Outdoor Education Undergraduate PROGRAM
I never teach my pupils; I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.
- Albert Einstein
Required Courses
Students who satisfy all University requirements as well as the requirements in the Outdoor Education major will be awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology with a concentration in Outdoor Education. University requirements are not listed below; Please refer to the University Admissions page for general undergraduate requirements. To see the UNH course catalog, click here.
Required Coursework for a B.S. in Kinesiology, Outdoor Education concentration
Skill Development and Pedagogy Courses
KIN 540 — Top Rope Rock Climbing
KIN 541 — Challenge Course Management
KIN 543 — Winter Backpacking Skills
KIN 551 — Adventure Programming: Backcountry Based Experiences
KIN 552 — Adventure Programming: Water Based Experiences
Emergency Medical Training
KIN 684/ 685 — Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
KIN 686 — Wilderness Emergency Medical Care (WEMT)
Theory and Program Administration
KIN 550 — Philosophy and Methods of Outdoor Education
KIN 681 — Theory of Adventure Education
KIN 786 — Organization and Administration of Outdoor Education
Leadership Development Courses
These courses are seminar based with strong community leadership components.
KIN 682 — Outdoor Leadership
KIN 687 — Leadership Practicum
In addition to the above required coursework students must choose at least one of the following electives.
KIN 545 — High Angle Rescue
KIN 546 — Whitewater Canoeing
KIN 547 — Lead Rock Climbing
KIN 548 — High Altitude Mountaineering
KIN 693 — Teaching Assistantship
KIN 798 — Sea Kayaking
KIN 798 — Wilderness Navigation
Additional coursework required
ENGL 501 — Creative Non-Fiction
Additional requirements
Coursework in a secondary area
To support lifelong learning and to open up future career opportunities, all students majoring in Outdoor Education are required to successfully complete four courses from a secondary area of interest. Often, students decide to extend this basic requirement and pursue a minor or even a second major. Commonly pursued areas include Education, Social Work, Business, English, Psychology, or various Natural Sciences, although many other possibilities exist.
100 days of program leadership
Students wishing to obtain a degree in OE must document a minimum of 100 days of adventure programming leadership experience prior to fulfilling their final internship requirement. Typically, students enrolled in the program fulfill this requirement through summer employment in outdoor education programs or camps between academic years.
Internship
The final requirement for a degree in Outdoor Education is the completion of KIN 650B, which is an internship that is a minimum of 400 hours in duration. Students will typically complete this requirement after their final semester. We encourage students to seek paid professional positions to fulfill this final requirement. Often, students' internships lead directly to full-time jobs with their host organizations.