Recreation, Sport & Tourism, PhD
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Recreation, Sport and Tourism
The Ph.D. program is designed to develop researchers and educators in the study of leisure behavior, the management of recreation, tourism, and sport systems that provide leisure services, or both.
The Department of Recreation, Sport & Tourism offers programs of study leading to the Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The Master of Science program educates students about leisure behavior, public parks and recreation systems, sport and tourism, in various private, public and semi-public settings providing leisure services.
Admission
The Graduate College admission requirements apply. Specifically, the admission requirements are a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0) for the last two years of undergraduate work and any graduate work completed. In accordance with Graduate College requirements, applicants must receive a minimum score on the TOEFL of 103 and on the IELTS a minimum score of 7.5. Students are also required to provide an academic statement of purpose, a personal statement, a writing sample, and three letters of reference (at least one should be an academic reference). A video interview (e.g. Skype, Zoom) is required for Ph.D. and thesis-based MS applicants who do not speak English as their first language. Ph.D. students may be admitted for the fall or spring semesters.
Teaching Experience
Although teaching is not a general Graduate College requirement, experience in teaching is considered an important part of the graduate experience in this program. It is also anticipated that doctoral students will engage in research activities and scholarly communication under the guidance of their advisor.
Financial Aid
The department offers quarter-time and half-time assistantships in teaching, administration, and research, as well as tuition and fee waivers and the opportunity to apply for fellowships.
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Recreation, Sport and Tourism
Departmental requirements include satisfactory performance on the written preliminary examination at the completion of formal coursework, the oral preliminary examination on the proposed research for the thesis, and a final examination in defense of the doctoral thesis. For additional details and requirements for all degrees, please refer to the department's website and the Graduate College Handbook.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| RST 550 | Theory and Methods of Leisure | 4 |
| RST 551 | Contemporary Issues in Leisure | 4 |
| RST 553 | Advanced Leisure Research Methods | 4 |
| RST 590 | Doctoral Research Seminar and Colloquium (required for four semesters) | 4 |
| Coursework to support specialization (of the 28 required hours, a student must complete a minimum of 12 hours of RST coursework) | 28 | |
| Advanced research methods to support specialization | 16+ | |
| RST 599 | Thesis Research (min/max applied toward degree) | 20 |
| Total Hours | 80 | |
Other Requirements
| Requirement | Description |
|---|---|
| Other requirements may overlap | |
| Two years in residence | |
| Masters Degree Required for Admission to PhD? | Yes |
| Qualifying Exam Required: | No |
| Preliminary Exam Required: | Yes |
| Final Exam/Dissertation Defense Required: | Yes |
| Dissertation Deposit Required: | Yes |
| Minimum GPA: | 3.0 |
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Recreation, Sport and Tourism
- Graduates will have an in-depth understanding of the philosophical, historical and scientific foundations and developments of leisure, recreation, sport and tourism theory.
- Graduates will have an in-depth understanding of the concepts, theories, methods and problems of research that are common to recreation, sport and tourism.
- Graduates will have an in-depth understanding of research from neighboring disciplines to determine how their research may inform and influence research in recreation, sport and tourism.
- Graduates will have an in-depth knowledge of the concepts, principles and practices that guide their areas of concentration in leisure behavior, recreation, sport or tourism.
- Graduates will have an in-depth knowledge of advanced research methods, the ethical conduct of research, and the ability to independently conduct research and interpret results.
- Graduates will develop in-depth knowledge and application in the science of teaching and learning.
for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Recreation, Sport and Tourism
Department of Recreation, Sport & Tourism
Department Head: Bill Stewart
Director of Graduate Studies: Monika Stodolska
Graduate Coordinator: Mike Mulvaney
Recreation, Sport & Tourism Department website
219 Huff Hall, 1206 South Fourth Street
Champaign, IL 61821
(217) 333-4410
Recreation, Sport and Tourism email
College of Applied Health Sciences
College of Applied Health Sciences website