Program Description
The Outdoor Education & Leadership degree program is for the student interested in careers in outdoor education, environmental education, adventure programming, or conservation. This unique program combines wilderness expeditions and outdoor skills courses with natural history and a liberal arts curriculum. The program emphasizes leadership development and experience-based education. CWC’s Alpine Science Institute offers a range of courses that use non-motorized travel (hiking, skiing, mountain biking and whitewater rafting) to visit and learn about remote wilderness areas in and around the Wyoming Rockies.
The Outdoor Education & Leadership program is a 4-semester program for the student ready for college-level courses. A student who places into pre-college math or English courses may require a preparatory semester before beginning the four-semester program. Most majors choose to live at the Alpine Science Institute (ASI) near Lander, WY. In the foothills of the Wind River Mountains, ASI offers unparalleled opportunities for reflective solitude, outdoor adventure, and study of the natural world. The student pays an equipment fee which grants access to mountain bikes, snow bikes, cross country and downhill skis, snowboards, rafts, canoes, paddleboards, climbing and camping gear.
The student has the option to spend up to one full semester taking wilderness-based courses with the Nols. Nols offers 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, visit www.nols.edu or call 1-800-710-6657.
General Education Requirements
| Writing Level I (WR1) |
3 credits |
| Writing Level II (WR2) |
3 credits |
| American & Wyoming Government (POLS 1000) |
3 credits |
| ARTS |
3 credits |
| HUM |
3 credits |
| LSCI |
(in program) |
| MATH |
3 credits |
| ORAL |
3 credits |
| SOC |
3 credits |
| UNST |
1 credits |
Program Requirements
Course Requirements
| BIOL 1080 | Intro to Environmental Science | 4 credits |
| EDUC 1050 | Leading Adventure Programs | 3 credits |
| EDUC 1055 | Introduction to Outdoor Education | 3 credits |
| EDUC 2470 | Outdoor Education Practicum | 4 credits |
| ORTM 1000 | Foundations of Recreation & Tourism | 3 credits |
| | |
| HLED 2010 | Wilderness First Responder | 4 credits |
| OR | |
| HLED 2015 | Wilderness EMT | 9 credits |
Students must choose four (4) credits from the following list of Expedition Courses
| EDUC 2015 | Outdoor Educator: | 1 - 5 credits |
| EDUC 2045 | Outdoor Leadership Instructor | 1 - 5 credits |
| EDUC 2050 | Outdoor Education & Leadership | 1 - 5 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 2050 | Environmental Ethics & Management: | 1 - 5 credits |
EDUC 2015, EDUC 2045, G&R 2020, G&R 2030, G&R 2031, G&R 2032, G&R 2033, G&R 2034: Field-based, off-campus course
EDUC 2050, G&R 2050: G&R 2050, G&R 2031, EDUC 2050 together constitute the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) semester course and must be taken concurrently. In addition HLED 2010 or HLED 2015 may be taken concurrently for select NOLS semesters.
Students must choose three (3) PEAC credits from the following list of approved courses
PEAC 1258, PEAC 1259, PEAC 1297, PEAC 1380, PEAC 1387, PEAC 1540, PEAC 1600, PEAC 2018, PEAC 2025, PEAC 2058, PEAC 2088: Field-based, off-campus course
Program Electives
Students must choose seven (7) additional credits from the PEAC courses above or from the following list of approved courses:
EDUC 2015, EDUC 2045, G&R 1090, G&R 2020, G&R 2030, G&R 2031, G&R 2032, G&R 2033, G&R 2090: Field-based, off-campus course
EDUC 2050, G&R 2050: G&R 2050, G&R 2031, EDUC 2050 together constitute the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) semester course and must be taken concurrently. In addition HLED 2010 or HLED 2015 may be taken concurrently for select Nols semesters.