UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO FACULTY OF APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES | 2020
RECREATION AND LEISURE
STUDIES
BEYOND IDEAS
IMPROVE LIVES
uwaterloo.ca/ahs/recreation
Crossing the finish line at a charity race. Watching your home team score the winning
goal. Family vacations. These activities all represent recreation and leisure pursuits –
and we educate the people who make these moments happen. Learn to deliver the
programs and services people use to help maximize their quality of life. It’s the world’s
fastest-growing industry; people spend over $4 billion dollars on recreation pursuits
in Ontario alone.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE COURSES YOU’LL TAKE IN YOUR FIRST YEAR:
INTRO TO THE STUDY OF RECREATION AND LEISURE
An overview of the broad field of recreation and leisure emphasizing the understanding of various leisure phenomena. Students are provided with an introductory understanding of the nature and scope of leisure, leisure behaviour, and affiliated recreation activity.
PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND EVALUATION
The scope of recreation program design and delivery is examined with particular emphasis on needs assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation. This course emphasizes the application of the various management principles required for service delivery.
YOUR FIRST YEAR | RECREATION AND LEISURE STUDIES | 1
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BRANDON
Brandon has always loved
working with people. He
coached basketball and
hockey throughout high
school, and was one of the
first students to organize
his school’s intramural
league. In Recreation and
Leisure Studies he studied
everything that he loves
in life, and is now turning
it into his career.
FIRST-YEAR COURSES
FALL
REC 100 Intro to the Study of Recreation and Leisure
REC 101 Intr o to Recreation andLeisure Services
REC 120 Program Management and Evaluation
AHS 107 Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-being
PSYCH 101 Introductory Psychology
WINTER
SOC 101 Intr o to Sociology
Two open electives
One restricted elective
One REC elective
SAMPLE FALL-TERM SCHEDULEYour class schedule will be unique to you, but this sample can give you a sense of what your week could look like.
MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY8:30-9 PSYCH 101
(LEC) Introductory Psychology
PSYCH 101 (LEC)
Introductory Psychology
9-9:30
9:30-10REC 101 (LEC)
Intro to Recreation and Leisure
Services
REC 101 (LEC) Intro to
Recreation and Leisure
Services10-10:30
10:30-11
11-11:30 AHS 107 (LEC) Sociology of
Activity, Health, and Well-being
11:30-12
12-12:30
12:30-1
1-1:30 REC 120 (LEC) Program
Management and
Evaluation
REC 120 (LEC) Program
Management and
Evaluation
1:30-2
2-2:30
2:30-3REC 101 (TUT)
Intro to Recreation and Leisure
Services3-3:30 AHS 107 (TUT)
Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-being
3:30-4
4-4:30
4:30-5 REC 100 (LEC) Intro to the
Study of Recreation and Leisure
REC 100 (LEC) Intro to the
Study of Recreation and Leisure
5-5:30
5:30-6
Legend: (LEC) > Lecture; (TUT) > Tutorial
Apply to Recreation and Leisure Studies and choose your subject of major interest. You’ll be admitted to Recreation and Leisure Studies, and then be placed in your major once you begin your studies.
Recreation and Leisure StudiesRecreation and Sport Business
Therapeutic RecreationTourism Development
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR FIRST YEARTrying new things and making new friends is an important part of your university experience. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your first year at Waterloo:
Live in residence with clusters of Recreation students in the Recreation Living-Learning Community.
Attend social events organized by the Applied Health Sciences Undergraduate Members (AHSUM) – the AHS student society.
Meet an upper-year mentor through the weCONNECTu mentorship program.
Get to know your professors by attending their office hours.
Join a student club or campus recreation team.
Visit the Centre for Career Action – their advisors can help you develop your résumé, find summer job opportunities, and prepare for a career after graduation.
SHARON
Experiential learning is part of Waterloo’s DNA. In her Program
Management and Evaluation course, Sharon and her Recreation
classmates organized, implemented, and evaluated a day-long
community engagement event held at the local YMCA.
