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Summary of the Requirements for an Outdoor Education Major
Q & A • Catalog Description of Outdoor Education Courses
• Physical Education Core Courses. Nine (9) credits required
PE 220 Foundations of Physical Education and Sport (3 credits)
PE 221 History, Philosophy and Ethics of Physical Education (3 credits)
PE 243 Anatomical Foundations (3 credits)
• Leadership and Teaching Component. Eight (8) credits required.
PE 386 Outdoor Leadership (2 credits)
PE 440 Survey of Outdoor Education Literature (2 credits)
PE 445 Methods of Teaching Outdoor Activities and Practicum (4 credits)
• Outdoor Education Safety Component. Seven (7) credits required.
Any the following may be selected but Outdoor Risk Management, Environmental Impact and First Aid Certification (Wilderness First Aid, Wilderness First Responder, or Emergency Medical Technician) are required.
PE 381 River Safety & Swiftwater Rescue (1 credit)
PE 383 Advanced Rock Climbing and Climbing Safety (2 credits)
PE 384 Outdoor Risk Management and Liability (2 credits)
PE 286 Avalanche & Winter Sports Safety (1 credit)
PE 282 Map, Compass and Backcountry navigation (1 credit)
PE 283 Leave No Trace Trainer Course (1 credit)
PE g491 Wilderness First Responder (3 credits)
PEAC 188 Winter Survival Skills (1 credit)
PEAC 192 Wilderness Survival Skills (1 credit)
Students who at the time of graduation possess a current certificate in Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), or Wilderness First Responder may apply three (3) credits to this component.
• Natural History Component. Eight (8) credits required.
BIOS 101-101L Biology I (4 credits)
BIOS 102-102L Biology II (4 credits)
BIOS 209 General Ecology (4 credits)
BIOS 213 Fall Flora (2 credits)
BIOS 214 Spring Flora (2 credits)
BIOS 337 Conservation of Natural Resources (3 credits)
BIOS g426 Herpetology (3 credits)
BIOS g427 Ichthyology (3 credits)
BIOS g438 Ornithology (3 credits)
BIOS g441 Mammalogy (3 credits)
GEOL 100/100L Survey of Geology and Lab (4 credits)
GEOL 109 Physical Geology for Scientists (3 credits)
GEOL 110 Physical Geology for Scientists Laboratory (1 credit)
GEOL 201 Rocks, Rails, and Trails (1 credit)
GEOL 210 Rocks, Minerals, Fossils and Maps (2 credits)
GEOL g456 Geology of Southern Idaho (2 credits)
GEOL g491 Seminar (1 credit)
PHYS 152 Descriptive Astronomy (3 credits)
PHYS 153 Descriptive Astronomy (1 credit)
PHYS 325 Introduction to Weather and Climate (3 credits)
• Experiential Skills Component.
Minimum of eight (8) credits required. Courses selected must be different than those used to fulfill the requirements of the Outdoor Education Safety Component. (Note: only 8 PEAC credits can be counted toward graduation requirment)
PEAC 101 Adaptive Snow Skiing
PEAC 108 Instructor Training of Adaptive Snowskiing
PEAC 165 Backcountry GPS navigation
PEAC 166 Canoieng
PEAC 175A Beginning Kayaking
PEAC 176A Beginning Rock Climbing
PEAC 177A Beginning Cross-Country Skiing
PEAC 178A Beginning Telemark Cross-Country Skiing
PEAC 178B Intermediate Telemark Cross-Country Skiing
PEAC 181 Bicycling
PEAC 182C Advanced Dutch Oven Cooking
PEAC 185 Basic Mountaineering
PEAC 186B Intermediate Fly Fishing
PEAC 188 Winter Survival Skills
PEAC 189 Beginning Gym Climbing
PEAC 192 Wilderness Survival Skills
PE 281 Practical Outdoor Skills
PE 280 Winter Camping and Backcountry Travel
PE 282 Map, Compass & Backcountry navigation
PE 284 Intermediate Kayaking and Whitewater Safety
PE 286 Avalanche and Winter Sports Safety
PE 287 Snowboard Instructor Training
PE 288 Ski Instructor Training
PE 381 River Safety & Swiftwater Rescue
PE 383 Advanced Rock Climbing & Climbing Safety (2 credits)
PE g491 Physical Education Workshop (1-3 credits)*
*When workshop relates to outdoor education, i.e. Canoe Workshop (1 credit), Whitewater Rafting Workshop (1 credit), Backpacking Workshop (1 credit), Advanced Kayaking-Summer Field Experience (1 credit), Beginning Rock Climbing-Summer Field Experience (1 credit), Advanced Rock Climbing-Summer Field Experience (1 credit).
