Ann Alexander
Senior Academic Advisor II
Texas A&M University
Department of Recreation,
Park and Tourism Sciences
Office: AGLS 468
2261 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-2261
Phone: (979) 845-0571
Email: [email protected]
Melyssa-Anne Stricklin
Academic Advisor I
Texas A&M University
Department of Recreation,
Park and Tourism Sciences
Office: AGLS 463
2261 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-2261
Phone: (979) 458-8515
Email: [email protected]
Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences For Students Entering Under Catalog (Fall 2016)
B.S. degree in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences
Name: UIN#: Certificates:
Course#/Choices (Hrs) Grade Sem Substitute
Communications (6 hours)
COMM 203 (3) _____ ____ ____________
ENGL 104 (3) _____ ____ ____________
Mathematics (6 hours)
MATH 141 (3) _____ ____ ____________
MATH 142 (3)
MATH 167 (3)
PHIL 240(3) _____ ____ ____________
[Choose 2 courses from above]
Life & Physical Sciences (9 hours)
RENR 205 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RENR 215 (1) _____ ____ ____________
Biological Elective (4) _____ ____ ____________
KINE 120 (1) _____ ____ ____________
Language, Philosophy & Culture (3 hours) _____ ____ ____________
Creative Arts (3hours) _____ ____ ____________
Social & Behavioral Sciences (3 hours)
_____ ____ ____________
American History & Political Science (12 hours)
HIST 105 (3) _____ ____ ____________
HIST 106 (3) _____ ____ ____________
POLS 206 (3) _____ ____ ____________
POLS 207 (3) _____ ____ ____________
Technical Support (12 hours)
RENR 201 (3) _____ ____ ____________
ACCT 209 (3) _____ ____ ____________
ENGL 210 or
AGCJ 404 (3) _____ ____ ____________
Statistics (3) _____ ____ ____________
[201, 302, 303]
Course#/Choices (Hrs) Grade Sem Substitute
Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences (22 hours)
RPTS 201 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 302 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 311 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 336 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 340 (ICD) (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 481 (1) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 484 (6) _____ ____ ____________
Certificate Courses (19 hours each)
Free Electives (25)
See next page
Total Hours Required: 120
Additional Requirements for all students: (To be met through certificate requirements or electives)
Designated Writing Intensive or Writing Intensive
and Communications. (Two writing intensive “W”
courses or one writing intensive ‘W” and one
communications “C” course are required)
RPTS 403/401/474
(W) (4) _____ ____ ____________
(3) _____ ____ ____________
International and Cultural Diversity Courses: (2 required)
RPTS 340 (ICD) (3) ___ ____ ____________
(3) ____ ____ ___________
[Study Abroad courses can fulfill this requirement]
Foreign Language:
_____ _____ ___________
_____ _____ ___________
A minimum of one year (2 semesters) of foreign
language is required. This degree requirement can be
satisfied by the satisfactory completion in high school
of two full years of the same foreign language or one
year (2 semesters) of the same language at the college
level
Degree Plan for Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences For Students Entering Under the 2016-2017 Catalog
Courses Requirements for Selected Certificates
Course#/Choices (Hrs) Grade Sem Substitute
Community Rec. & Park Administration
Certificate (19 hrs)
RPTS 209 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 304 or 423 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 370 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 402 (3) (C) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 403 (4) (W) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS Elective (3) _____ ____ ____________
Parks & Conservation
Certificate (19 hours)
RPTS 304 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 307 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 316 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 402 (3) (C) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 403 (4) (W) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 460 (3) (W) _____ ____ ____________
Free Electives (25 hours)
[RPTS Majors can use electives to fulfill additional
certificates]
3 _____ ____ ____________
3 _____ ____ ____________
3 _____ ____ ____________
3 _____ ____ ____________
3 _____ ____ ____________
3 _____ ____ ____________
3 _____ ____ ____________
3 _____ ____ ____________
1 _____ ____ ____________
Course#/Choices (Hrs) Grade Sem Substitute
Tourism Management
Certificate (19 hours)
RPTS 320 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 331 (3) ____ ____ _____________
RPTS 401 or 403 (4) (W) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 423 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 426 (3) (W) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS Elective (3) _____ ____ ____________
Youth Development
Certificate (19 hours)
RPTS 304 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 370 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 371 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 474 (3) (W) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 478 (3) (W) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 403 (4) (W) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS Majors must complete at least ONE certificate
Each certificate must be a 2.0 GPA at completion
RPTS Certificate Descriptions
RPTS Majors must choose at least one
Community Recreation and Park Administration
Management of recreation, park and leisure service agencies that requires expertise in problem-solving,
computer-based decision making, assessment of social and environmental impacts, personnel, public
relations, volunteer management, financing and fund-raising, marketing of services, and needs
assessments. Skills in working with people in the legal and political environment are necessary, as well as
the ability to assess and work with other organizations for cooperative developments in recreation and
tourism. Students in this emphasis prepare for managerial careers with public recreation and park
agencies, youth agencies, not-for-profit recreation agencies, and commercial recreation enterprises.