RECREATION AND LEISURE STUDIESGain a detailed understanding of leisure and its relationship to individual and community
health and well-being. You’ll learn how to plan, deliver, and manage recreation and leisure
services that facilitate meaningful leisure engagement.
The following courses are required to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Recreation and Leisure Studies:
REQUIRED RECREATION COURSES > 8
REC 100 Intro to the Study of Recreation and Leisure
REC 101 Intro to Recreation and Leisure Services
REC 120 Program Management and Evaluation
REC 201 Leisure and Social Justice
REC 371 Quantitative Approaches to Leisure Research
REC 373 Qualitative Approaches to Leisure Research
REC 405 Leisure and Well-being
REC 420 Advanced Program Evaluation in Leisure Services
BEYOND IDEAS
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| 3RECREATION AND LEISURE STUDIES
RECREATION ELECTIVES > 12
CHOOSE 12 COURSES FROM:
REC 151* F oundations of Therapeutic Recreation Practice
REC 200* Play , Creativity, and Child Development
REC 202 History of Western Sport
REC 203 Sociology of Sport
REC 215* Mark eting Recreation, Sport, and Events
REC 218 Social Entrepreneurship for Change
REC 219 Introduction to Event Studies
REC 230 Outdoor R ecreation, Tourism, and the Natural Environment
REC 251 Ther apeutic Recreation: Developmental and Emotional Disabilities
REC 252 Ther apeutic Recreation: Physical Disabilities
REC 280* Introduction to Tourism
REC 306 Gender and Health
REC 312 Pr acticum in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism
REC 319 Event Planning and Design
REC 356 Leisure and Community
REC 361 Aging and Leisure
REC 362 Sociology of Aging
REC 380 Tourism Analysis
REC 383 P erspectives on International Tourism
REC 401 Adv anced Seminar on the Socio-cultural and Behavioural Dimensions of Leisure
REC 408 Gender and Leisure
REC 419 Event Implementation and Evaluation
REC 422 Urban Recreation
REC 425 Heritage Planning Workshop
REC 433 E cotourism and Communities (2-course value)
REC 471A/B Honours Thesis
REC 475 Directed Study in Special Topics
REC 480 Adv anced Seminar in Tourism Development
MU 353 Inclusiv e Arts for Children** (2-course value)
NON-RECREATION REQUIRED COURSES > 3
AHS 107 Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-being
PSYCH 101 Introductory Psychology
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology
RESTRICTED ELECTIVES > 4
YOU MUST TAKE ONE COURSE FROM FOUR DIFFERENT CATEGORIES BELOW:
1. An English course (An English writing course is strongly recommended: ENGL 109, 129R, or 140R)
2. A Fine or Performing Arts course: DRAMA, FINE, MUSIC
3. A Humanities course: CLAS, HIST, HUMSC, MEDVL, NATST, PHIL, RS, SPCOM, VCULT
4. A Social Science course (other than Psychology or Sociology): ANTH, ECON, GSJ, LS, PACS, PSCI, SDS, SMF, SOCWK, STV
5. A Language course from the Faculty of Arts (other than ENGL or EMLS)
6. A Psychology course (other than PSYCH 101/101R)
7. A Sociology course (other than SOC 101/101R)
8. A Faculty of Applied Health Sciences course (other than REC): AHS, GERON, HLTH, KIN
9. A Faculty of Environment course: ENBUS, ENVS, ERS, GEOG, INDEV, INTEG, PLAN
10. A School of Computer Science course
11. A Faculty of Mathematics course: ACTSC, AMATH, CO, COMM, MATBUS, MATH, MTHEL, PMATH, STAT
12. A Faculty of Science course: BIOL, CHEM, EARTH, MNS, PHYS, SCBUS, SCI
FREE ELECTIVES > 13
A key advantage of Waterloo’s Recreation and Leisure Studies program is its flexibility. You can use your electives to explore other disciplines at Waterloo or complete a minor from another department.
