Master of Science in Recreation with an Emphasis in Recreation Management Online

Prepare for leadership roles in the exciting and evolving realm of municipal, nonprofit, and public recreation organizations.

Apply by: 4/15/24
Start class: 4/29/24 Apply Now Apply Now

Program Overview

Insights into our online recreation management degree

Gain an in-depth understanding of fast-moving, increasingly complex recreational challenges in the M.S. in Recreation with an emphasis in Recreation Management online program. Deepen your credentials for leading programs in youth and municipal organizations, parks and recreation departments—and more.

In this online recreation master's program, you will study facility design and management, recreation programming, commercial recreation, and athletics for active adults. Our core coursework covers broader topics such as data analytics, risk management, grant writing, and human resources.

Our curriculum is aligned with the requirements for Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) certification, which is essential for high-level employment in the industry. Plus, our online students may join campus associations and student organizations—such as the Health Science and Wellness Future Professionals—to broaden networking opportunities with peers.

Recreation management career opportunities include:

  • Camp Director
  • Municipal Recreation Director
  • Youth Sports Director/Administrator
  • Nonprofit Sports Manager
  • Camp Director
  • Municipal Recreation Director
  • Youth Sports Director/Administrator
  • Nonprofit Sports Manager

Accreditation:

AAQEP logo

Northwest Missouri State University is accredited by the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation (AAQEP) and is recognized by the Missouri Department of Elementary & Secondary Education™ (DESE) and the Higher Learning Commission.

Also available

Northwest offers a variety of specialized online degree options. Check out our other online graduate programs.

Total Tuition $11,250*
Program Duration As few as 12 months
Credit Hours 30
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Need More Information?

Call 844-890-9304

Call 844-890-9304

Tuition

Find out how and when to pay your tuition

Our M.S. in Recreation with an emphasis in Recreation Mangement online programs offer affordable, pay-by-the-course tuition, which is the same for in-state and out-of-state students. All fees are included.

Tuition breakdown:

Total Tuition $11,250*
Per Credit Hour $375

Transfer your credits for lower tuition

Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.

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45
Transfer Credits: 0
Your Estimated Tuition: $16,140
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Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student's A-State record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted.

Calendar

Important dates for our students

Northwest online programs are delivered in an accelerated format ideal for working professionals, conveniently featuring multiple start dates each year.

TermProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Spring 23/4/242/19/242/22/242/26/242/28/244/19/24
Summer 14/29/244/15/244/18/244/22/244/24/246/14/24
Summer 26/24/246/7/246/12/246/14/246/18/248/9/24
Fall 18/26/248/12/248/15/248/19/248/21/2410/11/24
Fall 210/21/2410/7/2410/10/2410/14/2410/16/2412/6/24

Now enrolling:

Next Apply Date: 4/15/24
Next Class Start Date: 4/29/24
Ready to take the next steps toward

earning your degree?

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Admissions

Follow our streamlined program admission requirements

At Northwest, we've streamlined the admission process to help you get started quickly and easily. Please read the requirements for the M.S. in Recreation with an emphasis in Recreation Management online program, including what additional materials you need and where you should send them.

Admission Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale
  • Official transcripts from all institutions attended

To apply for this program, you must meet these requirements:

  • A minimum overall GPA of 2.75 on the undergraduate transcript from a regionally accredited institution OR an undergraduate overall GPA of 2.50 to 2.74 from a regionally accredited institution and a 3.0 GPA on six hours of required graduate coursework at Northwest in the major program where admission is requested.
  • Documentation of ONE of the following:
    • Score of 280 or higher on GRE combined score
    • OR
    • 3.0 Overall undergraduate GPA
    • OR
    • Two years of documented full-time employment (minimum average 30 hours per week) in the field of study
    • OR
    • Successful completion of another master's degree from a regionally accredited institution of higher education with at least a 2.75 GPA

If you are a non-Missouri student, you should determine whether this program fits the certification requirements for your state.

Official transcripts can be emailed to [email protected]. To submit official documents by mail, send them to:

Graduate Records Specialist
Northwest Missouri State University
800 University Drive
Maryville, MO 64468-6001

Have a question? Call us at 844-890-9304.

Click here for State Authorization information.


Admission Requirements:

  • Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution
  • GPA of at least 2.75 on a 4.0 scale
  • Official transcripts from all institutions attended

Courses

A look at the online recreation management curriculum

For the M.S. in Recreation with an emphasis in Recreation Management online program, the curriculum is comprised of 10 courses (30 credit hours), including 18 credit hours of core courses and 12 credit hours of emphasis courses.

Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Familiarizes the student with appropriate assessment/evaluation techniques as they are utilized in various leisure service settings. Techniques related to the delivery of recreation programs, park and recreation resources, and personnel are reviewed. Emphasis is placed on those assessment/evaluation skills used by leisure professionals to determine the extent to which programmatic and organizational goals and objectives have been achieved.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Designed to familiarize students with tasks common to mid-level managers in the field. Offers opportunities to confront ethical issues and discuss possible solutions in the context of information learned in the course.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to present-day methods and techniques of research, applicable to the fields of health, physical education and recreation.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Basic foundation of data analysis covering descriptive and inferential statistics and how to use these to improve practice and research and to appropriately assess findings. Covers both parametric and nonparametric applications to the health, physical education, recreation and dance fields.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Designed to give students a basic understanding of their legal responsibilities as teachers, coaches, trainers and recreation professionals to provide a safe environment for those they serve and to develop an understanding of the law and how it may apply to the rights of students, special populations, women and coworkers.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Acquaints students with the vocabulary, concept and practices in the study of grants administration and management. Enables practicing the skills necessary in obtaining outside funding and provides awareness of the individual roles and agencies within public funding.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A study of the types of facilities utilized in recreation settings, including the aspects of the planning process, design, financing, needs assessment, facility management and maintenance.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to the scope, characteristics, development, management aspects and trends within the commercial recreation industry, including the delivery of goods, services, amenities, facilities and entrepreneurship.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course offers students opportunities to explore how to strengthen the quality of programming through grounding them in recreational theories and concepts. Students will learn how to better design recreational experiences, increase participation rates, document outcomes and raise revenues for their agencies. Course content will expand on basic programming concepts and include higher level, philosophical and critical thinking of how to best meet the needs of the persons served while providing them with what they want.
Duration: 7 weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The course explores the role of leisure in healthy older adult development. Students will acquire a basic understanding of leisure for the current older adult cohort, Baby Boomers and future elders. Students will explore leisure services and settings, critically analyzing how history has and will shape the leisure behaviors of seniors.

Ranked #1

Northwest Missouri State University is ranked #1 among the "Best Online Colleges in Missouri" by SR Education Group (2020)

Highly Qualified Faculty

100% of classes taught by professionals, not graduate assistants

*Tuition and fees are based on current rates. Textbooks and laptops are not included with tuition.

**Most software will be free for student use, but there might be nominal fees associated with some of these.

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