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Sky and tree-tops at sunset

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 From a Ryan Brady Photo
 Adventure Education Major (2004-2006 Catalog)
 (Paul Van Horn and Grant White, Primary Advisors)

View a Detailed Description of this Program

Outdoor Education students help each other over fallen trees in the Big Horn Wilderness Area in Woming.
Students help each other over fallen trees in the Big Horn Wilderness Area in Wyoming.

The outdoor education-adventure education major prepares students for instructional, planning, and management positions in private and public adventure programming agencies such as outdoor education programs in private schools, colleges and university outdoor recreation services, challenge course programs, and adventure-based training programs. Students develop a broad range of outdoor technical skills and experiential teaching strategies; a strong background in risk management and environmental ethics; and a variety of soft, hard, and meta outdoor leadership skills. Students desiring to work in adventure programming are strongly encouraged to take Winter Outdoor Educator Professional Development Block

and BUS222, 228, 229, and 329. Students seeking employment in wilderness education are strongly encouraged to take Fall Outdoor Educator Professional Development Block or to consider taking a major in environmental education, geoscience, or biology.

Students majoring in Outdoor Education with an emphasis in adventure education should take the Outdoor Education Core plus the following requirements and options:

All of the following:                                                    

Credits
   

OED053 Basic Rock Climbing*                                      

1

OED064 Basic Backpacking*                                         

1

OED149 Winter Expedition Skills                                   

2

OED270 Challenge Course Facilitation

             and Management                                                          

3

OED285 Foundations and Principles of

             Adventure Education                                                     

3

OED322 Theory of Teaching Physical Skills                    

3

OED346 Wilderness Instructor Training                           

4

OED349 Search and Rescue                                         

4

OED480 Senior Seminar in Adventure Education†

3
   

Fall Outdoor Educator Professional Development Block:

  

OED381 Outdoor Education Teaching Techniques

(Credits for OED381 are counted in the Outdoor Education Core)         

 

OED382 Outdoor Education Practicum                           

4

OED383 Ecological Ecosystem

Interpretation in Natural Science                                     

 8

 

  
Or  
   

Winter Outdoor Educator Professional Development Block:

  

OED378 Adventure Programming and Leadership

4

OED379 Therapeutic Program Design                             

4

OED381 Outdoor Education Teaching Techniques

(Credits for OED381 are counted in the Outdoor Education Core)

  

OED382 Outdoor Education Practicum                           

4
   

One of the following:

  

OED035 Basic Canoeing*                                              

1

OED037 Basic River Kayaking*                                      

1

OED039 Basic Sea Kayaking*                                       

1
   

Two of the following:

  

OED194 Teaching Assistantship                                    

1

OED294 Teaching Assistantship                                    

2

OED394 Teaching Assistantship                                    

3

OED494 Teaching Assistantship                                    

4

OED181 Outdoor Orientation Leader                               

1

OED381 Outdoor Education Steering Committee             

3

OED481 Outdoor Orientation Student Director                 

4
   

Total Concentration Requirements                             

39-49 credits

Total Core Requirements                                            

27 credits

Additional Liberal Education, Minor,

and/or Elective Requirements                                    

48-58 credits

Total Requirements Needed to Graduate                   

124 credits

  

*Meets Liberal Education requirement.

†Capstone requirement for majors.

The still waters of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness reflect the quiet progress of two Northland canoes.
The still waters of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness reflect the quiet progress of two Northland canoes

 

 

 

 

 

Note:  All Adventure Education Majors will be required to complete 50 days of experience in adventure programming.  These experiences must be documented in an Adventure Education Leadership Log.

 

View and Print the Leadership Log as a PDF

 

Wilderness First Responder is approved through SOLO, the Wilderness Medicine Association, or the Wilderness Medicine Institute of the National Outdoor Leadership School. Students will
be awarded 4 credits when current certification card is presented to registrar’s office.