Turn your love of adventure and fun into your future profession. Whether you see yourself managing resorts, crafting unforgettable music festivals, or working as a guardian of public lands, a Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks Management degree is your ticket to a fulfilling career.
Forge your path here. Traverse mountains during Field School excursions. Immerse yourself in the inner workings of hotel management through internships. Plan an alumni wedding from beginning to end in one semester. Whichever option you choose, you will gain skills, experience, and connections.
Unlock An Unparalleled Experience
With coursework covering themes from diversity and budgeting to law and tourism, you'll gain a firm academic foundation. You’ll complete a 14-week internship, where you can organize a community event, work in a local hotel, or even help remove invasive species from forests.
View Curriculum
Start Your Adventure
You’ll have three paths to choose from that will prepare you for a career.
Event Management
Bring people together to create memories. You'll get hands-on experience planning, organizing, and running events. Learn valuable skills like budgeting, risk management, and logistics, and be the mastermind behind gatherings from concerts to weddings.
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Delve into the world of customer service, leadership, staff coordination, and food and beverage management. You will gain the knowledge necessary to provide guests with a five-star experience whether you go on to work at a convention center, winery, stadium, or corporate office.
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Experience the beauty of national, state, and local parks while learning to minimize the impact of recreation. Master the art of storytelling to explain the historical significance of places through artifacts. Work with visitors and partners to ensure a memorable and sustainable experience.
Career Paths Await
Take your career anywhere with a Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks Management degree. Our graduates help people lead more fulfilling lives through recreation opportunities, children’s programs, and community events. They become forest rangers, hotel managers, event specialists, and entrepreneurs. Careers within each option in RHPM are projected to grow faster than average.
Some settings you might consider include:
- Hotels and resorts
- Theme parks
- Sports organizations
- National and state parks
- Government agencies
- Municipal parks and recreation departments
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The Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks Management department helped me find my ‘home’ on campus. … I had the support system I needed.
Exploration Beyond the Classroom
Don't just learn about your future—experience it firsthand. Explore career opportunities as you staff visitor centers in national parks, manage youth sports for cities, and network with industry professionals.
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Field School
Spend a weekend in the forest restoring a habitat or take a day trip to a conference to network with industry leaders. Field School will put your knowledge, skills, and abilities to use.
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Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks Society (RHAPS)
From an intimate lecture with the CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of the North Valley to group bike rides around town, participate in a variety of activities while making new friends.
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Capstone Internships
Whether you intern at the Big Chico Creek Ecological Reserve, Camp Adventure, or the Hyatt Regency, you'll complete at least 560 hours of work experience before you even graduate.
Fast Facts
100+
Industry partners
providing career and internship opportunities.
100%
Student participation
in internships or fieldwork.
60+
Years
providing industry-relevant education and training.
100+
Industry partners
providing career and internship opportunities.
100%
Student participation
in internships or fieldwork.
60+
Years
providing industry-relevant education and training.
/
100+
Industry partners
providing career and internship opportunities.
100%
Student participation
in internships or fieldwork.
60+
Years
providing industry-relevant education and training.
Carve a path
Explore All Avenues
Step out of the traditional classroom and step into an immersive learning experience. The RHPM program encourages exploration. What better way to do that than to learn about food tourism by sampling a menu at a local restaurant or planning the perfect event along Big Chico Creek.
Discover Stories and More
Chico State TodayNew Study Explores Drivers of Homelessness and Impact on Public Lands
Jesse Engebretson’s research aims to uncover ways state and federal governments can better serve unhoused communities who are increasingly pushed out of urban areas.
Unexpected Super Bowl Star Set to Graduate
Bri Seiders, a Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks Management Major scheduled to graduate in spring 2022, made every event special during her four years at Chico State.
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New Study Explores Drivers of Homelessness and Impact on Public Lands
Jesse Engebretson’s research aims to uncover ways state and federal governments can better serve unhoused communities who are increasingly pushed out of urban areas.
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Unexpected Super Bowl Star Set to Graduate
Bri Seiders, a Recreation, Hospitality, and Parks Management Major scheduled to graduate in spring 2022, made every event special during her four years at Chico State.
Related Programs
- Kinesiology BA Undergraduate Major
- Nutrition and Food Sciences BS Undergraduate Major
- Business Administration BS Undergraduate Major
Department of Recreation, Hospitality, & Parks Management
Wondering whether a degree in recreation, hospitality, and parks management might be right for you? Contact our office to ask questions or set up a conversation with one of our faculty members.
Phone: 530-898-6408
Email: RHPMStudent@csuchico.edu
