Recreation, Tourism & Nonprofit Leadership Major
One degree, a world of opportunity
Do you like being outdoors? Thinking and living healthy? Working with others in a meaningful way? A degree in recreation, tourism & nonprofit leadership (RTNL) lets you turn those interests into a career that helps people live healthy and meaningful lifestyles in community, health and human services and nonprofit settings.
One degree with three areas of emphasis in a nationally recognized and accredited program. Coursework and experiences may guide you toward leading a mission-driven nonprofit, crafting a community tourism plan or working with adult and youth programming. The choices are yours to explore.
COAPRT Nationally Accredited
Meets the accreditation standards set by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions (COAPRT).
Learn more.
In CNP Certification
RTNL graduates regularly lead the nation in attaining Certified Nonprofit Professionals (CNP) designation.
Paths to Certify Your Expertise
Your RTNL degree can lead to
- Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP)
Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP)
Interested in Majoring?
Tell us more and we'll send information on how you can succeed with a degree in recreation, tourism and nonprofit leadership from the University of Northern Iowa College of Education.
Contact us directly at:
Recreation, Tourism & Nonprofit Leadership
203 WRC
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0607
Phone: (319)273-2654
Email: rtnl@uni.edu
The Many Faces of RTNL
Recreation for all
Learn the principles and practices involved in providing indoor and outdoor recreational services. Classes and hands-on learning experiences encompass a wide range of activities and services within the recreation industry. Prepare for careers in outdoor recreation, parks and recreation, campus recreation, commercial recreation and youth-serving organizations.
The wide world of tourism
Tourism, travel and hospitality — that’s this side of the major. What does that mean? Understanding essential services such as community-based planning, marketing and event management within the tourism space. You’ll also explore tourism on a broader basis and learn about the motivations and desires of leisure, eco-, adventure and sport tourists.
A pathway to leadership and community
Working with people. Giving back. Connecting families with critical resources. This emphasis is a pathway to leadership within the nonprofit and public sectors. Gain the knowledge and skills to pursue a career for organizations that you’re passionate about. Understand the operations of adult and youth human services and nonprofit agencies and make a difference locally, nationally or even around the globe.
Recreation for all
Learn the principles and practices involved in providing indoor and outdoor recreational services. Classes and hands-on learning experiences encompass a wide range of activities and services within the recreation industry. Prepare for careers in outdoor recreation, parks and recreation, campus recreation, commercial recreation and youth-serving organizations.
The wide world of tourism
Tourism, travel and hospitality — that’s this side of the major. What does that mean? Understanding essential services such as community-based planning, marketing and event management within the tourism space. You’ll also explore tourism on a broader basis and learn about the motivations and desires of leisure, eco-, adventure and sport tourists.
A pathway to leadership and community
Working with people. Giving back. Connecting families with critical resources. This emphasis is a pathway to leadership within the nonprofit and public sectors. Gain the knowledge and skills to pursue a career for organizations that you’re passionate about. Understand the operations of adult and youth human services and nonprofit agencies and make a difference locally, nationally or even around the globe.
Courses
Coursework helps you gain in-depth knowledge and understanding of the different facets of recreation, tourism and nonprofit leadership. Choose courses that reflect the RTNL emphasis you prefer. You will work with faculty who connect what they teach in class to real-world job situations, and you will learn skills to be well-prepared to enter the workforce.
- Leadership in Leisure, Youth and Human Services
- Inclusive Recreation and Diversity in RTNL
- Community Based Tourism
- Trends and Issues in Outdoor Recreation
- Philanthropy and Nonprofit Development
- Recreation, Tourism and Nonprofit Leadership Field Experience
- Nonprofit Leadership Practicum I and II
Careers
A strength of this degree is the variety of options it gives you. A robust combination of classroom and field experiences and internships lead to careers including:
- City/county recreation supervisor/director*
- College/university intramurals director
- Wellness/aquatics director
- Nonprofit agency executive director*
- Director of development and fundraising
- Volunteer coordinator
- Youth program director
- Coaching director for youth sports associations
- Tourism and cultural programs manager
- Advocacy, policy and research specialist
- Special event coordinator
- Summer camp director/outdoor trip guide
- Environmental interpreter
- Naturalist/environmental educator
- Park ranger/manager
- Recreation therapist
- Inclusion specialist
*Eligible to earn national certification
Philanthropy is rewarding yet hard work. We see community success--and failure--but show up again and again to make our world a better place.
Add a Certificate
Looking to dig deeper into a certain subject while becoming more marketable to future employers? Consider adding on a certificate and expand your knowledge in an area of interest.
Student Organizations
We encourage you to get involved on campus and get to know your peers. Gain relevant experience and boost your resume, all at the same time! Consider joining:
- The UNI Nonprofit Leadership Alliance — dedicated to educating, preparing and certifying students to strengthen and lead nonprofit organizations.
- The Outdoor Education & Leadership Alliance — fostering a community of students to discuss and practice outdoor skills, safety, scenarios, and more.
Real world. Real experiences.
In this program, we emphasize field experience. It’s important to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom to real situations you will encounter in your future career. You'll find these opportunities available throughout your program. You will then complete your degree by participating in a semester-long internship.
Support to achieve your dreams
The Robert and Yvonne Koob Fund for Student Community Engagement is an endowment supporting students who are completing internships in positions of service in Iowa. The Koob Fund is part of a strong community engagement effort at UNI.
Additional scholarships for Health, Recreation & Community Services and College of Education students also are available by filling out the universal UNI scholarship application.