*First-year Recreation electives
**Course taken at Wilfrid Laurier University
Note: The official source for degree requirements is the 2020/2021 Undergraduate Calendar: ugradcalendar.uwaterloo.ca.
MATTHEW
After graduation, Matthew’s passion for football and his
Waterloo Recreation and Sport Business degree led him
to the Canadian Football League (CFL), Canada’s largest
professional sports league. After a year at the CFL head office,
he’s now working with his hometown Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
RECREATION AND SPORT BUSINESSYou’ll develop expertise in recreation and sport with transferable business skills in marketing,
human resources, communications, management, and finance. You’ll be prepared for a career
in commercial, not-for-profit or public recreation and sport organizations or to pursue further
studies at the graduate level (e.g., MBA).
The following courses are required to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Recreation and Sport Business:
REQUIRED RECREATION COURSES > 13
REC 100 Intro to the Study of Recreation and LeisureREC 101 Intro to Recreation and Leisure ServicesREC 120 Program Management and EvaluationREC 201 Leisure and Social JusticeREC 213 Principles of High Performance Organizations
in Recreation and SportREC 215 Marketing Recreation, Sport, and EventsREC 219 Introduction to Event Studies
REC 313 Mobilizing Resources for Recreation and Sport Delivery
REC 371 Quantitative Approaches to Leisure ResearchREC 373 Qualitative Approaches to Leisure ResearchREC 405 Leisure and Well-beingREC 413 Innovative Solutions in Recreation and
Sport BusinessREC 420 Advanced Program Evaluation
in Leisure Services
BEYOND IDEAS
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| 5RECREATION AND LEISURE STUDIES
RECREATION ELECTIVES > 7
See Recreation and Leisure Studies requirements (page 3) for a full list of Recreation electives.
NON-RECREATION REQUIREDCOURSES > 10
AHS 107 Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-being
PSYCH 101 Introductory PsychologySOC 101 Introduction to SociologyAFM 123 Accounting Information for ManagersAFM 131 Introduction to Business in North America OR BUS 111W Understanding the Business Envir onment**BET 100 Essentials o f Entrepreneurial BehaviourBUS 121W F unctional Areas of the Organization**BUS 352W Introduction to Marketing Management**OR MGMT 244 Principles o f MarketingBUS 288W Organizational Behaviour 1**ORPSYCH 238 Organizational PsychologyORMSCI 211 Organizational BehaviourHRM 200 Basic Human R esources Management
RECREATION AND SPORT BUSINESS ELECTIVES > 5
Choose courses from the following focus areas. You can concentrate your studies in one area or take courses from multiple areas. These focus areas are guidelines for selecting Recreation and Sport Business electives and do not appear on your degree.