Director of Parks and Recreation · Community Sports Manager · Golf Course Manager · Aquatics
Manager · Park Planner · Event Manager
Parks and Conservation
Management of natural and cultural resources associated with conserving parks and other protected areas.
Land managers and related professionals integrate concepts in the bio-environmental sciences, social and
behavioral sciences, and policy and administrative decision-making. Necessary skills include geographic
information systems, impact assessment methodology, and heritage and natural resources planning
techniques. Students with an emphasis in this field look forward to careers with both public and private
employers in the recreation, park, and tourism fields, including state and federal agencies and private
enterprises, non-profit organizations, youth camps, and environmental education programs.
Manager · Ranger · Interpreter in National Park Service, USDA Forest Service,
Bureau of Land Management, US Army Corps of Engineers, State Park System
Tourism Management
Tourism is one of the world’s largest and most diverse industries. This option focuses on the planning,
management, development, and promotion of places and events as tourism attractions. Courses in tourism
are designed to collectively build understanding about the linkages that exist between local places and
cultures, host populations, and various public, private, and special interest groups. Students in this
emphasis can pursue careers in private sector enterprises, government agencies, convention and visitor
bureaus, and other tourism related service organizations.
Resort Manager · Cruise Director · Airline Marketing Professional · Hotel Manager ·
Travel Business Entrepreneur · Tour Guide Operator · Event Manager ·
Convention and Business Bureau Manager · Theme Park Manager
Youth Development
Programs and services that contribute to the development of young people’s personal, physical, social and
educational abilities. Youth workers are program developers, leaders and managers who need to be able
to work with youth, families, organizations and communities. Coursework in this option focuses on
positive youth development, program planning and evaluation, and methods for working with young
people.
Camps · Advocates for Youth · After School Programs · Mentors for Youth ·
Park and Recreation Programs · Youth Programming · Youth Ministry · Youth at Risk
Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences
Online Hospitality Management Certificate Program
Name: UIN#:
The Online Hospitality Management Certificate (HMC), is designed to provide students with an
understanding of the planning, analysis, and decision-making techniques needed for management
positions in the hospitality industry. Students will study and develop skills related to principles
of management, sustainability, development, cultural tolerance, marketing, finance, and service
quality as they apply to the hospitality industry.
Applicants must be enrolled in a degree program at Texas A&M and, if required, have
permission from their departmental advisor to apply for the program.
All TAMU students may apply. A GPA of 2.0 or higher is required for acceptance into the HMC
program. To apply, students must complete the HMC application and essay. Once accepted,
students must earn a grade of “C” or better in each HMC applicable course, must complete all
requirements, must maintain a 2.5 GPA in the required courses.
Participating departments reserve the right to limit the number of applicants to the program.
General Requirements
Required Courses (15 hours)
RPTS 302 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 331 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 423 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 421 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 444 (4) _____ ____ ____________
Total Hours Required: 15
Required GPA
Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in each HMC applicable course
The requirements for GPA are 2.0 for admissions and 2.5 in the 15 HMC credits for graduation.
http://rpts.tamu.edu/online-tourism-and-hospitality-management-certificate/
Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences Professional Event Manager Certificate Program
Name: UIN#:
The Professional Event Management Certificate
(PEMC ), offered by the Department of Recreation,
Park and Tourism Sciences (RPTS), has been
developed to accustom students with the various
components of planning, managing, implementing
and evaluating meetings and special events.
Applicants must be enrolled in a degree program at
Texas A&M and, if required, have permission from
their departmental advisor to apply for the program.
We will only accept applications for the Fall and
Spring semesters.