• Electives. Minimum of 6 credits
Courses may include those listed in the Natural History Component and/or the following:
ENGL 206 Creative Writing Workshop (3 credits)
ENGL 307 Technical Writing Workshop (3 credits)
ENGL 308 Business Communications (3 credits)
COMM 201 Business and Professional Speaking (3 credits)
COMM 208 Group Communication (3 credits)
MC 230 Introduction to Photography (4 credits)
MC 260 Photo and Graphic Workshop (3 credits)
MC 327 Magazine Article Writing (3 credits)
MC 341 Introduction to Public Relations (3 credits)
MC 470 Communication through Web Design (3 credits)
POLS g455 Environmental Politics and Policy (3 credits)
POLS g312 Grantwriting (3 credits)
MGT g312 Individual and Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
MGT g451 Organizational Behavior (3 credits)
Important Information for students considering an Outdoor Education Major:
Please Read
In order to provide sufficient time to learn and participate in outdoor activities, many of the courses required for the Outdoor Education Major take place on Saturdays and Sundays. During the regular school year, this is the only time available to take field trips to backcountry areas where these activities take place. Students who have church and family obligations on Saturdays or Sundays would want to select other courses of study with a more traditional schedule. Unfortunately, under the current University schedule system, there just isn't any other way of getting adequate blocks of time for outdoor education courses
Outdoor education courses are held outdoors. They are often physically demanding, involve travel to remote places, and require overnight camping in primitive areaa away from civilation. Trips can take place in extreme conditions of weather including hot, cold, rain and snow. While every effort is made to keep classes safe, risks are involved in any outdoor activity. Outdoor education classes are far different than normal university classes. Students who are considering the major, should realistically assess whether outdoor education is truly a course of study they wish to undertake.
Because many outdoor education courses take place on weekends, students who have work responsibilities on Saturday and Sunday, or who participate in intercollegiate sports, or who are participating in other college or community programs which take place on weekend should carefully consider whether an Outdoor Education Major is feasible the them.
Questions and Answers About a Physical Educaton Major - Outdoor Education Emphasis
What is the Outdoor Education Major?
The Physical Education Major (Outdoor Education Emphasis), offered through the Department of Sports Science and Physical Education (SSPE), is a course of study in four general areas including outdoor leadership and teaching, outdoor safety, natural history, and outdoor recreation activity skills. A total of 46 credits are required for the major and consist of a variety of skill and theoretical classes, concluding with a 48-hour practicum. Lower division courses included in the major are designed to help students learn basic skills and safety procedures in outdoor education activities, while upper division courses combine practical teaching and leadership opportunities with theoretical work in leadership theory, legal liability, ethics, and a study of the field’s literature.
Should I Supplement the Outdoor Major with Another Course of Study?
Yes. If possible, we recommend that you combine your outdoor education studies with another major. The most efficient way to do this is to select a major in which some of the course work overlaps with an outdoor education major. The following are several key majors which have classes that can be applied to the outdoor education major:
Majors in Geology, Biology, Zoology or Botany. You may apply as much as 14 credits of geology or biology credits to the following two components of the Outdoor Education Major: Natural History and Electives. Before undertaking this course of study, however, it's important to talk to your Outdoor Education advisor and make sure that you have advanced approval.
Various Majors in Physical Education. Since Physical Education degrees have the same series of core classes, a second major in Physical Education is a natural choice for Outdoor Education students.
Teaching Major in a Natural Science. Science teachers may apply geology, biology and physics credits to the Natural History and Elective components of the Outdoor Education Major.
Teaching Major in Physical Education. Another option is to obtain a teaching degree in Physical Education along with a Outdoor Education major.
Major in Business or Communications. Up to 6 credits from Business and/or Communications may be applied toward electives in the Outdoor Education major.
Graduating with a double major provides you with a greater range of employment opportunities upon compeletion of your work at Idaho State. While a variety of outdoor education jobs are available, many positions are, nevertheless, very competitive. Moreover, employers often look for candidates who have additional training and experience above and beyond what is offered in a college major program. By graduating with an additional major, you have a fall back should you not obtain an outdoor job right away or need to gain additional experience. Additionally, the value of a double major is the flexibility that it affords you. Often starting positions in the outdoor education field are seasonal. With additional job qualifications, you will have the ability to work in other fields during off-seasons.
Who Can Advise Me?
