Welcome to Park and Recreation Management!

The Park and Recreation Management Program offers a Bachelor (BAPRM) and a Master of Arts in Park and Recreation Management (MAPRM) degree.  The undergraduate degree program has been one of 80+ National Recreation and Park Association accredited programs since 2000 and strives to prepare students to become Certified Park and Recreation Professionals and/or Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists.  Park and Recreation degrees offered at the University of Mississippi combine traditional classroom education with experiential and interdisciplinary approaches which prepare students to become leisure and recreation professionals in a variety of recreation, leisure, tourism, and sport settings.  

Students that graduate from the University of Mississippi with a degree in Parks and Recreation Management have chosen careers within municipal, outdoor, therapeutic, military, church, youth, older adult, commercial and tourism, and governmental (NPS, USFS, MWF&P, USACE) agencies in Mississippi and throughout the country. For example, graduates are employed by municipal and state park and recreation departments as programmers, managers and directors. Other graduates work as directors of Scout and Church camps throughout the region.  The University of Mississippi’s long-time cooperative education program with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has provided exceptional opportunities for students to work their way through college and then become full-time park rangers at waterways, lakes and reservoirs across the nation.  Many students have chosen to pursue careers as therapeutic recreation specialists employed in community and clinical settings that work with physically and mentally impaired clients and other persons with special needs.  Other students have chosen sport-related professions and work as community and campus intramural sports programmers, athletic managers, and within minor league sport franchises. 

Our Mission

The Park and Recreation Management Degree Program will maintain an accredited (National Recreation and Park Association) undergraduate curriculum and a program service delivery oriented graduate degree.  Both degree programs incorporate experiential and interdisciplinary approaches which prepare professionals for leadership in public, commercial and not-for-profit leisure organizations that provide health and well-being benefits.

Our Vision

Provide Mississippi’s foremost recreation and leisure education programs that prepare future professionals to manage programs that improve the health and well-being of all people.
Check out more about the park and recreation profession at the National Recreation and Park Association website.

Interested in augmenting your current degree with a Minor in Park and Recreation Management?

Rho Phi Lambda

The Ole Miss Park and Recreation Management degree program has the chapter name Alpha Xi of Rho Phi Lambda. This organization is an honorary professional recreation, park, and leisure service fraternity.

The purpose of this organization is to:

• recognize superior recreation/parks/leisure majors;
• encourage development of professional standards;
• stimulate personal development and professional growth;
• recognize those persons who have made outstanding contributions to the field of recreation/parks/leisure.

The University of Mississippi received Charter status in 2003.