Program Overview

Tourism, Recreation, and Adventure Leadership Undergraduate Major (BS, HBS)

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Tourism, Recreation and Adventure Leadership (TRAL) explores the importance of tourism and recreation in natural settings for community development, human health and quality of life, and the sustainable use of natural resources. Students will learn about management practices and public preferences to address contemporary tourism, recreation and outdoor leadership opportunities, and issues in natural settings.

Program Overview

Studies include decision making within applicable laws and across cultural contexts, as well as communication and collaboration with a variety of audiences, and successful supervision of employees and volunteers. The TRAL program covers best practices for planning, developing, and managing recreation resources in natural settings. Students learn to evaluate and integrate experiential, economic, biophysical, and social concepts. They study interaction across natural resources and the consequences of development, management, and marketing decisions.

Program Locations and Options

This program is available at the following locations:

• Corvallis
• OSU-Cascades
• Also available via Ecampus from Fall 2024 Options available:
• Adventure Leadership Education
• Nature, Eco, and Adventure Tourism
• Outdoor Recreation Management
• Sustainable Tourism Management

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the program, students will meet the following learning outcomes:

• Explain the importance of tourism and recreation in natural settings for achieving societal goals, such as community development, human health and quality of life, and sustainable use of natural resources.
• Identify, analyze, and apply the best available information on science, management practices, and public preferences to address contemporary tourism, recreation, and outdoor leadership opportunities and issues.
• Make tourism, recreation, and outdoor leadership decisions within applicable laws, policies, and regulations and across cultural and national contexts.
• Communicate effectively with a variety of audiences in appropriate formats.
• Work effectively and professionally in groups, both as leaders and followers.
• Understand principles and methods for successful supervision of employees and/or volunteers.

Program Requirements

Completion of an approved option is required for the Tourism, Recreation, and Adventure Leadership degree. Declaration of the option must be done by the end of the sophomore year, or at least six (6) terms prior to graduation. Courses for an option are in addition to the core curriculum. Some courses may require prerequisites not included in the core curriculum.

Course List

The following courses are required for the program:

• COMM 111Z: PUBLIC SPEAKING (3-4 credits)
• or COMM 114: ARGUMENT AND CRITICAL DISCOURSE
• FES 422: RESEARCH METHODS IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (4 credits)
• Select one course from the following:
  • ANTH 481: NATURAL RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY VALUES (3-4 credits)
  • FES 485: CONSENSUS AND NATURAL RESOURCES
  • FW 340: MULTICULTURAL PERSPECTIVES IN NATURAL RESOURCES
  • FW 350: ENDANGERED SPECIES, SOCIETY AND SUSTAINABILITY
  • SOC 481: SOCIETY AND NATURAL RESOURCES
  • WGSS 440: WOMEN AND NATURAL RESOURCES
• FES 202: SOFTWARE TOOLS IN QUANTITATIVE SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH (3 credits)
• TRAL 493: ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION (4 credits)
• ST 243Z: ELEMENTARY STATISTICS I (4 credits)
• SUS 350: SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES (4 credits)
• TRAL 353: NATURE, ECO, AND ADVENTURE TOURISM (4 credits)
• TRAL 357: PARKS AND PROTECTED AREAS MANAGEMENT (3 credits)
• or FES 444: ECOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF PARK MANAGEMENT
• or TRAL 352: WILDERNESS MANAGEMENT
• WR 121Z: COMPOSITION I (4 credits)
• Required Option (48-67 credits)
• Remaining Bacc Core and Electives (75-96 credits)
• Total Credits (180)

Major Code

The major code for the Tourism, Recreation, and Adventure Leadership program is 872.