All TAMU students may apply. A GPA of 2.0 or
higher is required for acceptance into the PEMC
program. Once accepted, students must earn a grade
of “C” or better in each PEMC applicable course,
must complete all requirements, must maintain a 3.0
GPA in the required courses. Participating
departments reserve the right to limit the number of
applicants to the program.
General Requirements
Core Courses (9 hours)
RPTS 311 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 320 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 321 (3) _____ ____ ____________
Administration Course (3 hours)
RPTS 304 (3) _____ ____ ____________
OR
RPTS 423 (3) _____ ____ ____________
Specialized Elective (3 hours)
[choose 3 credit hours of the following]
AGCJ 306 (3) _____ ____ ____________
AGCJ 380 (3) _____ ____ ____________
HORT 203 (3) _____ ____ ____________
HORT 454 (2) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 308 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 331 (3) _____ ____ ____________
RPTS 444 (3) _____ ____ ____________
Total Hours Required: 15
A recommended elective for all PEMC program
participants is an internship (paid or unpaid) with a
company, organization, or agency involved in event
management responsibilities. Suitable courses
include RPTS 484 (3) or an internship class in the
student’s major field.
Students are required to complete the required
courses in sequence (RPTS 311, RPTS 320, and
RPTS 321), and enrollment preferences will be
assigned to those in the proper sequence.
The PEMC program will require a minimum of
forty (40) hours of service in the conduct of event
planning and execution. Appropriate
documentation guidelines are given by the PEMC
Program Advisor. Service hour requirements from
RPTS 311, RPTS 320 and RPTS 321 may apply.
Prior approval and post documentation verification
will be granted by the PEMC Program Advisor.
These hours will be performed after the student is
admitted to the PEMC program.
Students are required to complete a portfolio and
submit for approval prior to graduation.
Students are required to pass an exit exam based on
RPTS 311, RPTS 320 and RPTS 321.
RPTS Internships An internship of 400 or more hours is required in the RPTS degree plan; students register for 6 credits of RPTS 484.
Pre-Requisites:
RPTS 311, 340 & 481
Completion of a minimum of 15 hours of RPTS courses & 80 hours total
A GPA of 2.25 or above in RPTS courses; overall GPA of 2.0 or above
Grading and Evaluations
Four reports @ 10 points 40
Website 10
Hour Logs signed by supervisor 5
Evaluations (done by supervisor & self) 45
What must employers provide?
A minimum of 400 hours of work experience (includes training and work)
A clear description of internship tasks/roles
Training and orientation; availability to answer questions related to internship reports written by the intern
On-going mentorship and guidance, including written evaluation forms mid-way through and at the
completion the internship (evaluations are web-based and each one takes about 10 minutes to complete;
employers are not required to submit any other paperwork)
Note: Internships may be paid or unpaid. Many job titles are acceptable for internship credit; you don’t have to be
called an “intern” by your employer. You may work 40+ hours per week, or take a part-time position and spread it
out over 2 semesters. eCampus is used for assignments; no in-class meetings are required.
Where can you find a position?
Job listings sent to RPTS department: https://agrilife.org/rptsjobs/
Web pages made by past RPTS interns: http://rptsintern.tamu.edu/home/2011-intern-experiences/
Internship sites and links on RPTS website: http://rptsintern.tamu.edu/home/internship-sites-and-links/
TAMU Career Center: http://careercenter.tamu.edu/
Other websites & networking
Paperwork & actions required by RPTS Department (Forms & info: rptsintern.tamu.edu)
Form A – submit when you know the semester you will intern but you do not have a position yet
Form B –submit when you have a position lined up
Register for 6 credits of RPTS 484
Questions? Contact Mrs. Susan Scott at [email protected] to ask questions via e-mail or to set up an appointment
Résumé Assistance – E-mail Mrs. Scott for samples, or e-mail her your updated résumé for review. Please note
what types of positions you’re seeking. Tourism, event and other business-related positions require a one-page
résumé, while many youth and park positions will accept a longer résumé.
Job Fairs & Professional Conferences - learn about the field and network for internships & jobs:
Camp Day – TAMU Rudder Plaza, Oct. 12, 2016 (10 AM-3 PM)
Resort and Commercial Recreation Association – Hammock Beach, FL, Nov. 5-8, 2018
RPTS Career & Internship Fair – MSC Ballroom, Feb. 22, 2017 (10 AM-3 PM)
Texas Recreation and Park Association – Irving, TX, Feb. 27-March 3, 2017
RPTS Club
RPTS club is to provide RPTS majors and all other students at Texas A&M the opportunity to
build networks, meet other students, and promote the RPTS Department through socialization
and interaction during club activities.
