Program of Study
The M.S. in Leisure Services Administration requires the completion of a minimum of 30 credit hours that can be pursued on either a part-time or full-time basis.
Candidates for the M.S. in Leisure Services Administration must complete the following requirements, earning a grade average of 3.0 or higher:
1. Major Recreation Core (9 credit hours):
REC 705 Leisure Research Methods (3)
REC 710 Programming Leisure Services for Deaf and Other Populations (3)
REC 720 Administrative Issues in Recreation Programs for Deaf and Other Populations (3)
2. Related Courses (9 credit hours):
ADM 711 Basics of Management (3)
ADM 796 Executive Communication Skills (3)
ADM 837 Interpersonal and Group Behavior in Organizations (3)
3. Core Course (3 credit hours):
SWK 756 Data Analysis (3)
4. Graduate Internship in Leisure Studies Administration
REC 780 (3 credit hours).
Students must design and participate in an internship experience that provides them with the opportunity to demonstrate and synthesize the knowledge and skills acquired in the courses taken to fulfill degree requirements for an M.S. in Leisure Services Administration. Students cannot undertake an internship until: (a) all credit hours (except professional paper or thesis credits) for the degree have been successfully completed; and, (b) the graduate faculty in the Department of Physical Education and Recreation have evaluated and determined the student's "readiness" to enroll in the internship. A student is expected to complete a minimum of 200 contact hours in an approved agency during the semester enrolled for the internship credits.
5. Guided Professional Paper (REC 790, 6 credits minimum) or Thesis (REC 791, 6 credits minimum) or 6 credits of graduate level electives related to student's career goals and approved by the Graduate Coordinator.
Students pursuing a professional paper will have two foci from which to choose. First, over several semesters, the M.S. candidate can elect to read and synthesize information on a topic of interest to him/her using either one of three themes-an integrative literature review, a theoretical literature review, or a methodological literature review. Or the M.S. candidate can elect to design, implement and evaluate a service project related to leisure services administration (such as designing, conducting, and evaluating a workshop on "Personnel Performance Appraisal in a Recreation Organization" or developing a grant proposal). The service project approach must have the written endorsement of at least a public or private recreation organization. Regardless of the approach chosen, the professional paper must demonstrate a high level of critical thought and serve as evidence of the ability to draw together an area of knowledge.
Students choosing the thesis approach undertake an original and empirical study. The purpose of the thesis is to promote knowledge regarding leisure (e.g., leisure attributes and/or impact of leisure activity on the health of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing) or the administration of leisure service delivery for deaf and other populations. The student selects his/her own professional paper or thesis committee. Each committee is composed of three members, each of whom possesses an earned doctorate. The student selects one member as the chair. A minimum of two members of the committee must be graduate level faculty from the Department of Physical Education and Recreation, and at least one member must be from outside the department and/ or University. This third member must have earned a doctoral degree or equivalent or be a member of the graduate faculty.
The permission of the chair of the committee is necessary to schedule and announce a professional paper or thesis defense. This defense will only be scheduled when the committee chair has reviewed all chapters of the professional paper or thesis, and all changes of a substantive and/or an editorial nature have been incorporated into the document to the satisfaction of the committee chair. The committee must receive the completed document a full 14 calendar days prior to the defense date. If participation in the public commencement event during May is expected by the student, the defense must occur no later than one calendar month prior to Study Day. Unless otherwise agreed to by all members of the committee, members of the committee are under no obligation to participate in more than one defense per week. Consequently, early scheduling of a defense is strongly encouraged. Permission to proceed with a scheduled defense ultimately rests with the committee chair and the dean of the Graduate School.
6. Other Requirements for the M.S. Program.
In addition to the curricular requirements for the program, each student must comply with the following requirements:
a. Before embarking on an internship, a candidate must attain a rating of "2" on the ASLPI.
b. In the event a student makes a C or lower in ADM 796 (Executive Communication Skills), he/she will be required to develop a written remedial plan for improving his/her written communication skills. This plan must be presented no later than the end of the first week of classes the following semester to the instructor of ADM 796 for his/her approval. Students may not be permitted to enroll for any other degree-related courses until they have demonstrated acceptable improvement in their written English skills (as assessed by the graduate faculty in the Department of Physical Education and Recreation and the instructor of ADM 796). When this occurs, the student will be reinstated into the M.S. Program and may resume her/his degree-related coursework.
c. Abiding by rules stated in Gallaudet University's Graduate School Catalog, all requirements for the Master's degree must be met within five years from the date of matriculation in the program of study.
7. Students may also be eligible to earn a Certificate in Management.
To earn this certificate, a M.S. in Leisure Services Administration candidate must submit a separate application for the Certificate program and take an additional course (a fourth course) in the Department of Administration and Supervision.
