Graduate students concentrate in one of four emphasis areas:
- Recreation and Park Administration
- Natural Resource Management and Policy Analysis
- Tourism Resource Development
- Youth Development
The RPTS graduate program is interdisciplinary, providing courses in recreation, parks, and tourism and a wide selection of courses in other departments which complement our graduate offerings. These include courses in sociology, psychology, marketing, management, wildlife and fisheries, forestry, geography, anthropology, political science, economics, statistics, landscape architecture, and urban and regional planning.
To see the topics RPTS graduate students have studied, check our listing of Master's and Doctoral Theses, Dissertations and Papers Completed
Degrees
RPTS offers five graduate degrees. Two of these are research degrees and three are professional degrees. Professional degrees are recommended for master’s students who do not plan to pursue the doctor of philosophy degree.
Research degrees
- Doctor of Philosophy in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences
- Master of Science in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences (thesis option)
Professional degree
- Master of Science in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences (non-thesis option)
- Master of Recreation Resources Development (non-thesis option)
- Master of Natural Resources Development (non-thesis option)
Master of Science Degree (thesis option)
The Master of Science (thesis option) is designed for students interested in continuing on to advanced study in a doctoral program, as well as those entering professional service. It requires a minimum of 35 semester hours of study beyond a bachelor’s degree, including at least eight hours devoted to original research documented in a master’s thesis. A final examination on the thesis is conducted by the student’s advisory committee. Normally, it takes two years to complete this degree, although the time varies depending on individual circumstances.
Master of Science Degree (non-thesis option)
The Master of Science (non-thesis option) is intended for current professionals or those seeking a degree leading to professional service in recreation, parks, or tourism. It requires a minimum of 36 semester hours beyond the bachelors degree. Students earning this degree may elect a professional internship as part of the 36 hours, but this is not required. Students write a review paper consisting of library research on a topic approved by the student’s advisory committee. The advisory committee also conducts a final comprehensive examination. For most students, the M.S. (non-thesis) degree can be completed in 1.5 to two years.
Master of Recreation Resources Development (MRRD)
The Master of Recreation Resources Development (MRRD) is a professional degree for those who are already working in or anticipate a career in professional service. The degree provides maximum exposure to a specific body of knowledge with primary emphasis on statistics and research techniques. The program requires a minimum of 36 semester hours, comprised of 3 hours of statistics, 3 semester hours in preparation of a professional paper, 4 semester hours for a full-time internship of at least six months with an approved employer, and 26 hours of other course work.
Master of Natural Resources Development (MNRD)
The Master of Natural Resources Development (MRRD) is identical in intent and general requirements to those for the Master of Recreation Resources Development. A professional paper and internship are still required. However, more emphasis is placed on undertaking an interdisciplinary mix of course work from other natural resources programs at Texas A&M University.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
The Ph.D. degree prepares students for a career as a university faculty member or research scientist in a government agency or the private sector. It requires 70 semester hours of graduate study beyond the master’s degree, including 24 hours devoted to an original dissertation research. A final examination on the dissertation is conducted by the student’s advisory committee. The Ph.D. degree normally takes three to four years to complete, depending on individual circumstances.
Distance Degrees
At this time, the Department does not offer any graduate degrees at a distance.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the master’s program you must hold a four-year bachelor’s degree from a college or university of recognized standing. To be admitted to the Ph.D. program you must have completed a master’s degree. In addition, all applicants must:
- show promise of ability to satisfactorily pursue advanced study and research;
- have adequate preparation to enter graduate study in the chosen area of emphasis;
- have achieved at least a grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 for the last two years of undergraduate work or 30 graduate hours (based on Texas A&M's 4 point grading system);
- present acceptable scores on the verbal and quantitative sections of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE);
- if from a non-English speaking country, score at least 550 (paper-based) or 213 (computer-based) on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL);
- present three references and a written statement outlining career objectives; and
- have the agreement of at least one faculty member to serve as their mentor / advisor
To fill out an application on-line, visit this site http://www.tamu.edu/admissions.
Financial Assistance
We award two major types of financial assistance on a competitive basis: teaching assistantships and research assistantships. Entering and continuing students are automatically considered for assistantships. Assistantships are available on a competitive basis. There is no application form.
- Graduate Teaching Assistantships are awarded to students to help faculty in teaching. These assistantships involve assistance with classroom teaching, material preparation, grading, and other assigned responsibilities. Masters students are paid $925/month and doctoral students $1100/month. Full medical coverage is also included and entitle students to pay tuition at the in-state rates.
- Graduate Research Assistantships are awarded to students who have skills or background relevant to a research project being conducted by a faculty member. These projects may serve as the basis for a student’s thesis or dissertation. Masters students are paid $925/month and doctoral students $1100/month. Full medical coverage is also included.
Each student with an assistantship is required to register for at least 9 semester credit hours during each of the fall and spring semester and 6 semester hours during the summer semester. Assistantship holders are required to work 20 hours per week to complete assistantship responsibilities.
Other Financial Assistance
Several departmental and university scholarships are available each year on a competitive basis. The amount of these scholarships varies. Scholarships of $1,000 or more per year normally entitle a student to in-state tuition rates. For more information on scholarships contact Marguerite Van Dyke at (979) 845-5412 or by e-mail at m-vandyke@tamu.edu.