The Master of Arts in Recreation Administration

The MA in Recreation Administration prepares students to assume supervisory and managerial positions in the following general areas: community recreation and leisure services, private and commercial enterprises, parks and natural resources management, and recreation therapy services and recreation for diverse populations. The program also provides preparation for students who wish to pursue doctorates at other institutions and/or teaching positions in post-secondary settings.

Chico State's MA program is a collaboration with San Francisco State University (RPT) and California State University, Sacramento (RPTA). This collaboration provides opportunities to network with other students across campuses. It also gives students access to three times as many faculty for teaching, research, and professional networking.

The core classes in this program are offered in a hybrid format, which includes in-person and online instruction. Each term begins and ends with an in-person seminar at one of the partner universities. During the semester, courses are offered online in the evenings, and these sessions are synchronous so that students and faculty can interact in real time.

The online experiences allow students to eliminate commutes, while the in-person seminars and individual faculty advising build strong relationships within the cohort of students and between the students and RHPM faculty.

Each Chico State student is assigned to a local faculty member to serve as academic advisor. The advisor will guide students from selection of classes through their culminating graduate experience: an applied research project or thesis. Students, along with their advisors, choose coursework to complement their area of focus.

Course Requirements for the Master's Degree: 30 units

Continuous enrollment is required. At the discretion of the academic program, a maximum of 30 percent of the units counted toward the degree requirements may be special session credit earned in non-matriculated status combined with all transfer coursework.  This applies to special session credit earned through Open University, or in courses offered for academic credit through Regional and Continuing Education.

Graduate Time Limit:

All requirements for the degree are to be completed within five years of the end of the semester of enrollment in the oldest course applied toward the degree. See Master's Degree Requirements in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements.

Prerequisites for Admission to Conditionally Classified Status:

1. Satisfactory grade point average as specified in Graduate and Postbaccalaureate Admission Requirements in the University Catalog.

2. Approval by the department and the Office of Graduate Studies.

3. An acceptable baccalaureate in Recreation, Hospitality, and/or Parks (or an allied discipline) from an accredited institution, or an equivalent approved by the Office of Graduate Studies. (Students with a baccalaureate in a field other than Recreation, Hospitality, and/or Parks may be admitted to conditionally classified status, but may be required to complete specified undergraduate classes.)

4. Successful work experience in Recreation, Hospitality, and/or Parks, or in a related field for approximately one year, or the equivalent.

5. Three letters of recommendation from former instructors and/or employers.

6. Completion of the Graduate Record Examination General Aptitude Test with a minimum combined score of 1000 (or equivalent) based on the verbal reasoning and quantitative reasoning with no score lower than 450 on either measure, and a minimum score of 3.5 on the analytical writing measure.

Prerequisites for Admission to Classified Status:

In addition to any requirements listed above:

1. A 3.0 (B) average in all postbaccalaureate course work.

Advancement to Candidacy:

In addition to any requirements listed above:

1. Classified graduate standing and completion at the University of at least 9 units of the proposed program.

2. Formation of the graduate advisory committee in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator.

3. Development of an approved program in consultation with the Graduate Coordinator.

Requirements for the MA Degree in Recreation Administration:

Completion of all requirements as established by the department graduate committee, the graduate advisory committee, and the Office of Graduate Studies, to include:

1. Completion of an approved program consisting of 30 units of 400/500/600-level courses as follows:

(a) At least 24 units of 600-level courses in Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks Management (see specific requirements for the thesis/project plans below).

(b) At the discretion of the academic program, a maximum of 30 percent of the units counted toward the degree requirements may be special session credit earned in non-matriculated status combined with all transfer coursework. This applies to special session credit earned through Open University, or in courses offered for academic credit through Regional and Continuing Education. (Correspondence courses and UC Extension coursework are not acceptable for transfer).

(c) Not more than 15 units taken before admission to classified status.

(d) Not more than a total of 10 units of Independent Study (697) and Master's Thesis (699T) or Master's Project (699P); not more than 6 units of Master's Thesis (699T) or Master's Project (699P).

2. Completion of one of the following plans:

a. Thesis Plan

4 courses required:

1 course selected from:

Note: KINE 602 may be taken only with the Graduate Advisory Committee's approval.

1 course selected from:

Note: CMST 603 may be taken only with the Graduate Advisory Committee's approval.

9 units selected from:

Select an additional 9 units of course work approved by the Graduate Advisory Committee chair. Selected courses may include, but are not limited to, the following:

A maximum of 6 units of 400/500-level courses in Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks Management may be used as long as they are approved in advance by the Graduate Coordinator and as long as the overall requirement for 24 units of 600-level work has been met.

Students must submit an acceptable thesis based on research of a significant problem or issue in the discipline. An oral defense of the thesis is required. The thesis must be prepared in accordance with the format requirements in A Guide to Graduate Studies. The final thesis must be approved by the candidate's Graduate Advisory Committee, the Graduate Coordinator, and the Office of Graduate Studies. The thesis serves as a permanent record and is submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies for accession to the library.

b. Project Plan

4 courses required:

1 course selected from:

Note: KINE 602 may be taken only with the Graduate Advisory Committee's approval.

12 units selected from:

Select an additional 12 units of course work approved by the Graduate Advisory Committee chair. Selected courses may include, but are not limited to, the following:

A maximum of 6 units of 400/500-level courses in Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks Management may be used as long as they are approved in advance by the Graduate Coordinator and as long as the overall requirement for 24 units of 600-level work has been met.

Students must conduct a creative project, demonstration, or presentation of acceptable quality, depth, and breadth on an aspect of recreation and leisure studies. The project must be accompanied by a formal written document prepared in accordance with the format requirements in A Guide to Graduate Studies. This document serves as a permanent record of the project and is submitted to the Office of Graduate Studies for accession to the library. Students must make an oral presentation of the project to their Graduate Advisory Committee. The project and accompanying formal written document must be approved by the candidate's Graduate Advisory Committee, the Graduate Coordinator, and the Office of Graduate Studies.

Graduate Requirement in Writing Proficiency:

Writing proficiency is a graduation requirement.

Recreation and Parks Management students will demonstrate their writing competence through successfully completing RHPM 611 (Theory of Leisure and Recreation) and RHPM 642 (Seminar in Leisure Services Management).

Graduate Grading Requirements:

All courses in the major (with the exceptions of Independent Study - 697, Comprehensive Examination - 696, Master's Project - 699P, and Master's Thesis - 699T) must be taken for a letter grade, except those courses specified by the department as ABC/No Credit (400/500-level courses), AB/No Credit (600-level courses), or Credit/No Credit grading only. A maximum of 10 units combined of ABC/No Credit, AB/No Credit, and Credit/No Credit grades may be used on the approved program (including 697, 696, 699P, 699T and courses outside the major). While grading standards are determined by individual programs and instructors, it is also the policy of the University that unsatisfactory grades may be given when work fails to reflect achievement of the high standards, including high writing standards, expected of students pursuing graduate study.

Students must maintain a minimum 3.0 grade point average in each of the following three categories: all course work taken at any accredited institution subsequent to admission to the master's program; all course work taken at CSU, Chico subsequent to admission to the program; and all courses on the approved master's degree program.

Graduate Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory each semester. Consult the Graduate Coordinator for specifics.