2.02

Since our last accreditation, the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies—guided by BEACH 2030 and in consultation with CHHS Advising—has implemented a series of curricular updates aimed at reducing barriers to degree completion and aligning the program with current industry trends and student needs. Key changes include restructuring prerequisite sequences and expanding course delivery formats to include face-to-face, hybrid, asynchronous, and synchronous online modalities. For example, updates to core prerequisites such as REC 141, REC 225, and REC 325 have improved student progression through the major. These decisions were made collaboratively by faculty and are documented in departmental meeting minutes and curriculum committee records.

Recreation Management Curriculum

Faculty maintain full ownership of the curriculum through ongoing review and assessment processes. Each fall, curriculum retreats and formal faculty meetings provide dedicated space for evaluation, revision, and innovation. New course proposals and program revisions are informed by faculty teaching, research, student learning outcomes, and professional engagement. Recent additions include:

• REC 210: Health and Wellness in Parks, Recreation, and Tourism – exploring leisure’s role in public health, offered in multiple modalities.

• REC 323: Park and Recreation Facility Operations – developing skills required to manage parks, community centers, sports fields.

• REC 326: Fundamentals of Digital and Online Media Strategies – providing applied digital communication and branding skills.

• REC 168: Introduction to Travel and Tourism – a GE-approved course introducing tourism’s global and local impacts.

• REC 416: Aquatic Facility Management – preparing students for leadership in a range of aquatic settings.

To enhance curricular clarity, the department consolidated what were previously multiple narrowly defined concentrations into three core areas: Parks and Recreation Management, Outdoor and Adventure Leadership, and Tourism Management. Further restructuring will took place in Fall 2025, streamlining the program into two concentrations:

• Parks and Recreation Management

• Sustainable Coastal Tourism and Outdoor Recreation

This transition will offer students more focused academic tracks while preserving flexibility across diverse career pathways. 

The evolution of curriculum changes for the Recreation Management concentration between 2019-2025 can be viewed here.

The Event Planning and Management Minor was revised and approved in 2022 to better reflect industry needs. Revisions included the removal of outdated prerequisites, substitution of more relevant coursework, and integration of fieldwork experiences. The minor is now jointly housed with Hospitality Management and includes cross-listed courses.

The department’s student-centered approach continues to guide curricular decision-making. Revisions to core courses, ongoing program updates, and documentation through university curriculum systems all support this commitment.

Finally, stakeholder engagement has been significantly enhanced. In Spring 2025, the department formally launched the Recreation and Leisure Studies Community Alumni Board (RLS-CAB). Serving as an Alumni Engagement Advisory Board, the CAB provides structured feedback on curriculum relevance, student preparation, and emerging trends. Comprising alumni from various decades and sectors, the CAB plans to meet regularly to offer input on curricular planning and program development.

Collectively, these efforts reflect the department’s ongoing commitment to faculty-led, assessment-informed, and stakeholder-engaged curriculum development that prepares students for leadership across recreation, tourism, and recreation therapy fields.

Recreation Therapy Curriculum

Prior to Fall 2022, Recreation Therapy program at CSULB was available as an Option in Recreation Therapy.  And, it was elevated to a BS in (2022). The primary reasons of the change include: (a) the need to be in alignment with the new RT coursework requirements (i.e., 5 --> 6 RT courses) by National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC), (b) need to elevate the status of RT program to an independent major, and (c) need to change the degree from BA to BS since RT is a specialized healthcare-related profession centered on scientific and evidence-based skills.  

Summary of Change

(Before F 2022) (Recreation Therapy) Option in BA Requirements (65 units) 

Major Core Courses (15 units):

Take all of the following:

REC 141 - Introduction to Leisure Services (3 units); ”C” or better required. 

REC 225 - Programming Recreation Activities (3 units); ”C” or better required. 

·        

REC 341 - Evaluation and Research in Leisure Services (3 units); ”C” or better required. 

·        

REC 351 - Foundations of Inclusive Recreation and Recreation Therapy (3 units); ”C” or better required. 