COMMUNICATIONSENGL 210F Genres of Business CommunicationENGL 295 Social MediaSPCOM 100 Interpersonal Communication OR BUS 208W Interpersonal Communication**SPCOM 101 Theories of CommunicationSPCOM 223 Public SpeakingSPCOM 225 InterviewingSPCOM 226 Intr oduction to Intercultural CommunicationSPCOM 228 Public CommunicationSPCOM 324 Small Group Communication
ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND EVENTSBET 300 Foundations of Venture CreationGSJ 207 Women and EntrepreneurshipMGMT 220 Entrepreneurship and the Creative WorkplaceREC 218 Social Entr epreneurship for ChangeREC 319 Event Planning and DesignREC 419 Event Implementation and EvaluationSPCOM 433 The Organizational Consultant
FINANCEAFM 231 Business LawOR BUS 231W Business Law**ECON 101 Introduction to MicroeconomicsECON 102 Introduction to MacroeconomicsECON 254 The Economics of Sports
GOVERNMENT AND POLICYPSCI 100 Introduction to GovernmentPSCI 231 Government and BusinessPSCI 252 Global SouthPSCI 260 Canadian Government & PoliticsPSCI 283 International Political EconomyPSCI 331 Public AdministrationPSCI 334 Public Policy
HUMAN RESOURCESHRM 301† Str ategic Human Resources ManagementHRM 303† CompensationHRM 305† Health and SafetyHRM 307† Labour Relations†May require declaration of a minor
LEADERSHIP AND GROUP DYNAMICSPACS 202 Conflict ResolutionSPCOM 227 LeadershipSPCOM 432 Conflict Management
MARKETINGBUS 362W Building and Managing Pr oducts, Services,
and Brands**BUS 412W Ser vices Marketing Management**BUS 432W Consumer Behaviour**BUS 452W Mark eting Strategy**BUS 462W Business-to-Business Mark eting**BUS 472W Mark eting Communications**BUS 482W Sales Management**
OCCUPATION/CULTUREPHIL 206 Philosophy of SportPHIL 215 Professional and Business EthicsSOC 241 Sociology of Work and Occupations
PRACTICUMREC 312 Pr acticum in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism
FREE ELECTIVES > 5
You can choose these courses from any department at Waterloo.
**Course taken at Wilfrid Laurier University
Note: The official source for degree requirements is the 2020/2021 Undergraduate Calendar: ugradcalendar.uwaterloo.ca.
BEYOND IDEAS
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THERAPEUTIC RECREATIONYou’ll learn how to enhance the physical, mental, and social health and well-being of individuals
and communities through research, treatment, education, activism, and recreation and leisure
services. You’ll graduate with the knowledge and skills to create meaningful experiences with
participants in clinical, residential, and community settings.
| 7RECREATION AND LEISURE STUDIES
JAIMEE
In the course Inclusive Arts for
Children, offered by Wilfrid
Laurier University, Jaimee spent
a week of her summer leading
an inclusive summer camp at
KidsAbility. Along with her
classmates, she learned how to
facilitate creative experiences in
the arts and then applied those
skills to provide a fun-filled week
for Arts Express campers.
The following courses are required to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Therapeutic Recreation:
REQUIRED RECREATION COURSES > 17
REC 100 Intro to the Study of Recreation and Leisure
REC 101 Intro to Recreation and Leisure Services
REC 120 Program Management and Evaluation
REC 151 Foundations of Therapeutic Recreation Practice
REC 201 Leisure and Social Justice
REC 251 Therapeutic Recreation: Developmental and Emotional Disabilities
REC 252 Therapeutic Recreation: Physical Disabilities
REC 253 Practicum in Therapeutic Recreation
REC 351 Therapeutic Recreation Facilitation Techniques
REC 357 Theories and Evidence for Therapeutic Recreation Practice
REC 371 Quantitative Approaches to Leisure Research
REC 373 Qualitative Approaches to Leisure Research
REC 405 Leisure and Well-being
REC 420 Advanced Program Evaluation in Leisure Services
REC 450 Internship for Therapeutic Recreation (two-course value)
REC 455 Advanced Seminar in Therapeutic Recreation
RECREATION ELECTIVES > 3
See Recreation and Leisure Studies requirements (page 3) for a full list of Recreation electives.
NON-RECREATION REQUIRED COURSES > 5
AHS 107 Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-being
AHS 150 Foundations of Human Anatomy and Physiology
HLTH 245 Canadian Health Systems
PSYCH 101 Introductory Psychology
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology
FREE ELECTIVES > 15
You can use your electives to explore other disciplines at Waterloo or complete a minor from another department.
Note: The official source for degree requirements is the 2020/2021 Undergraduate Calendar: ugradcalendar.uwaterloo.ca.
RACHEL
On a co-op term with Parks
Canada, Rachel combined
her passion for tourism and
environmental conservation
as part of their urban outreach
team. To inspire excitement
about the roles that species
play in ecosystems, she created
education programs that were
delivered at popular tourist
destinations in Toronto.
