Outdoor Recreation Business Administration (ORBA), B.A.

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The Outdoor Recreation Business Administration program is housed in the Department of Business and Economics in the Division of Social Sciences and Business. This program is designed to develop skills and a knowledge base that will allow students to pursue careers in the Outdoor Recreation, Adventure Travel, Hospitality, and Tourism sector in Western Maine and elsewhere. The focus of the program is to develop specific competencies and business skills that will facilitate career progression in the existing snow sports, golf, river industries, hiking, camping, and adventure travel resorts, service and retail businesses that provide the economic core of the recreation, adventure travel and tourism industry in Western Maine and many other regions nationally and globally. The program has concentrations in outdoor recreation, snowsports, hospitality, and tourism.

Total Major Requirements 45 Credits

Business Economics 27 Credits

BUS 130 - Introduction to Recreation & Tourism Credits: 3
BUS 203 - Introduction to Financial Accounting Credits: 3
BUS 211 - Management and Organizational Behavior Credits: 3
BUS 220 - Principles of Marketing Credits: 3
BUS 262 - Entrepreneurship & Small Business Management Credits: 3
ECO 228 - Environmental and Natural Resource Economics Credits: 3
One of:
ECO 101 - Principles of Macroeconomics Credits: 3
ECO 102 - Principles of Microeconomics Credits: 3
Two of:
BUS 260 - Recreation and Adventure Travel Business Administration Credits: 3
BUS 310 - Human Resources Management Credits: 3
BUS 315 - Human Resource Development Credits: 3
BUS 320 - Consumer Behavior Credits: 3
BUS 365 - Organizational Leadership Credits: 3
BUS 396 - Internship in Business Credits: 3 (Max credits 15)
*Take BUS 396 for at least 6 credits)
BUS 415 - The Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Credits: 3

Concentrations: Choose One from Outdoor Recreation, Snowsports, Hospitality or Tourism Credits 9

Outdoor Recreation

REC 103 - Principles and Practices of River and Flatwater Industry Credits: 3
REC 104 - Principles and Practices of Hiking, Biking and Camping Credits: 3
REC 105 - Principles and Practices of Summer Resort Operations Credits: 3
REC 107 - Principles and Practices of Adventure Education Credits: 3
REC 177 - Topics in Recreation Credits: 3
SKI 120 - Orientation to Alpine Operations Credits: 3
Maximum of 3-4 credits in Geography selecting from:
GEO 204 - Introduction to GIS Credits: 4
GEO 219 - Geography of Maine Credits: 3
GEO 260 - Sustainable Tourism Credits: 3

Snowsports:

SKI 120 - Orientation to Alpine Operations Credits: 3
Other SKI classes as approved by the faculty advisor Credits: 6

Hospitality

TAH 221* Hospitality Management Credits: 3
TAH 222* Food and Beverage Management Credits: 3
TAH 321* Lodging Operations & Systems Credits: 3

*Tourism and Hospitality (TAH) at the University of Southern Maine

Tourism

TAH 101* Introduction to Tourism & Hospitality Credits: 3
TAH 211* Tourism Entrepreneurship Credits: 3
TAH 241* Sustainable Tourism Development Credits: 3

*Tourism and Hospitality (TAH) at the University of Southern Maine

Other Requirements

General Education Requirements

For specific information about general education requirements and expectations, see the General Education Requirements in the Academic Programs section of this catalog.

Graduation Requirements

Completion of at least 120 credits and all requirements for this specific program, with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.000.

Minimum Total of Credits for The Degree: 120

Learning Goals and Assessment

Learning Goals

Students will be able to:

articulate their ideas in an effective manner, by speaking and writing coherently.
understand and analyze a broad range of issues by engaging in analytical inquiry, informational literacy, ethical reasoning, problem-solving skills, and a broad multidisciplinary knowledge base.
understand the principles related to the development of human capital and effective leadership from an organizational and personal perspective.
demonstrate an understanding of business practices appropriate to managing and developing an organization operating in the outdoor recreation, adventure travel, hospitality, and tourism sectors.
demonstrate an understanding of business and economics principles and practices appropriate to achieving a competitive advantage in the outdoor recreation, adventure travel, hospitality, and tourism sectors.
demonstrate an understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the outdoor recreation sector, with particular emphasis on Western Maine.
develop an appreciation of the value of life-long learning.

Assessment

Through papers, projects, exams, and discussions students will demonstrate:

their understanding of human capital development principles and the development of leadership and interpersonal skills;
their ability to apply relevant business practices;
an awareness of strategies facilitating the development of competitive advantage, for organizations in the outdoor recreation, and adventure travel sector;
an awareness of the opportunities and challenges facing the outdoor recreation sector, with particular emphasis on Western Maine, including how geography, people, and the environmental impact, and are impacted by, the development of a region.