Through the interdisciplinary umbrella of the liberal arts, Adventure Education prepares students in the scholarship, communication, and technical skills for a variety of professional leadership and instructional opportunities.
Students learn how to lead and teach in a variety of settings that use outdoor and adventure environments to promote positive change in individuals, organizations and society. They learn how to use human-powered outdoor pursuits including backpacking, ropes-challenge courses, rock climbing, mountaineering, and river paddling to expose individuals and groups to new growth opportunities. Students develop the leadership, teaching, and facilitation skills to promote a sustainable environment and help others apply challenge and adventure to a broader life context. And Adventure Education students study the “why” behind the “what,” the theory and philosophy underlying challenge and adventure, to be critical thinkers and informed professionals.
Adventure Education, as a profession and an academic major, is demanding and requires serious commitments of time, energy, scholarship and professionalism from students. A block semester includes a 15-credit package of courses where students are in the mountains, canyons and on the rivers several days and weeks at a time, and in full-day class sessions throughout the entire semester. Adventure Education students also have options of taking a semester course at Outward Bound or the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS), or spending a semester studying abroad. To earn course credit, such experiences must occur after the student’s matriculation into the program.
Along with the 24/7 semester-long commitments described above, many of the field-based courses occur on weekends, over College breaks, and in May session. Therefore, the schedule for Adventure Education students may limit extra-curricular and job involvements some semesters. Students must complete a minimum of 60 days of pre-approved, documented adventure leadership and instruction experience prior to the Internship, and have a minimum 2.5 grade point average. Prior to the Practicum, 30 days of pre-approved, documented adventure leadership and instruction experience is required. This leadership/instruction experience must occur after the student’s matriculation into the Adventure Education program. Some of this experience will be gained through Adventure Education course work, while some must be accrued through summer jobs in camps or outdoor programs. Students are encouraged to actively participate in the FLC Outdoor Pursuits co-curricular program.
The Adventure Education major is academically rigorous and prepares students for professional positions in leadership, instruction and administration with school and college outdoor programs, with non-profit and commercial outdoor education organizations, and with therapeutic adventure, environmental, and community recreation programs.
Competitive Admissions Process
The Adventure Education program is a competitive admissions program requiring students to both meet certain minimum GPA requirements and to be approved by the faculty to continue past 100-level courses. Upon admission to the program, there are continuing grade and course prerequisites required for enrollment in subsequent Adventure Education courses.
All applicants for the Adventure Education program must submit the following materials to the program director by the Tuesday following spring break in March (for Fall admittance) or the second Tuesday in November (for Winter admittance). Once the application has been received, an interview with a faculty screening committee will be conducted to discuss the application. A completed application and interview, and meeting all admittance requirements, does not necessarily guarantee acceptance into the program.
1. Proof of enrollment in or completion of:
>>>a. AE 101—Foundations of Adventure Education with a grade of C+ or better.
>>>b. Two of the following courses with a grade of C+ or better:
>>>>> AE 121—Top Rope Climbing,
>>>>> AE 131—Paddling Fundamentals,
>>>>> AE 141—Backcountry Skiing,
>>>>> AE 151—Challenge Course Fundamentals.
2. A current minimum overall grade point average of 2.5, and a minimum Adventure Education grade point average of 2.5.
3. Completed application form, which includes a statement of personal and professional philosophy related to adventure education.
4. A current professional resume and two letters of recommendation, one from a Fort Lewis College faculty member (excluding Adventure Education faculty), and one from an adult professional (excluding immediate family) who is familiar with the student’s professional goals and work ethic.
5. A copy of all unofficial college transcripts.
6. Interview with faculty screening committee.
Students applying for admission to the Adventure Education program while they are still completing the courses described in #1, above, may be granted conditional admission until proof of completing these courses with grades of C+ or higher is provided, along with proof of 2.5 grade point averages overall and in Adventure Education courses. Students not meeting these admittance requirements must select a different major.
Leadership & Instruction Experience Requirement
To increase your level of competence, training, professionalism, and experience, Adventure Education majors are required to complete a minimum of 30 days of pre-approved, documented leadership/instruction experience before enrolling in the Practicum, AE 380. Sixty days of pre-approved, documented adventure leadership/instruction experience are required prior to entering the culminating course experience—AE 480, Adventure Education Internship. This background also prepares you to be a strong internship candidate for more competitive internship sites.
The adventure leadership/instruction requirement consists of students leading or facilitating “face-to-face” adventure experiences with a client group. At least 80% of this leadership/instruction experience must be with human-powered outdoor pursuits (i.e. backpacking, rock climbing, mountaineering, canoeing, ropes courses)—consistent with the academic preparation of the Adventure Education major. A maximum of 20% of the leadership/instruction days can include teaching ski or snowboard lessons, for example. While not considered an adventure programming experience, the teaching of downhill ski lessons in a supervised situation has value for the student’s instructional prowess.
You should complete your leadership/instruction days in a manner that is integrated with your Adventure Education coursework at FLC. Debriefing models discussed in class, for example, make more sense when you have outdoor leadership/instruction experiences occurring close to the same time. Therefore, the leadership/instruction days can be counted beginning with your enrollment in your first Adventure Education course. Leadership/instruction days can be counted that are required as part of a course (i.e. Adventure Leadership and Instruction). A leadership/instruction experience day consists of 8 hours of responsibility for, instruction or facilitation of a client or student group. Summer camp jobs are an excellent way to gain this leadership and instruction experience.
In order to register for the Practicum or Internship, you must submit to an Adventure Education faculty member a list that documents your outdoor leadership/instruction experience—type of adventure experience led; program area; length of program; leadership role; the name of a supervisor who can verify the experience. You will receive information about this documentation process in your Foundations of Adventure Education course.
