Recreation Parks and Tourism — Road to Success
Welcome to the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences (RPTS). We provide opportunities that prepare you to become leaders in the field of recreation, parks and tourism and significant contributors to the quality of community life.
Our world-class education, cutting-edge research, and active outreach to professionals and the general public helps you succeed as a manager, administrator, entrepreneur, marketing professional, decision maker, or change agent in the recreation, park and tourism fields or possible career opportunities in the field of community development.
Study in one of the premier departments of its kind in the world and learn about managing resources (human, natural, cultural, financial, community, and physical) for recreation and tourism and improving community quality of life. Coursework in behavioral and life sciences engages you in the study of planning, positioning, leadership, problem solving, innovation, policy, marketing, and finance. Your studies include both domestic and international perspectives, and involve the application of scientific principles and processes to management problems, communications, information management, conflict resolution, analysis, grant writing, and fundraising skills.
Although enrollment varies from year to year, currently there are approximately 420 undergraduate and 70 graduate students. While the majority of our undergraduate students are Texas residents, graduate students come from all corners of the United States and from many other countries.
Our Mission
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Our mission is to generate and disseminate knowledge that increases our ability to understand relationships among people, environment and economy in order to respond to the needs of a diverse society.
Our Vision
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The Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences Department is committed to supporting wellness and prosperity through sustainable environments and positive experiences.
Faculty and Staff
The Department has an internationally recognized history of accomplishment in instruction, research, and public service. The faculty and staff maintain this tradition. The Department has assembled a superior teaching and research faculty. The department’s multi-disciplinary and distinguished faculty has generated hundreds of books, scientific journal articles and technical reports, and has provided intellectual leadership in recreation, park and tourism sciences throughout the world.
Facilities and Services
RPTS is located on the 4th floor of the AGLS building. There are two computer labs on the floor; the undergraduate lab has 42 microcomputer workstations reserved for the exclusive use of recreation, park and tourism students, the graduate lab has 12 workstations. A wireless internet connection serves the entire building.
The department’s Extension program is also located on the fourth floor. The purpose of the Extension unit of the department is to provide Texas citizens with information necessary to improve the quality of their decisions in the areas of parks, recreation and tourism. Both undergraduate and graduate students are often involved in the public education projects of Extension, as the need for answers are transmitted to researchers and the results of research are disseminated to citizens. For students involved in Extension projects, exposure to real-world, real-time problems are invaluable experiences.
Degrees
Leading scholars in tourism marketing, recreation finance, human wildlife interactions, sustainable tourism, leisure sociology and youth development.
Certificates
Standalone certificates available to any TAMU undergraduate, graduate, and non-degree seeking candidate.
Internships and Careers
Explore internship and career opportunities within these fields.
Brief History
While the Department began its official existence in the Spring semester of 1966, planning for its development began several years earlier when individuals in the College of Agriculture decided that a natural-resource based recreation program would be an excellent complement to existing programs. There was a proposal made as early as 1938 “to establish a course in park appreciation, park administration…”