Kathy Lewis, Professor and Acting Chair
Pat Maher, Associate
Professor
John Shultis, Associate Professor
Pam Wright, Associate
Professor
Anne Hardy, Adjunct Professor
Philip Mullins, Lecturer
Tourism has become the largest industry and employer in the world. One of the most important and fastest growing sectors in tourism is nature-based tourism, which comprises attractions, activities and experiences involving interaction with natural and cultural resources (e.g., ecotourism, adventure tourism, indigenous tourism). This degree examines the various components of the nature-based tourism system, giving emphasis to the entrepreneurial perspectives and sustainability issues in the industry. Students also choose to specialize in other content areas and disciplines closely related to nature-based tourism, such as tourism marketing, indigenous tourism, geography, international studies, environmental planning, political science, and natural resource management.
Major in Nature-Based Tourism Management
Undergraduate students are required to complete a minimum of thirteen (13) Outdoor Recreation & Tourism Management courses (39 credit hours).
The minimum requirement for completion of a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Nature-Based Tourism Management is 122 credit hours.
***Note: Up to 6 credit hours
of NOLS prefixed courses can count towards this category. Any additional NOLS credit
hours can be used as elective credit.
Students should review all proposed course selections in advance to make sure course prerequisites are taken where needed.
Elective and Academic Breadth Requirement
Electives at any level in any subject sufficient to ensure completion of a minimum of 122 credit hours, including any additional credits necessary to meet the Academic Breadth requirement of the University (see Academic Regulation 15).
Optional Streams
The following streams in the Nature-Based Tourism Management degree provide students with the opportunity to focus course selections towards possible career options. Students are not required to follow these particular streams. Courses with NOLS prefix in the Outdoor Education and Leadership stream are taught through a partnership agreement with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). Students must enrol in a NOLS field-based program in order to access these courses, and there are additional tuition costs for such a program.
The Minor in Forest Recreation provides natural resource management students and others with an opportunity to gain a foundation and expertise in the specialized aspects of forest recreation while pursuing another major. The minor requires students to take a total of 18 credit hours. The minor has three required courses basic to the field of Forest Recreation (nine credit hours) and a set of elective courses (minimum of nine credit hours).
A maximum of two courses (six credit hours) used to fulfill program requirements for a major (or another minor) may also be used to fulfill requirements for this minor.
Minor in Outdoor Recreation and Tourism
Management
The minor in Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management is designed to afford students an opportunity to gain foundational knowledge in tourism and recreation while pursuing another major. The minor requires students to take a total of 18 credit hours. The minor has three required courses basic to the field of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management (nine credit hours) and a set of elective courses (minimum of nine credit hours). A maximum of two courses (six credit hours) used to fulfill program requirements for a major (or another minor) may also be used to fulfill requirements for this minor.
