Parks, Recreation & Tourism Management, M.S.

The goal of this degree is to produce a skilled professional capable of research with minimal supervision.

This degree is designed for people planning to undertake doctoral study, work in research related positions in their chosen profession, or pursue administration positions in park, recreation and/or tourism agencies and settings. Due to the nature of the curriculum this is a traditional, on-campus degree. 

Applications wanting to be considered for fall admission should submit all required materials by February 1. Application materials for spring admission are due by October 1.

Students are strongly encouraged to begin the degree in Fall, as our course work sequences in a specific manner. A spring start may put you off-sequence and behind.

Prospective graduate students are strongly encouraged to email and begin corresponding with one or more PRTM faculty in their area of interest in advance of visiting campus, attending the virtual information session, or applying.

Click here for the PRTM Faculty Directory.  

All graduate applications are reviewed at the same time by graduate program faculty and administrators.  Typically, applications are reviewed and an admission decision is made within 6-8 weeks of the application deadline.  Application deadlines for Fall semester (i.e., August) and Spring semester (i.e., January) are February 1 and October 1, respectively.  

Questions about applications may be directed to grdprtm@clemson.edu. 

Enrollment requires that the student hold a bachelor’s degree for admission into the master’s (online, non-thesis) program.

Prospective students must complete an application form and submit:

• Undergraduate transcripts demonstrating a successful bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution, and including:
• GPA, last two years of undergraduate studies with a minimum of 3.0 out of 4.0
• TOEFL / IELTS - For international students’ language ability, a TOEFL score or IELTS test is required. Minimum scores are as follows:
  • pbT TOEFL - greater than 610
  • IBT TOEFL - greater than 102
  • CBT TOEFL - greater than 253
  • IELTS - greater than 6.5
• Two letters of reference that specifically address your ability to be successful in a graduate program in parks, recreation and tourism
• A résumé
• A personal statement indicating your interests, background, intent for pursuing a master’s degree and how it will advance your career 
• Recreational Therapy students must have proof of current CTRS certification or be eligible to sit for the national exam

Visit Clemson University Graduate School Admissions to learn more about admission requirements, how to apply and important dates.

Click here for the Course Registration Form.

Minimum Course Requirements (17 hours):

• PRTM 8010 Philosophical Foundations (3 credits)
• PRTM 8080 Behavioral Aspects of PRTM (3 credits)
• PRTM 8110 Research Methods in PRTM (3 credits)
• PRTM 8910 Master’s Research (6 credits)
• PRTM 9100 Research Seminar (2 credits)

Other Courses (19 hours)

• 3-4 credits of statistics
• 3 credits of research methods in addition to PRTM 8110
• 12-13 hours of additional classes to be selected by student with advisor's approval
• At least one half of the total graduate credit hours, exclusive of thesis research, will be from courses numbered 8000 or above.

A maximum of 12 credit hours may be transferred and must be approved by your advisor.

The student's committee must consist of at least three members and the majority of the advisory committee, including the major advisor, must be comprised of Clemson University faculty from the program offering the particular degree and who hold full-time tenure-track positions.

Part-time and visiting faculty employed by Clemson may serve on this committee but may not serve as chair. Persons not employed by Clemson University may serve if they have been appointed to an adjunct faculty status.

A successful oral defense of the thesis is required.

All course work to be credited toward the master’s degree must have been enrolled in and completed within six calendar years prior to the date on which the degree is to be awarded.

Tuition and Fees

Explore information on tuition and fees using the Student Financial Services’ tuition and fee calculator. (Be sure to choose the ‘online’ tab at the top of the page.)

Financial Aid

For information regarding Financial Aid, please contact the office of Student Financial Aid.

Assistantships

All on-campus program applicants are considered for a limited number of competitive departmentally funded assistantships. No separate applications are needed to be considered for an assistantship. 

Please contact the coordinator of graduate studies at GRDprtm@clemson.edu or call (864) 656-3400 for more information.

We also encourage you to complete and submit the Departmental Supplemental Information Form, so we can learn more about your interests and answer any questions you may have about admission, plans of studies, and financial assistance.

A formal Graduate School application must also be submitted. Please click this link for information.