The RPTS Club is open to all students, faculty and staff at Texas A&M. Through our programs
and service events throughout the year, we ensure that the club offers a wide variety of activities
for members to participate in with at least two service projects per semester. The club compasses
all aspects of RPTS from community and youth development, hospitality, tourism, park and
natural resource management. Additionally, the club offers the opportunity for members to
attend conferences in both the fall and spring semester.
RPTS Aggie REPS
RPTS Aggie REPS is a leadership organization which strives to serve our department, the
students, and the faculty, and to help others learn about our field. Each year the REPS design and
lead programs such as career fairs, dinners with faculty, recruiting events, the COALS tailgate,
and projects to increase the department’s visibility and reputation. Students must be RPTS or
CDEV majors with full-time status to serve as RPTS Aggie REPS.
Aggie Restaurant and Hospitality Club
We like to call it Texas A&M’s best kept secret. It is a group of students interested in entering
the restaurant and hospitality industry in one way or another. The club is open to all majors, so
we span a broad range of interests including restaurant management, the culinary arts, food
writing, hotel and resort management, and event planning. We meet about twice a month with
restaurant owners, chefs, recruiters, and other industry professionals to learn about every aspect
of the business. If you are interested in food, dining, and hospitality, then this is definitely for
you!
Student Event Planners Association
SEPA is a student organization focusing on developing professional skills and establishing
networks with Event Planning professionals, associations, organizations and conferences. The
mission statement for SEPA is to provide a professional outlet for future event planners to gain
knowledge and experience, develop skills and network. Our vision is to make SEPA an asset to
any event planner’s resume.
Rho Phi Lambda
The purpose of The Rho Phi Lambda Professional Honorary shall be fivefold:
To recognize superior recreation/parks/ leisure major students;
To encourage the development of professional standards for the leisure field;
To stimulate the personal development of individual members ‘professional growth in the
leisure field;
To cultivate, foster and promote a sentiment of amity among the students of the leisure
profession;
To recognize those persons who have made outstanding contributions to the field of
recreation/parks/leisure.
Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals
HFTP is a student organization that attends (HFTP) dinner meetings in Houston every
third Thursday of each month.
Dinners are a great networking opportunity and allow students to rub elbows with some
elite hospitality professionals.
HFTP is a global association, founded in 1952, dedicated to providing its members with
leading-edge hospitality education and opportunities.
By joining HFTP we are dedicating ourselves to providing members with extraordinary
networking opportunities, industry-leading certification programs and events, and
essential resources for professional growth
Miscellaneous
Degree Planner
The Undergraduate Degree Planner is a course planning tool designed to facilitate the
timely completion of your degree at Texas A&M University and to assist in planning the courses
required to fulfill your degree program requirements. To start using the Degree Planner, log into
Howdy, click on the My Record tab, and find the Undergraduate Degree Planner channel on the
right column.
You must submit your degree planner by every September 30th until graduation.
https://newhowdy.tamu.edu/Inside/Guides/DegPlan.pdf
Force Requests
You can submit a force request for any RPTS course if it is closed when you are registering. You
will not here back from us because we get 200+ requests. You will either see the course show up
on your account or you will not. We go over requests the moth before classes begin. We cannot
force students into non-RPTS courses. You will have to contact those departments about their
force request policies.
http://rpts.tamu.edu/current-students/force-request-form/
Pre-Registration
We put a registration block on all RPTS students every semester. This requires you to meet with
us during a specific period of time to go over classes. You will receive an email from us mid-
semester, every semester telling you when to start your required advising appoints.
TAMU Email
It is your responsibility to read your TAMU email daily! Please use your TAMU email when
contacting us so that we can verify that it is you. Read all emails we send you completely and
carefully. We know that you receive numerous emails daily from different sources, but you are
responsible for reading everything sent from us. We will send out emails regarding registration,
job fairs, RPTS merchandise, special events, etc.
http://rpts.tamu.edu/ https://www.instagram.com/rpts_tamu/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/RPTS_TAMU
https://www.facebook.com/rpts.tamu
https://www.facebook.com/melyssaanne.stricklin.advisor
https://www.facebook.com/TAMUPEMC
https://www.facebook.com/hospitalitymanagementcertificate/
https://www.pinterest.com/rpts/