The Outdoor Education and Leadership Emphasis is only offered at Flagstaff campus.
The Park Protection Emphasis is only offered at the Flagstaff campus.
Beginning Fall 2024, the Park Protection program will be offered as the Natural Resource Law Enforcement Minor or the Natural Resource Law Enforcement Undergraduate Certificate.
Through this degree, recreation resource professionals are prepared for diverse careers in the field of parks and recreation. The PRM Program focuses on small class size, high student-teacher interaction, on-site field experiences, and experiential learning opportunities. The faculty are are dedicated to expanding the scholarly knowledge base of people and organizations to enhance the quality of leisure experiences and places.
This program is accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT) This program is recognized by the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA).
If you have a keen interest in the outdoors and desire to help ensure the availability of future park, recreation, and leisure service opportunities, a degree in Parks and Recreation Management (PRM) will help you pursue this career. Graduates find jobs with municipal parks and recreation departments, private resorts, federal land-management agencies, correctional institutions, nonprofit organizations, and a variety of other outlets in the industry.
Northern Arizona University's location is perfect for studying parks and recreation with six National Forests and a dozen units of the National Park Service system within a half-day's drive of campus, including the nearby Grand Canyon. Degree coursework will help prepare you for a career that encourages healthy lifestyles and enjoyment of the outdoors.
To receive a bachelor's degree at Northern Arizona University, you must complete at least 120 units of credit that minimally includes a major, the liberal studies requirements, and university requirements as listed below.
The full policy can be viewed here.
In addition to University Requirements:
Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.
| Minimum Units for Completion | 120 |
| Major GPA | C |
| Highest Mathematics Required | STA 270 |
| Fieldwork Experience/Internship | Required |
| University Honors Program | Optional |
| Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan | Optional |
| AZ Transfer Students complete AGEC-A | Recommended |
| Progression Plan Link | View Progression Plan |
| Emphasis, Minor, or Coursework Required | An emphasis, minor, or coursework is required for this major. |
Purpose Statement
The Northern Arizona University (NAU), Parks and Recreation Management faculty, staff and students are committed to promoting successful professional careers, service learning, active healthy life-styles, life-long education, global awareness, and creating meaningful social connections between individuals and their surrounding environment.
More Information
This major requires 72 - 78 units distributed as follows:
Take the following 72 - 78 units
Parks and Recreation Common Course Requirements (54 units)
Emphasis or Minor Requirement - Select One (18 - 24 units)
Individualized Study Emphasis (18 units)
Minor Requirement (18 - 24 units)
Additional coursework is required if, after you have met the previously described requirements, you have not yet completed a total of 120 units of credit.
You may take these remaining courses from any of the academic areas, using these courses to pursue your specific interests and goals. You may also use prerequisites or transfer credits as electives if they weren't used to meet major, minor, or liberal studies requirements.
We encourage you to consult with your advisor to select the courses that will be most advantageous to you.
You must maintain a 2.0 cumulative grade point average in the lower-division core in order to move forward into upper-division core courses. In addition, you must have a Grade of "C" or better in all lower- and upper-division core courses, including repeated courses, in order to graduate.
Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.
This program is available as an Accelerated Undergraduate/Graduate Plan wherein a student may start a master's degree while simultaneously completing their bachelor's degree.