Tompkins Cortland Community College
Degree Programs

Outdoor Recreation

A.S. Degree

Outdoor Recreation/Education is a fast-growing and popular field in America and around the world. The Outdoor Recreation degree program is designed to provide you with a strong foundation in the liberal arts and sciences. You will also develop a foundation of camp, outdoor education, and outdoor recreation leadership skills and knowledge required to be an effective and competent outdoor leader and outdoor educator. Once you complete this program, you will be prepared for transfer to an outdoor-related baccalaureate degree program, and to work effectively and safely in the field.

Career Opportunities

For more than a century, the number of people who participate in outdoor recreation and who seek an outdoor experience has steadily increased, as has the number of agencies (private, public, governmental, and nonprofit) offering outdoor recreation programs. This trend is projected to continue in the future. The field of outdoor recreation has developed over this period of time, providing outdoor recreational professionals a body of knowledge, leadership, proper planning, certifications, and respect for the environment through a display of outdoor ethics.

back to top

Field Experience

Field experience is an exciting and important component of the outdoor recreation program. Beginning with your first year, you will be participating in a team challenge course, and will be encouraged to take several outdoor activity skill classes. As you progress through the program, additional leadership, programming, and outdoor field experiences will be a vital aspect of your study. You also will be given opportunities to plan and lead outdoor experiences for agencies in your community.

While the curriculum of this program is designed primarily for transfer to a bachelor’s degree program, it provides skills directly applicable to entry-level positions in the outdoor recreation field. Outdoor recreation leaders who have earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree are more likely to be offered higher-level management positions.

back to top

Transfer Options

The Outdoor Recreation program provides a strong foundation for transfer as a junior to a four-year college.

Possible transfer options include:

back to top

Program Requirements

Program requirements by semester are detailed in the Degrees and Certificates (pdf, 1.6MB) section of the TC3 college catalog.

All sections of the current college catalog are available online.

back to top

Program Requirements Update

The first semester Outdoor Activity Elective has been replaced by FITN 102 Swimming II.

Faculty

Patrick Mercer

Program Chair
Adjunct Instructor (Outdoor Recreation)

A.S. , Tompkins Cortland Community College; B.S., Ithaca College; M.S.E., SUNY Cortland; M.A., SUNY at Binghamton; 2006 Chancellor's/Trustees' Award for Excellence in Teaching.
E-mail Professor Mercer

Martha (Matty) Hamel

Professor (Recreation/Lifetime Sports and Recreation Education and Psychology)

B.S. , St. Lawrence University; M.S. , Cornell University.
E-mail Professor Hamel

back to top

Advisory Board

Dr. Lynn Anderson

Professor & Chair Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services Department.

SUNY Cortland

Jane Hammond

Associate Dean of Curriculum

Tompkins Cortland Community College
B.A., Emmanuel College; M.P.P., University of Michigan; M.A., New School for Social Research.

Dr. Linda Heyne

Associate Professor and Chair of Recreation & Leisure Studies

Ithaca College

Barbara Kobritz

Instructor and Instructional Services Librarian

Tompkins Cortland Community College
M.L.S., Syracuse University

John McNerney

Youth Bureau Director

City of Cortland

Matty Hamel, Chair

Professor, Recreation and Psychology

Tompkins Cortland Community College
A.S., Tompkins Cortland Community College; B.S., Ithaca College; M.S.E., SUNY Cortland; M.A., SUNY at Binghamton

back to top