Program Description
This program offers students a business/ entrepreneurial perspective of the outdoor recreation service industry that includes learning, training, and assessment of leadership and program management skills.
Upon completion of this program, students will:
- Execute basic business practices
- Apply elements of human development to outdoor recreation program settings
- Evaluate leadership styles and group dynamics
- Demonstrate intermediate to advanced skill sets in a specific area of interest within outdoor recreation
- Manage risks associated with a variety of outdoor activities
Students have the option to spend up to one full semester taking wilderness-based courses with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). NOLS offers these educational expeditions at remote, pristine locations in the US and abroad. To receive college credit for NOLS courses, students must enroll concurrently in the appropriate corresponding course at CWC. For example, CWC students taking a NOLS semester course should be enrolled in G&R 2050, G&R 2031, and EDUC 2050. For more information on NOLS offerings visit www.nols.edu or call NOLS admissions at 1-800-710-6657.
Majors can also choose to live at our outdoor education center near Sinks Canyon in Lander. In the foothills of the Wind River Mountains, student cabins offer opportunities for reflective solitude and easy access to: trout streams, world class rock climbing areas, and a variety of hike and mountain bike trails.
The Outdoor Recreation program is especially appropriate for students wishing to start their own outdoor-related small business, build careers in parks, recreation and tourism or transfer to a university to complete their bachelor's degree.
General Education Requirements
| Writing Level I (WR1) |
3 credits |
| Writing Level II (WR2) |
3 credits |
| American & Wyoming Government (POLS 1000) |
3 credits |
| Student must complete six (6) credits of general education courses distributed over two (2) different general education areas, ARTS/HUM/SOC |
6 credits |
| LSCI |
(in program) |
| MATH |
(in program) |
| ORAL |
3 credits |
| UNST |
1 credits |
Program Requirements
Course Requirements
| BIOL 1080 | Intro to Environmental Science | 4 credits |
| EDUC 1050 | Leading Adventure Programs | 3 credits |
| ORTM 1000 | Foundations of Recreation & Tourism | 3 credits |
| | | |
| HLED 2010 | Wilderness First Responder | 4 credits |
| | OR | |
| HLED 2015 | Wilderness EMT | 9 credits |
| | | |
| MATH 1000 | Problem Solving | 3 credits |
| | OR | |
| MATH 1400 | College Algebra | 4 credits |
| PEAC | Choose 3 credits of PEAC from Electives below | 3 credits |
| | | |
| STAT 2050 | Fundamentals of Statistics | 4 credits |
| | OR | |
| STAT 2070 | Intro. Statistics/Social Sciences | 4 credits |
Program Electives
Students must choose seventeen (17) credits from the following list of approved electives:
| AIST 1350 | American Indians in Contemporary Society | 3 credits |
| ANTH 1100 | Introduction to Physical Anthropology | 3 credits |
| ASTR 1050 | Survey of Astronomy | 4 credits |
| EDFD 2450 | Human Life Span Development | 3 credits |
| EDUC 2045 | Outdoor Leadership Instructor | 1 - 5 credits |
| EDUC 2050 | Outdoor Education & Leadership | 1 - 5 credits |
| ENR 2425 | Mountain Environments | 4 credits |
| G&R 1010 | Intro to Physical Geography | 3 credits |
| G&R 1090 | Avalanche Lvl 1:Dsn Mkng Avlnch Terrain | 1 credits |
| G&R 2020 | Mountaineering: | 1 - 5 credits |
| G&R 2030 | Wilderness Backpacking: | 1 - 5 credits |
| G&R 2031 | Combined Expeditions: | 1 - 5 credits |
| G&R 2032 | Winter Expedition: | 1 - 5 credits |
| G&R 2033 | Rock Climbing: | 1 - 5 credits |
| G&R 2034 | Water Expedition: | 1 - 5 credits |
| G&R 2035 | River Rescue Certification | 1 credits |
| G&R 2050 | Environmental Ethics & Management: | 1 - 5 credits |
| G&R 2090 | Avalanche Lvl 2:Anlz Snwpk & Aval Haz. | 2 credits |
| GEOG 1100 | Introduction to Geographic Info Systems | 4 credits |
| HLED 2015 | Wilderness EMT | 9 credits |
| PEAC 1258 | Skiing & Snowboarding | 1 credits |
| PEAC 1259 | Cross Country Skiing | 1 credits |
| PEAC 1287 | Introduction to Outdoor Rock Climbing | 1 credits |
| PEAC 1297 | Whitewater Rafting/Rescue | 1 credits |
| PEAC 1380 | Outdoor Multi-Sport | 1 - 3 credits |
| PEAC 1387 | Indoor Rock Climbing | 1 credits |
| PEAC 1540 | Mountain Biking | 1 credits |
| PEAC 2018 | Water Safety/Lifeguard Training | 1 credits |
| PEAC 2025 | Wilderness Navigation | 1 credits |
| PEAC 2058 | Backcountry Skiing & Snowboarding | 1 credits |
| PEAC 2088 | Alpine Climbing and Rescue | 1 credits |
G&R 1090, G&R 2020, G&R 2030, G&R 2032, G&R 2033, G&R 2034, G&R 2035, G&R 2090, PEAC 1258, PEAC 1259, PEAC 1287, PEAC 1297, PEAC 1540, PEAC 2018, PEAC 2025, PEAC 2058: Field-based, off-campus course
*G&R 2031, G&R 2050, EDUC 2050 together constitute the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) semester course and must be taken concurrently. In addition HLED 2010 may be taken concurrently for select NOLS semesters.