TOURISM DEVELOPMENTYou’ll gain the knowledge, skills, and values to use tourism to enhance well-being and
improve communities. Graduate prepared for a career in one of the world’s largest industries
by learning how to develop, implement, and evaluate tourism experiences and events.
BEYOND IDEAS
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| 9RECREATION AND LEISURE STUDIES
The following courses are required to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Tourism Development:
REQUIRED RECREATION COURSES > 13
REC 100 Intro to the Study of Recreation and Leisure
REC 101 Intro to Recreation and Leisure Services
REC 120 Program Management and Evaluation
REC 201 Leisure and Social Justice
REC 219 Introduction to Event Studies
REC 230 Outdoor Recreation, Tourism, and the Natural Environment
REC 280 Introduction to Tourism
REC 371 Quantitative Approaches to Leisure Research
REC 373 Qualitative Approaches to Leisure Research
REC 380 Tourism Analysis
REC 405 Leisure and Well-being
REC 420 Advanced Program Evaluation in Leisure Services
REC 480 Advanced Seminar in Tourism Development
RECREATION ELECTIVES > 7
See Recreation and Leisure Studies requirements (page 3) for a full list of Recreation electives.
NON-RECREATION REQUIRED COURSES > 3
AHS 107 Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-being
PSYCH 101 Introductory Psychology
SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology
RESTRICTED ELECTIVES > 10
CHOOSE 10 COURSES FROM:
ANTH 348 Anthropology of Tourism
ENGL 108D Digital Lives
ENGL 208M Travel Literature
ENGL 295 Social Media
ENVS 195 Introduction to Environmental Studies
ERS 253 The Politics of Sustainable Communities
ERS 372 First Nations and the Environment
ERS 404/ Global Environmental Governance PSCI 432
GEOG 233 Geography of Tourism
GEOG 319/PLAN 320
Economic Analyses for Regional Planning
GEOG 426 Geographies of Development
GEOG 432/ HLTH 420/ PLAN 432
Health, Environment, and Planning
HRM 200 Basic Human Resources Management
INDEV 100 Introduction to International Development
INTST 101 Introduction to International Studies
MGMT 220 Entrepreneurship and the Creative Workplace
NATST 272 Issues in Contemporary Native Communities in Canada
PLAN 100 The Evolution of Planning
PSCI 252 Global South
PSCI 350 Political Economy of Development
PSCI 389 Global Governance
PSCI 404 Globalization, International Business, and Development
REC 215 Marketing Recreation, Sport, and Events
REC 218 Social Entrepreneurship for Change
REC 312 Practicum in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism
REC 319 Event Planning and Design
REC 383 Perspectives on International Tourism
REC 419 Event Implementation and Evaluation
REC 422 Urban Recreation
REC 425/ PLAN 414
Heritage Planning Workshop
REC 433 Ecotourism and Communities (two-course value)
FREE ELECTIVES > 7
You can use your electives to explore other disciplines at Waterloo.
Note: The official source for degree requirements is the 2020/2021 Undergraduate Calendar: ugradcalendar.uwaterloo.ca.
HILARY
During her co-op term with
the Department of Athletics,
Hilary worked behind the
scenes – and behind the
microphone – to organize
and deliver engaging varsity
game-day entertainment.
CUSTOMIZE YOUR DEGREE
Many of our students are interested in combining another area
of study with their Recreation degree. Talk to your advisor during
your first year about pursuing a Joint Honours, minor, or option.
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BEYOND IDEAS
| 11RECREATION AND LEISURE STUDIES
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OPTIONS AFTER FIRST YEAREVENT MANAGEMENT MINOR
This minor will give you the skills to plan, implement, and assess events. You’ll also learn how to examine the impact of events on people and communities, and design events that can facilitate positive change.
