Recreation & Tourism
Bachelor's
PROGRAM SNAPSHOT
This major is for those who care about nature, people, and creating moments that matter. You’ll be ready to work in national parks, lead camps, or promote tourism in amazing places.
Study Recreation & Tourism at Winona State
We know your type: you love being outside and enjoy planning trips or events. You also want a career that helps people connect, have fun, and thrive.
Luckily, the Recreation & Tourism major at Winona State was made just for you.
This Bachelor of Science program is all about designing unforgettable experiences and preparing for a global career. Think outdoor adventures, travel, cultural heritage, and wellness programs.
You’ll learn how to guide adventures while considering the environment and emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR).
You’ll also design engaging programs that bring together communities of all abilities. You’ll even help people heal through play and movement.
And what better place to learn than Winona?
Surrounded by bluffs, hiking trails, water, and more, our campus is the perfect backdrop to study recreation and tourism—and see it in action year-round.
Get a glimpse of how we put recreation and tourism in action at Winona State:
The Outdoor Education & Recreation Center (OERC) rents equipment for your next outdoor adventure and plans trips to safely explore the region.
Winona State has one of the largest university climbing walls in the Midwest.
The High Ropes Course stands 45 feet tall with several elements stacked on 2 different levels.
This program is available through the Recreation, Tourism & Therapeutic Recreation (RTTR) Department.
What You’ll Learn as a Recreation & Tourism Major
As a Recreation & Tourism major, you’ll learn how to shape the future of how people experience the physical world.
You’ll also:
- design events and programs that are sustainable and accessible to participants of various abilities.
- explore how recreation and tourism foster well-being, community, and global connections.
- balance culture, heritage, and the environment with growing industry demands.
- understand how online bookings, social media, and other technology are transforming visitor experiences.
Aside from major- or minor-specific requirements, you’ll need to complete additional requirements through the General Education Program (GEP) to earn your degree from Winona State University.
Learn More about the GEP
Program Highlights
On Campus
In this program, you’ll take a Research Methods class that focuses on this field. You’ll learn how to design and execute a formal research project.
Outside your research class, you can assist faculty with their on-going research. Or you can even develop your own project with the help of a faculty mentor.
Students have explored topics like how free play affects children’s emotional development and the impact of local events on community members.
These experiences will give you the critical thinking and analytical skills that employers and graduate schools value.
Want to meet like-minded students and explore recreation and tourism? Get involved in campus organizations that share your passion, like the RTTR Student Association.
Or explore Alpine Club, Climbing Club, Geology Club, Environmental Club, and Fish & Wildlife Club.
You might also want to check out the Warrior Entertainment Network, our student-led event planning committee.
With over 100 clubs and organizations, there’s something for everyone.
Engaging Learning Spaces
As a Recreation & Tourism major, you’ll take your classes in Maxwell Hall. This building features a Virtual Reality (VR) lab, where you’ll practice using advanced VR technology.
But the real classroom will be right in our backyard. You’ll study Winona’s recreational resources while hiking, biking, camping, and setting up events for class projects.
You’ll even go on field trips throughout the region to study leisure scientifically.
Just a short walk from campus is Lake Winona, plus a park and recreation center where you can do a variety of land and water activities all year.
Sugar Loaf Bluff is a landmark that offers a unique vantage point of Winona. Enjoy hiking trails to reach the base, or you can keep going and climb to the summit.
Challenge yourself to take the nearly 400 steps up Garvin Heights Bluff. Then take in the ultimate view of Winona and the surrounding Driftless Region.
Beyond the Classroom
On-the-job training is important, which is why you’ll complete 700 practical hours as a Recreation & Tourism major.
This includes a 600-hour internship and a 100-hour practicum in a professional setting before graduation.
Our students have worked at recreation centers, city park systems, hotels, and resorts. Their field experiences have taken them to Utah, North Dakota, Ireland, Florida, and beyond.
These intensive field experiences will give you hands-on practice shadowing and assisting recreation and tourism professionals.
Apply what you learn in the classroom by traveling the globe. At WSU, you can earn credit that applies to your degree while exploring the world.
Dive into the many recreation and tourism-based businesses in Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile.
Or travel to South Dakota and Wyoming to learn about adventure education and outdoor leadership.
You can also check out our more than 100 other study abroad programs across 40+ countries.
Hear from Alumni
Careers & Outcomes
A degree in Recreation & Tourism can take you just about anywhere.
for Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners
for Lodging Managers
for Entertainment and Recreation Managers
for Administrative Services and Facilities Managers
Learn more about what careers are possible with this major and where our alumni have gone after graduation.