·        

REC 480 - Philosophy of Recreation and Leisure (3 units)

Complete Recreation Therapy Option requirements:

Take all of the following:

·    

ANTH 319 - Human Growth and Development (3 units)

H SC 150 - Medical Terminology (3 units)

PSY 100 - General Psychology (3 units)

PSY 370 - Abnormal Psychology (3 units)

REC 451 - Management and Administration of Recreation Therapy Services (3 units)

REC 452 - Assessment and Documentation in Recreation Therapy (3 units); ”C” or better required. 

REC 453 - Comprehensive Programming and Evaluation in Recreation Therapy (3 units)

REC 458 - Clinical Techniques in Recreation Therapy (3 units)

REC 485 - Field Work (3 units)

REC 498 - Internship in Leisure Services (6-12 units)

Take one of the following Recreation Therapy Electives:

REC 455 - Recreation Therapy for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 3  

                           OR

REC 456 - Recreation Therapy for Individuals with Psychiatric Disorders (3 units)

Take both of the following courses:

BIOL 207 - Human Physiology (4 units)

BIOL 208 - Human Anatomy (4 units)

Take 6 units of approved elective courses from the following:

Elective courses from social sciences and humanities such as Anthropology, Biology, Communication, Dance, Educational Psychology, Gerontology, Health Science, Human Development, Psychology, Social Work, or Sociology.

(After F 2022) BS in Recreation Therapy. Requirements (65 units) 

Recreation Therapy Courses

(18 units):

Take all of the following (15 units):

REC 351 - Foundations of Inclusive Recreation and Recreation Therapy (3 units); ”C” or better required. 

REC 451 – Management and Administration of Recreation Therapy (3 units). Prerequisite: REC 351 or Concurrently

REC 452 – Assessment and Documentation in Recreation Therapy (3 units). Prerequisite: REC 351 or Concurrently

REC 453 – Comprehensive Programming and Evaluation in Recreation Therapy (3 units). Prerequisite: REC 351 or Concurrently

REC 458 – Clinical Techniques in Recreation Therapy (3 units). Prerequisite: REC 351 or Concurrently

Take one of the following courses (3 units):

REC 455 – Recreation Therapy for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (3 units). Prerequisite: REC 351 or concurrently. 

OR

REC 456 – Recreation Therapy for Individuals with Psychiatric Disorders (3 units). Prerequisite: REC 351 or Concurrently

Recreation Therapy Fieldwork and Internship (9-18 units)

REC 485 – Fieldwork (200 hours) (3 units). Prerequisites: REC 351.  Students may take this course twice, up to 6 units

REC 498 – Internship (600 hours) (6 – 12 units)

Non-Recreation Therapy Requirement Courses

Take all of the following (32 units):

ANTH 319 - Human Growth & Development (3 units)

BIOL 207 - Human Physiology (4 units)

BIOL 208 - Human Anatomy (4 units)

PSY 370 - Abnormal Psychology (3 units)

REC 141 – Introduction to Leisure Services (3 units)

REC 341- Eval & Research in Leisure Studies (3 units) (also a dept. common core)

REC 469 – Disability, Culture, & Intervention (3 units)

REC 473 – Aging and Leisure (3 units)

REC 480 – Philosophy of Recreation and Leisure (3 units)

Take one of the following to satisfy the Ethnic Studies GE Area F requirement:

AFRS 119 - Introduction to Racial and Ethnic Studies

AFRS 319 - Racial and Ethnic Experience in the United States

AIS 119 - Introduction to Racial and Ethnic Studies

AIS 319 - Racial and Ethnic Experience in the United States

ASAM 119 - Introduction to Racial and Ethnic Studies

ASAM 319 - Racial and Ethnic Experience in the United States

CHLS 119 - Introduction to Racial and Ethnic Studies

CHLS 319 - Racial and Ethnic Experience in the United States

Elective Courses (6 units)

Advisor approved elective courses from social sciences and humanities such as Anthropology, Biology, Communication, Dance, Educational Psychology, Gerontology, Health Science, Human Development, Psychology, Social Work, or Sociology.