and field work) and other applied certifications and trainings through the National Outdoor Leadership School, Outward Bound, or the American Alpine Institute can also be can be taken by Recreation Majors for independent study credit through the Recreation Program to develop outdoor leadership skills. See recreation faculty members Keith Russell or Randy Burtz about these options.

Suggested Courses

Below are possible support area classes that other students have found helpful. Although support area classes are usually 300 level and above, there are possible exceptions as listed below. Be aware that many of the courses listed have pre-requisites or require major or minor status.

Environmental Studies

Spring Block has space typically for 4-5 Recreation Management and Leadership majors in the SPRING QUARTER after Phase II or after Phase IV. Be sure to take 371 in the fall and sign up early for Spring Block.

• ESTU 371 - Environmental Education

Spring Block Courses:

• ENVS 485 - Natural History for Environmental Education
• ENVS 486 - Field Methods in Environmental Education
• ENVS 488 - Outdoor Education
• ENVS 489 - Leadership for a Sustainable Future

Other Classes:

• ENVS 201 - Understanding Env Data and Info
• ENVS 202 - Introduction to Env. Studies and Sustainability
• ENVS 203 - Physical Geography
• ENVS 204 - Human Geography
• ENVS 220 - Map Reading and Analysis
• ENVS 221 - Geographic Information Systems
• ENVS 240 - Geography and World Affairs
• ENVS 303 - Human Ecology and Sustainability
• ENVS 304 - Environment and Resource Policy
• ENVS 305 - Environmental History and Ethics
• ENVS 307 - Writing in Environmental Studies
• ENVS 308 - National Parks: History American Innovation
• ENVS 320 - Intro to Geographic Information Systems
• ENVS 321 - Computer Cartography
• ENVS 322 - Analysis of Spatial Data
• ENVS 325 - Geography of Landforms
• ENVS 326 - Climatology
• ENVS 327 - The Soil Environment
• ENVS 330 - US: Society and Environment
• ENVS 331 - Canada: Soc. and Env.
• ENVS 332 - Pacific Northwest: Soc. & Env.
• ENVS 333 - East Asia: Society and Environment
• ENVS 334 - South Asia: Society and Environment
• ENVS 335 - The Middle East: Soc. and Env.
• ENVS 340 - Developing World
• ENVS 341 - Population and Resources
• ENVS 342 - Geography of the World Economy
• ENVS 343 - Urbanization: Processes and Patterns
• ENVS 350 - Energy Policy and Politics
• ENVS 360 - Plan Graphics: Urban Plan Dsn Graph
• ENVS 361 - Introduction to Planning
• ENVS 362 - Emergency Management
• ENVS 368 - Exploring Great Cities
• ENVS 370 - History of Planning
• ENVS 372 - Natural Hazards Planning
• ENVS 373 - Transportation Systems and Planning
• ENVS 381 - Introduction to Education for Environment and Sustainability
• ENVS 382 - Curriculum for Env and Sust.
• ENVS 404 - Environmental Grant Writing

Psychology

• PSY 101 - Introduction to Psychology
• PSY 117 - The Psychology of Identity
• PSY 118 - The Psychology of Happiness and Well-Being
• PSY 119 - Psychology of Gender
• PSY 210 - Cognition
• PSY 230 - Lifespan Developmental Psychology
• PSY 240 - Social Psychology
• PSY 250 - Intro to Personality and Abnormal Psychology
• PSY 318 - Psychology of Language
• PSY 321- Learning
• PSY 322 - Motivation
• PSY 324 - Comparative Psychology
• PSY 330 - Child Development
• PSY 331 - Adult Development and Aging
• PSY 332 - Adolescent Development
• PSY 333 - Infant Development
• PSY 340 - Environmental Psychology
• PSY 341 - Psychology and Culture
• PSY 342 - Social Cognition
• PSY 343 - Social Processes
• PSY 344 - Psychology and the Law
• PSY 345 - Evolutionary Psychology
• PSY 346 - Stereotyping, Prejudice, & Discrimination
• PSY 351 - Abnormal Psychology
• PSY 375 - Health Psychology
• PSY 377 - Positive Psychology