TOURISM MINOR
OFFERED JOINTLY WITH THE FACULTY OF ENVIRONMENTInvestigate trends in the tourism industry, and the complex forces that influence tourism in Canada and around the world. Take classes with internationally renowned professors recognized for their expertise in market trends, tourism planning and policy, and tourism impacts.
JOINT HONOURS
A Joint Honours degree plan gives you the opportunity to get two degrees in one by completing the degree requirements of both departments. Note that it could take you a bit longer to complete all of the required courses than it would for a single degree.
Here are some plans that you could consider:
Joint Honours with Recreation and Leisure Studies
English
Psychology
Social Development Studies
Sociology
Joint Honours with Recreation and Sport Business
Speech Communication
Political Science
Joint Honours with Therapeutic Recreation
Fine Arts
Religious Studies
Joint Honours with Tourism Development
Environment, Resources and Sustainability
Geography and Environmental Management
OTHER MINORS AND OPTIONS
Adding a minor (8-10 courses) or an option (6-8 courses) lets you tailor your degree without the full commitment of a Joint Honours plan.
Here are some subjects outside of the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies that you could consider:
Aging Studies
Gerontology
Human Resources Management
Legal Studies
Management Studies
Music
Psychology
Sociology
Speech Communication
Social Development Studies
Theater and Performance
4.6%
of Canadian household spending is on recreation
Statistics Canada
The Recreation program gave
me the skills to think critically,
solve problems creatively,
make sure the departments
and people in our business are
communicating and working
properly. But the thing that
was ingrained – and that I use
all the time – is focusing on
customer needs. JONATHAN LAURENCIC (BA ’10)
CO-FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS, ELORA BREWING COMPANY
BEYOND IDEAS
12 | UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO
4.6%
of Canadian household spending is on recreation
Statistics Canada
| 13RECREATION AND LEISURE STUDIES
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GRADUATE SUCCESSWith four different majors, our grads pursue a variety of careers.
Here’s a sample of what our grads are doing now:
COMMON FURTHER STUDIESEducation (teachers’ college)
Occupational Therapy
Business Administration (MBA)
Tourism
Recreation and Leisure Studies
GRADS AT WORKBUSINESS
President of Hockey Operations and General Manager, Edmonton Oil Kings
Co-Founder and Creative Director, Lug Canada Inc.
Business Technology Analyst, Deloitte
SPORT AND EVENT MANAGEMENT
Events Co-ordinator, Silvertip Golf Resort
Coordinator, Game Operations, Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment
Events and Outreach Manager, Uptown Waterloo Business Improvement Area
Director, Game Entertainment and Events, Saskatchewan Roughrider Football Club
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Director, Community Impact, United Way of Elgin Middlesex
Wellness Coach, Canadian Mental Health
CLIENT CARE
Recreation Therapist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
Instructor Therapist, Autism Intervention Services, KidsAbility
Child Life Specialist, Hospital for Sick Children
Speech Language Pathologist, Six Nations Health Services
TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY
Senior Travel Consultant, Asia and the South Pacific, Kensington Tours
Area Manager, Canmore Nordic Centre Provincial Park
Conference and Events Sales Coordinator, The Sefton Group
RECREATION AND FACILITIES
Sport Programming Co-ordinator, Ontario University Athletics
Recreation Programmer, City of Surrey
General Manager, Niagara Parks Commission
Membership Director, YMCA
We stay in touch with our grads
to find out what they’re doing
one year after graduation.
See our graduate statistics online.
uwaterloo.ca/ahs/grad-stats
FACULTY OF APPLIED HEALTH SCIENCES519-888-4567, EXT. 36220
uwaterloo.ca/ahs/admissions
waterloo.appliedhealthsciences uwrecandleisure
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uwaterlooahs uwrecandleisure
UNIVERSITY OF WATERLOO 200 UNIVERSITY AVE. W., WATERLOO, ON, CANADA N2L 3G1
uwaterloo.ca/future-students
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