Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management (RPTM)

This course provides general background knowledge about the literature and research methods central to the field of leisure studies.

An exploration of the various approaches that have been taken in the social sciences to understand tourism behavior.

Patterns of time and space use; user characteristics; meaning of participation; facilitation of environment-use enhancement.

Application of the methods, constructs, and theory of social psychology to the study of leisure, outdoor recreation, and therapeutic recreation.

Research techniques, including methods, research design, techniques for data collection, as applied to relevant problems in the leisure studies field.

Advanced procedures related to leisure, recreation, and park research.

In this course, students will be given an overview of and have the opportunity to apply many techniques employed by qualitative social science researchers. A particular emphasis will be on inductive, fieldwork-based research methods including participant observation and in-depth interviewing. During class meetings students will participate in seminar discussion of assigned reading material and the shared experiences associated with the preparation of course assignments. These assignments will develop methodological experience through activities conducted locally. Across the semester students will also develop a more elaborate funding proposal for research based on qualitative methodologies. The course will be of particular value to students preparing for thesis or dissertation research utilizing qualitative methods. Though qualitative research is often associated with an interpretivist or humanistic research paradigm, participants espousing a scientific/positivist paradigm are also encouraged to enroll, as are students from outside of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management.

This course, taught from a recreation, park and tourism management perspective, provides an overview of the varied expectations and responsibilities for doctoral graduates at universities/colleges, non-profit organizations, and governmental agencies. Topics include grant/contract proposals, scholarly and professional publications, and the development of professional vitae, narrative, and teaching portfolios.

Public and private roles and interactions, allocation of resources, use policies, open space concepts, private enterprise developments, legal controls.

Philosophical and social bases of leisure; analysis of critical issues of leisure for philosophical and social implications.

Creative projects, including nonthesis research, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently; several different topics may be taught in one year or term.

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Supervised experience in teaching and orientation to other selected aspects of the profession at The Pennsylvania State University.

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