Sociology

• SOC 221 - Introduction to Population Issues
• SOC 251 - Sociology of Deviant Behavior
• SOC 255 - Social Organization of Criminal Justice
• SOC 260 - The Family in Society
• SOC 268 - Gender and Society
• SOC 269 - Race and Ethnic Relations
• SOC 302 - Classical Sociological Theory
• SOC 321 - Demography
• SOC 326 - Amer. Family and Household Demography
• SOC 330 - Introduction to Social Psychology
• SOC 332 - The Sociology of Human Relationships
• SOC 333 - Aging in America
• SOC 338 - Sociology of Sexual Behavior
• SOC 340 - Sociology of Organizations
• SOC 348 - Global Health
• SOC 352 - Criminology
• SOC 354 - Domestic Violence & Crim. Justice System
• SOC 355 - Criminal Justice System
• SOC 356 - Law Enforcement and Society
• SOC 360 - Marital and Family Interaction
• SOC 361 - Sociology of Education
• SOC 363 - Law and Social Stratification
• SOC 364 - Social Stratification
• SOC 365 - Gender, Bodies, and Sports
• SOC 367 - Sociology of Work and Occupations
• SOC 368 - Gender and Education
• SOC 369 - Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
• SOC 380 - Sociology of Youth
• SOC 388 - Sociology of Jails
• SOC 390 - Global Families

Communication

• COMM 220 - Communication Theory
• COMM 224 - Small Group Processes
• COMM 225 - Communication, Diversity and Controversy
• COMM 235 - Exposition and Argumentation
• COMM 244 - Advocacy Through Media
• COMM 318 - Professional Communication
• COMM 319 - Communication and Healthcare
• COMM 322 - Civil Discourse as Learning Interaction
• COMM 325 - Introduction to Intercultural Communication
• COMM 327 - Interpersonal Communication
• COMM 331 - Advanced Public Speaking

Anthropology

• ANTH 308 - Hunter-Gatherer Societies in World Prehistory
• ANTH 310 - The Rise of Civilizations
• ANTH 312 - Field Course in Archaeology
• ANTH 314 - Archaeology of North America
• ANTH 330 - Religion and Culture
• ANTH 335 - Quantitative Methods in Anthropology
• ANTH 338 - Economic Anthropology
• ANTH 347 - The Ethnography of Communication
• ANTH 350 - The Ecology of Human Variation
• ANTH 351 - Family and Kinship Organization
• ANTH 352 - Cross-Cultural Study of Aging
• ANTH 353 - Sex and Gender in Culture
• ANTH 361 - Native Peoples of North America
• ANTH 362 - Peoples of Asia
• ANTH 365 - Peoples of Latin America

Fairhaven

• FAIR 203A - Social Relationships and Responsibility: Theories and Critiques
• FAIR 213B - Topics in Popular Culture
• FAIR 221J - College Writing
• FAIR 231N - Introduction to Applied Human Ecology: Sustainable Systems
• FAIR 242R - The Art of Play: Reclaiming Imagination and Spontaneity for The Adult
• FAIR 243T - Awareness Through the Body
• FAIR 311C - Alternatives in Education
• FAIR 312D - Issues in International Studies
• FAIR 312E - Transgender Identities and Histories
• FAIR 313E - Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Issues in Education
• FAIR 330D - Natural History and Environmental Issues of NW Washington
• FAIR 330E - Ethnobotany
• FAIR 331N - Natural History
• FAIR 332N - Current Environmental Topics
• FAIR 332Q - Topics in Ecological Restoration
• FAIR 334C - International Human Rights
• FAIR 334N - Topics in Evolutionary Biology
• FAIR 334R - Olympic National Park Natural History and Ecology
• FAIR 335N - Visioning Sustainable Futures
• FAIR 335P - Global Biodiversity Science and Policy
• FAIR 336B - Topics in Social Issues
• FAIR 339N - Environmental Issues of Indigenous Peoples of North America
• FAIR 340P - Sustainable Forestry
• FAIR 341R - Psychology of Mindfulness and Well-Being
• FAIR 341T - Awareness Through the Body II

In addition, courses can be taken in Management, Geology, Geography or other areas that appeal to student interest. Please speak to your advisor about your interests and class availability.