Adventure Education (BS)

Students majoring in Adventure Education are preparing for future careers in leadership, instruction, and administrative positions with non-profit and commercial outdoor education, wilderness education, wilderness therapy, therapeutic adventure, developmental, environmental, and recreation programs.

Adventure Education teaches students how to use human powered outdoor activities to expose people to purposeful challenge, high adventure, and new growth opportunities. Students majoring in Adventure Education engage in outdoor activities such as backpacking, rock climbing, canoeing, ropes courses, and mountaineering to systematically learn four broad sets of skills. First, they learn the professional and technical skills to operate competently and safely in demanding outdoor environments. Second, they learn how to teach various outdoor-related lessons that aim to the development of new skills, knowledge or values. Third, they learn how to develop, frame, facilitate and process adventure experiences so that their future clients and students grow personally and professionally. And fourth, they also learn to interpret and teach about the various natural environments they will encounter when teaching in the great outdoors.

Students enrolled in the Adventure Education program take a variety of courses that cover adventure programming history, philosophy, ethics, theory, leadership group behavior and management, group processing and facilitation, experiential pedagogy, wilderness first aid, risk management, legal issues, and program administration.

In their second year, all students in Adventure Education participate in a 15-credit Fall Immersion Semester, which involves wilderness backpacking and canoe camping expeditions lasting 4 to 15 days. They also have the option of spending a semester in the Outdoor Education program at LaTrobe University in Bendigo, Australia or a semester in Norway at the University of South-Eastern Norway in Bø to study friluftsliv (Outdoor Life). Adventure Education students can also take courses with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) that will count toward the completion of their degree in Adventure Education.

Additionally, students are required to complete a minimum of 75 days of documented adventure leadership or instruction prior to their internship Adventure Education Internship (AP 4880) or 30 days prior to their Clinical Adventure Education Clinical (AP 3890). This leadership/instruction experience must occur after the student’s formal matriculation into the Adventure Education program. Some of this experience is gained through work at the PSU Outdoor Center SOAR (Student Outdoor Adventure Recreation), CALE (Community Adventure Learning Experiences), and/or Outdoor Orientation programs while most is accrued through summer jobs in outdoor programs.

Many of the field-based courses require additional cost for transportation, food, permits, supplies or equipment rental. To meet these expenses, most field-based courses have fees attached to them. Students can expect to pay between $925 and $2,150 in additional course fees to complete the Adventure Education major. The range in cost depends on what optional courses students choose to take throughout their studies in Adventure Education. In addition, students are expected to provide basic personal outdoor clothing and equipment. The program will provide group, technical, technological, and safety gear. Students are also able to rent outdoor equipment for FREE at the Outdoor Center, which is managed by the Adventure Education program.

Program Mission

The mission of the Adventure Education program is to provide an environmentally sustainable, academically comprehensive, and technically proficient education for future adventure educators. In addition, the program embraces the University motto Ut Prosim (That I may serve) by actively seeking and providing services to the campus and regional community.

Note: Because field-based courses may occur on weekends, the schedule for Adventure Education students needs to be carefully planned and may disallow participation in some athletic events and/or affect their availability for working during some weekends.

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The Immersion courses are offered fall semesters only.  NOLS Semester are selected in consultation with the Adventure Education Coordinator.  Students selecting the Outdoor Life Semester in Norway will earn credits for AP 3101, AP 3201, AP 3301.

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Adventure Education Internship (AP 4880) requires a minimum grade of C in Teaching Assistantship in Adventure Education (AP 4200). Adventure Education Internship (AP 4880) must be taken before the semester immediately prior to graduation.

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Adventure Education Practicum (AP 3880) requires a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00.

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Directions should total 20 credits (unless the major has a waiver for a specific Direction).

National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)

The wilderness expedition experiences taken at the National Outdoor Leadership School will satisfy some of the following PSU courses. All courses will be evaluated for course content prior to enrollment.

Credit will be awarded only once for PSU courses or NOLS courses or AMC courses.

Check all course descriptions for prerequisites before planning course schedule. Course sequence is suggested but not required.

To complete the bachelor’s degree in 4 years, you must successfully complete a minimum of 15 credits each semester or have a plan to make up credits over the course of the 4 years.  For example, if you take 14 credits one semester, you need to take 16 credits in another semester.  Credits completed must count toward your program requirements (major, option, minor, certificate, general education or free electives).

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Directions should total 20 credits (unless the major has a waiver for a specific Direction).

1. Display professional competence in the following outdoor skills: backcountry camping, navigation, leave no trace practices, top rope rock climbing, and canoe paddling.
2. Demonstrate effective leadership skills that include professional ethic, vision, communication, decision making, flexible leadership, and tolerance for adversity.
3. Demonstrate effective teaching skills for a variety of outdoor related lessons.
4. Demonstrate a basic level of ecological literacy in natural environment encounter during the curriculum.
5. Demonstrate backcountry emergency skills at the level of a Wilderness First Responder.
6. Demonstrate competent facilitation skills including assessment of client groups, planning and conducting adventure based learning experiences and promoting transference of learning.

• Education
• Independent School Outdoor Leadership Programs
• Nature-oriented Charter Schools
• Outdoor Education Centers
• Environmental Education Centers
• The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS)
• The National Center for Outdoor Adventure Education
• The Outward Bound Schools
• The Student Conservation Association
• The Appalachian Mountain Club
• National and State Park Nature Interpretation Programs

• College and University Outdoor Recreation Programs
• Town and City Youth and Adult Recreation Centers
• US Military Base Recreation Programs
• US Forest Service Recreation Programs
• Outdoor Activities Guiding Companies
• Adventure Tourism Industry

• Adventure-based Therapy
• Wilderness Therapy
• Adapted Outdoor Adventure Programs
• Veterans Outdoor Adventure-based Programs

• Cooperate Adventure-based Training & Development Programs
• Youth Development Programs
• The YMCA
• The Boy Scouts of America
• The Girl Scouts of America
• Faith-based Outdoor Adventure-based Programs