Department of Recreation Administration

Recreation sounds like a department of fun and games—and indeed it’s a fun field of study.  However, recreation students do more than have fun and play games.  They learn the science behind the play.  They learn the skills and concepts to enahance the quality of life of individuals and communities which include

• human behavior,
• leadership and management,
• social issues,
• administration (finance, marketing, stratgic planning, etc.),
• public policy,
• event management,
• facility design,
• natural resource managment.

As future recreation professionals, students will be responsible for promoting and facilitating opportunities to develop healthy lifestyles by ensuring the availability of future parks, resources, and leisure opportunities.

The Recreation Administration program prepares students for rewarding positions in public, private, and/or nonprofit recreation agencies. These agencies may include

• community park and recreation departments;
• local, state, or national parks;
• youth and/or adult development facilities;
• youth and family camps;
• college and university campus recreation departments;
• rehabilitation centers;
• public and private education institutions;
• long-term care facilities;
• resorts and cruise lines;
• outdoor outfitters and guide services. 

Graduates work outdoors, indoors, and even in clinical settings, but they are rarely tied to a desk from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.  Those careers are within one of today’s largest and fastest growing industries – Leisure. 

Time Magazine recently reported that more than 74,000 jobs in the arts, entertainment, and recreation would be opening nationwide over the next four years.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics also predicts that overall employment for recreation workers will increase by 15 percent by 2018, a higher rate of growth than the average for all occupations. 

To learn more and begin your preparation to enhance the quality of life for individuals and communities, contact the Department of Recreation Administration at Lindenwood University.

Joseph Lovell, MS, CPRP
Assistant Professor and Chair
Department of Recreation Administration
636-255-2213
RecreationAdministration@lindenwood.edu