The demand for professionals with an advanced degree in the leisure service industry continues to increase.
The Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism in the College of Applied Health Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign plans to offer a Master of Science degree in Recreation, Sport and Tourism through The Global Campus. This degree will provide you a quality and highly accessible education ensuring that you are prepared to meet the changing requirements of the leisure services industry.
The demand for professionals with an advanced degree in the leisure service industry continues to increase. Job opportunities in parks and recreation, senior centers, hotel management, natural resources recreation, convention and tourist bureaus, health and fitness clubs, special events business, facility management, and volunteer and youth agencies, just to name a few, are on the rise. According to the U.S. Department of Labor projections, most of the leisure services industry sectors are expected to grow as fast as or faster than the average for all occupations through 2014. Those with graduate degrees will have the best opportunities for supervisory or administrative positions.
The Recreation, Sport and Tourism program will focus on quality online pedagogy that engages the student in discussion with classmates and instructors, challenges them with meaningful assignments and research, and provides useful training for an advanced career.
Upon successful completion of all coursework, you will earn a Master of Science degree from the College of Applied Health Sciences at the fully accredited University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
This curriculum consists of nine 4-credit-hour courses for a total of 36 credit hours:
* Students will take one of these three courses, depending on their chosen specialization.
After completing the program, graduates will have:
The M.S. in Recreation, Sport and Tourism delivers courses using online instruction that emphasizes group collaboration, concluding with a final course dedicated to the writing of a professional paper.
Minimum requirements for admission to the M.S. in Recreation, Sport and Tourism program are:
Note: Professional experience in the field, although not necessary, would improve your admission application; such experience should be highlighted in your resume and personal statement.
Application materials required:| Residency Status | Tuition and Fees |
| Illinois Residents and UI degree holders who are contributing members of the University of Illinois Alumni Association | $17,820 for the entire degree ($495 per credit hour for 36 credit hours) A one-time, non-refundable application fee of $40. Tuition and fees do not include books and course materials. |
| Non-Illinois Residents & International Students | $19,800 for the entire degree ($550 per credit hour for 36 credit hours) U.S. students residing outside Illinois will pay a one-time, non-refundable application fee of $50. International students will pay a one-time, non-refundable application fee of $75. Tuition and fees do not include books and course materials. |
The Global Campus will offer the following start dates for the Master of Science in Recreation, Sport and Tourism degree:
We will explore additional start dates throughout the year based on demand.
Each course will be eight weeks in length. The typical course load is one or two courses per eight-week term. At the rate of one course per term, you can complete the degree in 18 months if you take courses in back-to-back terms.
