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Studies & Degrees in Recreation Studies

Recreation studies looks at how people use their free time and at how organisations plan, run and fund leisure activities: community sport, parks, camps, outdoor pursuits, events, and programmes for older people or people with disabilities. Degrees in the field carry several names, among them recreation administration, parks and recreation management, leisure studies, recreation and tourism management, and therapeutic recreation (also called recreational therapy).

The coursework combines management subjects with work with people. At Kean University in New Jersey, for example, the Community Recreation option of the B.A. in Recreation Administration emphasises administration, leadership, programme planning, budgeting, managerial techniques and environmental awareness, while the Sport and Event Management option covers management, marketing, finance and law. Practical periods are common. At SUNY Cortland in New York State, all recreation majors take an Outdoor Education Practicum, two weeks of paddling, hiking and leading groups in the Adirondack Park.

Qualifications and levels

  • Certificates and diplomas. Vocational colleges teach the practical side. Holmesglen, a TAFE institute in Victoria, Australia, offers certificate and diploma courses in fitness and recreation, including an outdoor leadership course in which students guide bushwalking and rafting. In the United States, community colleges award associate degrees and certificates in recreation.
  • Bachelor's degrees. This is the main university route in the United States. The Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT), established in 1974, accredits bachelor's programmes in parks, recreation, tourism, sport management, event management, therapeutic recreation and leisure studies. Its directory listed 63 accredited programmes in October 2026.
  • Therapeutic recreation. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), recreational therapists typically need a bachelor's degree. Programmes include courses in physiology, human anatomy and psychology, and usually an internship. The Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) credential of the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification requires set education and professional experience and a certification exam, and runs on a five-year certification cycle.
  • Postgraduate study. Some departments continue to master's level. SUNY Cortland, for instance, lists M.S. programmes and an online graduate certificate in therapeutic recreation.
  • Professional certification. The Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) certification of the National Recreation and Park Association is based on education and experience qualifications. Kean University states that graduates of its Community Recreation option are eligible for it.

Degree names, credit systems and recognition differ by country. Students who plan to work outside the country where they study should ask the school what recognition the qualification has.

Where to study recreation studies

SpainExchange lists 41 active schools for recreation studies. Thirty-three are in the United States, three in the United Kingdom, two in Australia, two in Canada and one in Ireland, so the subject is taught almost entirely in English.

The schools in the United States range from community colleges to large public universities. Examples in the directory are San Diego State University, whose L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality & Tourism Management has a Recreation & Tourism Management degree programme, Kean University, SUNY Cortland, Illinois State University, the University of Florida, Temple University and the University of North Texas. Outside the United States the list includes the University of Northampton in England, Holmesglen in Australia and the distance-learning Warnborough College, with offices in Canterbury and Dublin.

The subject is often housed in a department of health, kinesiology, hospitality or tourism rather than in a department of its own, so it is worth checking the exact degree title and the options or concentrations offered.

Careers

Graduates work for municipal recreation departments, state and national parks, campus recreation services, camps, non-profit organisations, sports organisations and event companies. Kean University lists job titles such as Recreation Director, Event Coordinator, Program Coordinator and Facility Manager.

The BLS publishes figures for two related occupations in the United States:

  • Recreation workers organise and lead group activities in recreation centres, parks and summer camps. There were 346,900 jobs in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035. A high school diploma is the usual minimum, but for some posts employers may prefer a bachelor's degree in recreation or a related field. Many jobs are part-time or seasonal.
  • Recreational therapists plan recreation-based treatment programmes for people with disabilities, injuries or illnesses, in hospitals, nursing homes and public parks and recreation departments. There were 15,600 jobs in 2025, with projected growth of 5 percent from 2025 to 2035.

These figures describe the United States only. In other countries the labour market for recreation graduates depends on how leisure services are organised and funded.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between recreation studies and therapeutic recreation?

Recreation studies covers the planning and management of leisure services for the general public. Therapeutic recreation, or recreational therapy, uses recreation as part of treatment for people with disabilities, injuries or illnesses and leads to a health-care occupation with its own certification.

Do I need a degree to work in recreation?

Not always. According to the BLS, recreation workers in the United States typically need at least a high school diploma, although for some positions employers may prefer a bachelor's degree. Recreational therapists typically need a bachelor's degree.

Which accreditation should I look for in the United States?

COAPRT accredits bachelor's programmes in parks, recreation, tourism and related fields. Its public directory showed 63 accredited programmes in October 2026.

Where is recreation studies taught?

Of the 41 active schools in the SpainExchange directory, 33 are in the United States. The others are in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and Ireland.