Concentration Areas

The Community Recreation, Sport and Camp Management (CRSCM) concentration is focused on preparing students for programming and managerial positions in a wide variety of recreation related fields including the public and non-profit sectors such as municipal parks and recreation, state and national agencies, voluntary youth serving agencies, religious-affiliated social agencies, university campus recreation programs and much more. Students will take classes in a wide variety of areas including management, leadership, programming, risk management, facility operations and more. In addition, all students will gain hands-on experience through a 400-hour internship working for an employer in a position tied to community recreation, amateur sport or camp management. Today’s CRSCM professionals are a strong component in a national movement to increase the quality of life for all citizens through a wide variety of recreation opportunities.

Examples of Job Opportunities

• Youth Sport Program Coordinator
• Director of Parks and Recreation
• Day Camp Leader
• Camp Director
• Cultural Arts Supervisor
• University Intramural Sports Director
• Afterschool Program Coordinator
• Aquatics Supervisor
• Adult Sport Program Supervisor

Links of Interest

• National Recreation and Park Association
• National Alliance for Youth Sports
• American Camping Association
• YMCA
• National Intramural and Recreational Sport Association
• South Carolina Recreation and Parks Association

The PGA Golf Management Program at Clemson University provides a unique educational background for students who desire to become PGA professionals. Students obtain specialized knowledge and preparation to be leaders in the expanding golf industry. The PGM curriculum provides an academic program that develops well-rounded, service-oriented golf professionals who can meet and respond to the personal as well as business management requirements of golf facilities. The combination of skills and knowledge acquired in the program augment the golf professional's success as a manager and advocate for the game. Further, because of the unique resources of Clemson University, graduates will have a greater understanding of environmental issues as they relate to golf operations, and the ability to promote and expand golf to youth, women, minorities and those with disabilities.

Students in the PGA Golf Management Program will earn a Bachelor of Science degree in PRTM with a concentration in PGA Golf Management. The curriculum is built around a strong business background also earning the student a minor in Business Administration. A very exciting opportunity in our program is the option for ambitious business minded students to earn a double major in PRTM and Business Management with a selection of summer courses and one extra semester.

Examples of Job Opportunities

• Assistant Golf Professional
• 1st Assistant Golf Professional
• Head Golf Professional
• Executive Director/Program Directors for "The First Tee"
• Merchandiser
• Teaching Professional
• Director of Golf
• PGA Section Junior Tour Director
• Tournament Director
• Sales Representative

The Park and Conservation Area Management concentration prepares you to work for governmental and not-for-profit agencies and organizations who manage our natural and historic resources for public enjoyment. These organizations include the National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S.D.A. Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Bureau of Land Management, state parks, and regional/local park systems. Not-for-profit organizations that hire our students include numerous historic areas, zoos, aquariums, nature centers and open-air museums, along with advocacy groups.

Through interactive coursework, hands-on field experiences, and internships, students gain a working knowledge of park and public land management from a visitor-centered perspective. For example, students develop skills, knowledge and experiences in business and administration, visitor-use management, park planning and management practices, land conservation principles, and natural and heritage resources. Core curriculum offerings are strengthened by courses that may include wildlife biology, horticulture, forestry, archaeology, geology, history, soils, planning, business, criminology, and others.

Graduates of the Park and Conservation Area Management curriculum are capable of meeting a most demanding challenge - that of managing parks and public lands for superb visitor experiences while conserving these areas for future generations. As our graduates tell us, "I'm told every day by visitors that I have the greatest job in the world."

Example of Job Opportunities

• Ranger in parks, forests, and other conservation areas
• Educator or interpreter in zoos, aquariums, museums, and nature centers
• Recreation or park planner
• Program associate with land conservation and related not-for-profit organizations
• Recreation activity provider (e.g., guide, naturalist, trip leader)

Links of Interest

• National Park Service
• U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services
• U.S.D.A. Forest Service
• U.S. Corps of Engineers
• Bureau of Land Management
• George Wright Society
• U.S.A. Jobs (Supervisory Park Rangers, Fisheries & Wildlife Biologist, Recreation Aid/Recreation Assistant

Are you interested in creating recreation experiences and opportunities for individuals with disabilities? If so, therapeutic recreation may be the major you have been looking for!

Therapeutic recreation is: "...treatment, education, and recreation services to help people with illnesses, disabilities, and other conditions to develop and use their leisure in ways that enhance their health, functional abilities, independence, and quality of life" (National Therapeutic Recreation Society, 2000).

Therapeutic recreation specialists typically work with individuals who have some type of cognitive, emotional, and/or physical limitation. For example, you may find therapeutic recreation specialists who work with hospitalized children who have cancer or are recovering from burns, adolescents and adults with psychiatric disorders, youth at-risk, older adults recovering from strokes or living with dementia, children and adults with developmental disabilities such as intellectual disability, children and adults with physical impairments such as strokes or spinal cord injuries. A variety of agencies employ certified therapeutic recreation specialists, including community based recreation agencies, camps, schools, children's hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, physical rehabilitation hospitals, general hospitals, adult day care, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes, to name a few!

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, “fast employment growth [in therapeutic recreation] is expected in assisted living, outpatient physical and psychiatric rehabilitation, and [community] services for people with disabilities.” The median annual salary for therapeutic recreation specialists in 2000 was $28,650. According to the American Therapeutic Recreation Association, the mean salary among a random sample of their members was $35,656 in 2006.

The national organization for therapeutic recreation specialists is the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA). We encourage students to consider joining ATRA. There are membership applications on-line and you may join ATRA via its website.

All students who complete the requirements for the B.S. degree in therapeutic recreation will be eligible to sit for the examine to become certified as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). This certification is a basic requirement for entry-level positions in the field of therapeutic recreation. For further information on this professional certification you may access the website of the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC).

Finally, students considering a major in TR or students enrolled in our program who are looking for internship sites or program ideas may benefit from pursuing the Therapeutic Recreation Directory.

Example of Job Opportunities as a Recreation Therapist

• Community based recreation agencies 
• Camps
• Schools
• Children's hospitals 
• Psychiatric hospitals
• Physical rehabilitation hospitals
• General hospitals
• Adult day care
• Assisted living facilities
• Nursing homes

Links of Interest

• The American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA)
• National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification

The Travel and Tourism concentration prepares students for interesting and challenging careers working in one of the world's most diverse and dynamic industries. Students in this concentration are introduced to issues pertaining to the management, planning, and promotion of places and events such as tourist attractions. The program is designed to provide an understanding of the linkages that exist between local communities, their populations, and various public, private, and special interest groups.

Examples of Job Opportunities

• Private sector enterprises
• Governmental agencies
• Convention and visitor bureaus
• Hospitality Industry

Links of Interest

• Travel and Tourism Research Association (TTRA)
• Southeast States Chapter of TTRA
• Southeast Tourism Society