A photo of a group of people white water rafting

Parks, Recreation, and Tourism

College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences

Parks, Recreation and Tourism teaches students to work in settings such as parks and protected natural areas, the public and private business sectors, nonprofit environmental organizations, and state and federal natural resource agencies.

  • UMaine is ideally situated close to the rocky coasts, mountains, Acadia National Park, Baxter State Park, the Appalachian Trail and Maine tourist destinations.
  • Hands-on experience early in your program.
  • Close interaction with faculty; strong sense of community.
  • Alumni have donated over $16 million in more than 60 named scholarship funds and faculty endowments, providing more than $400,000 in annual scholarships.
  • Field experiences are readily available in the region through many summer internships and cooperative education opportunities for valuable on-the-job training experiences.
  • The program’s position in the School of Forest Resources provides students with a solid grounding in natural resources management training.
  • NEBHE rate for students from Massachusetts and Rhode Island and Connecticut under the New England Regional Student Program, administered through the New England Board of Higher Education (nebhe.org).

The Parks, Recreation and Tourism program and its concentrations in Parks and Recreation Management, Nature-Based Tourism, and Conservation Law Enforcement are designed to provide students with training that will qualify them to work in a variety of work settings such as parks and protected natural areas, the public and private tourism sectors, nonprofit environmental organizations, conservation law enforcement agencies, as well as state and federal natural resource agencies.

Our curriculum combines technical and professional courses with core classes in the physical, biological and social sciences, the humanities and communication.

The program emphasizes the development and application of skills necessary for operational, administrative and managerial positions in recreation, park management, environmental interpretation and tourism fields. Internships and cooperative education opportunities are available with numerous agencies and enterprises.

Outdoor recreation is one of the world’s most diverse and fastest-growing industries. It is often intertwined within another worldwide growth industry: tourism.

Our faculty are unique in their extensive experience in the field as well as their national and international reputations.

We frequently have guest lecturers from the public sector and recreational enterprises to acquaint students with diverse professional management issues and practices.

Small class sizes ensure student/professor interaction and a more personal learning experience. A faculty advisor works closely with students to assist in choosing a program of study, providing career counseling, and in providing a better understanding of the profession.

A wide array of academic experiences is available to students for enhancing education and employability including field experiences, study abroad programs, and working on research projects.

Our graduates have gone on to work as recreation planners and directors for public agencies; recreation managers and leisure counselors for private resorts; park rangers; naturalists; directors of tourism; environmental educators; outfitters; and owners of resorts and other recreation enterprises.

Candice Goyette

Student Academic Services Coordinator

Nutting Hall, Room 201B
207.581.4737 | candice.goyette@maine.edu

Parks, Recreation, and Tourism

College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences

Nutting Hall
207.581.2841

A photo of Maine's rocky coastline in Acadia National Park

Location, location, location

Study parks, recreation and tourism in Maine, a state that is legendary for its tourist destinations. UMaine is ideally situated close to the rocky coasts, mountains, Acadia National Park, Baxter State Park, the Appalachian Trail and Maine tourist destinations.