Patton College of Education 
Department of Recreation and Sport Pedagogy 
McCracken Hall
Phone: 740.593.4656
Fax: 740.593.0284
www.ohio.edu/education/academic-programs/recreation-and-sport-pedagogy/index.cfm

Bruce Martin, Chair
martinc2@ohio.edu

Overview

The Department of Recreation and Sport Pedagogy offers the following undergraduate programs on the Athens campus: Coaching, Health and Physical Education and Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies. The Department also offers a Sport and Lifestyle Studies program on the Zanesville campus and an Equine Studies program on the Southern campus. Minors in Coaching Education, Outdoor Recreation and Education, and Recreation Management are also available along with the certificate programs in Ecotourism and Festivals, Events, and Entertainment Management. Committed to excellence in education, the undergraduate academic programs in the Department are accredited by national accrediting organizations: the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) and the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT). The Department is committed to promoting the pursuit of active and healthy lifestyles. In addition to programs at the undergraduate level, the Department provides graduate programs in Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies with concentrations in Outdoor Recreation and Education and Recreation Management (on-campus) and Coaching Education (on-campus and online and soccer coaching education online). See the graduate catalog for more information.

Mission

The department’s mission is to improve well being through physical activity, recreation and sport. This mission is achieved through quality academic coursework, experiential learning, scholarship and service to the university, community and related professions.

Programs

The Department of Recreation and Sport Pedagogy offers the following academic majors:

Majors

Outdoor Recreation and Education Major (B.S.P.R.L.S.)  - BS8176
Health and Physical Education Major (B.S.H.P.E.)   - BS8106
Recreation Management Major (B.S.P.R.L.S.)  - BS8177
Physical Activity and Sport Coaching (B.S.P.E.)   - BS8169
Sport and Lifestyle Studies (B.S.S.L.S.)   - BS5512
Equine Studies Major (A.A.S.)   - AA5017

Minors

Coaching Education Minor  (ORCOED)
Outdoor Recreation and Education Minor  (OR8156)
Recreation Management Minor  (OR8109)

Certificates

Ecotourism Certificate Program  
Festivals, Events, and Entertainment Management Certificate  

Opportunities Upon Graduation

Students in Helath and Physical Education develop their academic background, instructional skills and physical talents, as well as preparation to enter the work force. Extensive field experiences at all levels of the curriculum through its uniquely designed methods course sequence are provided. A cooperative network of area schools is well-established and maintained to provide our students with opportunities to strengthen their instructional competencies. The Health and Physical Education major has high quality laboratory facilities such as a teaching gymnasium, biomechanics lab, exercise physiology lab, and numerous outdoor teaching spaces. The Physical Education major prepares students to teach physical education from pre-K through grade twelve.

Students in the Outdoor Recreation and Education major and Recreation Management major qualify for direct leadership, supervisory, and administrative positions in a wide variety of recreation and leisure services professional settings. Some of these settings include city park and recreation departments; collegiate recreation; state and federal parks and protected areas; youth services agencies; residential camps; nonprofit civic and religious organizations; and high adventure programs and guide services.

Special Opportunities

The Department also uses a variety of Campus Recreation facilities, including the Ping Student Recreation Center, the Golf and Tennis Center, Bird (Ice) Arena, the Aquatic Center, and the Challenge Course as part of their student-centered learning environments. The strong connection with the Division of Campus Recreation allows us to provide unique learning experiences beyond the four walls of the classroom.

***Pending Board of Trustee approval, the Department of Human and Consumer Sciences and the Department of Recreation and Sport Pedagogy will merge on July 1^st, 2021. The newly formed Department of Recreation, Sport Pedagogy, and Consumer Sciences will challenge students through quality academic coursework, experiential learning, scholarship and service to the university, community and related professions.