Experiential and Outdoor Education (M.S.)

The M.S. in Experiential and Outdoor Education is a two-year, residential hybrid degree program. Students will be admitted in a cohort model beginning in August. In the first year, face-to-face coursework will include a one-week intensive course on campus followed by four weekends each in the fall and spring semesters. Students will be engaged in online coursework throughout the semester(s). During the second-year, students will complete additional required and elective coursework (individual choice of face-to-face, online and/or hybrid course formats) including a thesis or project. This format allows for students to remain employed full-time and/or pursue field-based coursework (e.g. internships) at regional agencies.

The M.S. in Experiential and Outdoor Education degree will utilize the philosophy of experiential education combined with the modality of outdoor education to provide students with necessary training to serve in a variety of educational contexts. 

Educational Objectives

Students will:

1. Develop a theoretical and philosophical foundation for experiential and outdoor education.
2. Understand research methods as they apply to experiential and outdoor education scholarship.
3. Design learning experiences for diverse populations that integrate theory into practice.
4. Demonstrate an ability to identify a need in the literature, propose and complete a graduate level thesis or project to meet that need.
5. Demonstrate various teaching methods and group facilitation techniques for diverse populations.