Advisors in the Outdoor Education major include the following:
Peter Joyce (joycpete@isu.edu) 282-3912
Dana Olson (olsodana@isu.edu) 282-3912
Justin Dayley (dayljust@isu.edu) 282-3912
Ron Watters (wattron@isu.edu) 282-3912 or 232-6857
All four advisors can help answer questions and help plan the your class load. Peter Joyce, Dana Olson and Justin Dayley are staff members of the Outdoor Program and are integrally involved in teaching outdoor education class. Ron Watters is an adjunct faculty member with Sports, Science and Physical Education.
When are Classes Taught & Where Can I Find Scheduling Information?
Almost all outdoor education classes involve class time on Saturday and Sunday. The reason for this is that time is needed to travel to various backcountry sites where classes take place. Often classes leave Friday evening or Saturday morning, spend the night out and return Sunday evening. Students who have other activites taking place on weekends (sports, organizations, work, family and church responsibilities) need to realistically assess whether they can fit such weekend classes into their schedule.
Because of the seasonal nature of outdoor activity classes--and the need to hold classes on weekends--classes often do not follow a regular schedule like many other university classes. Instead many classes are held on workshop or adapted workshop basis. This allows the instructor to take advantage of the season: early winter for winter-related activities and early fall or late spring for summer related activities.
Because classes involve a combination of evening and weekends, scheduling is much more complicated than regular college classes, and there’s simply not enough space on the University Class Schedule to include all the important information. The Class Schedule only provides an abbreviated list of times and dates. Your best source of information is to review the schedule of outdoor classes found at the Internet at www.isu.edu/outdoor/http://www.isu.edu/cwhog/classes.htmll. All times, dates and places are presented in much more detail than the class schedule. If after checking with the Internet listing, you still have questions, feel free to call the Outdoor Program office (282-3912) or contact the instructor of the class directly.
What is the Attendance Requirement?
Students have run into trouble when they didn’t take time to double check the dates that the class was held. In the past, instructors have made an attempt to send out reminder letters, but the letters were ineffectual since many students change apartments and residences frequently while going to school and addresses on file with the university are often out-of-date.
Thus, it is your responsibility to make sure you know when to meet. Remember don’t rely on the the University Class Schedule. Check the Internet listing and write down the dates in the your schedule book.
It’s important not to miss a Saturday or Sunday. Outdoor Education classes follow the same policy as all SSPED classes. No student can pass a class that they attend less than 75% of the time--and thus missing one weekend day (Saturday or Sunday) will easily drop the total time spent in class to less 75%. It is on the weekend when much of the instruction and participation takes place. Missing a weekend day is the same as missing weeks of a class that meets on an hourly basis each week--and it is impossible for an instructor to provide make up work for clases that involve active participation. Please keep this in mind, and make sure your schedule is arranged so you can attend all aspects of the class.
Why Do Outdoor Education Classes Have Fees?
Almost all outdoor education classes have extra fees. The fees are used for class equipment, transportation and supplies. Moreover, safety is an overriding concern in outdoor classes, and the fees are also used for extra instructors to make sure enough knowledgable people are present to help keep the class safe. Without the fee, it simply wouldn’t be possible to run many of the outdoor education classes.
All outdoor education instructors are aware of the financial burdens of attending college, and when possible for lower division classes, they try to help keep costs low by not requiring the purchase of class texts. Instead, class reference materials are placed on reserve at the Outdoor Program library. This usually works to your advantage since texts are often much more expensive than class fees. However, if you plan to do further outdoor education work--volunteer or paid--it’s important while in college to start building a small personal library of reference materials. In your outdoor education classes, you’ll become familar with a wide variety of reference works, and from the available literature, you can choose the materials which best meet your needs and interests.
What ISU Departments Are Involved With the Major?
The Outdoor Education major is offered through the Department of Sports Science, Physical Education (SSPE), a part of the College of Education. With the major’s emphasis on teaching and leadership, the College of Education is a perfect fit for the program. To maximize efficiency, keep costs low, and utilize existing University resources, the Department works closely with the ISU Outdoor Program which is under the Division of Student Affairs. The Outdoor Program provides many of the instructors for the classes and maintains the Intermountain Outdoor Resource Center, the largest collection of outdoor reference materials in the regional area. The Outdoor Education major is an example of the wonderful cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship that can exist between different departments at the university. It is a win-win situation for all involved. The state benefits by having a highly efficient and low-cost program. The individual programs benefit. And most of all, students benefit by having a course of study that they desire and support.
How Do I Sign Up For the Major?
Stop in and see one of the outdoor education advisers to help you plan out your course load. When you are ready to announce your intent to be an Outdoor Education major, you’ll need to fill out a “Declaration” form available from any of the outdoor education advisers. This is important since it sets the process in motion which assures that the major will appear on your school and graduation records. |
