Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies

Internship and Field Experiences

Paid and volunteer positions in recreation are great ways to gain a perspective on the many avenues one may choose within the parks, recreation, and leisure services profession.  Both the Parks and Outdoor Recreation (POR) and Therapeutic Recreation (TR) curricula include fieldwork prior to the internship (PRLS 241 – Practicum) and a paid or unpaid full-time professional capstone experience (PRLS 490 – Internship).  These “real world” opportunities allow exploration of specific interests while building the resume.

PRLS 241 – PRLS Practicum

The practicum provides the sophomore-level student with an initial guided work experience in the field of recreation on one of Mason’s distributed campuses. POR and TR students volunteer 120 hours over 10 to 14 weeks during the fall (September-late November) or spring (February-late April) semester. A variety of practicum sites exist to match student interests, including the Freedom Aquatic and Fitness Center, Hemlock Overlook Center for Outdoor Education, Aquatic and Fitness Center, Mason Field House, and the Learning Into Future Environments (LIFE) Program. RHT adjunct faculty serve as on-site supervisors, offering student support to ensure an exceptional experience.

After registering for the course (PRLS 241 – 3 credits) and contacting the faculty practicum supervisor, Dr. Kozlowski (jkozlows@gmu.edu, 703.993.2027), students must select a site and obtain approval.  This occurs in the semester preceding the practicum experience.  For further information regarding the practicum, please visit Dr. Kozlowski’s website at http://mason.gmu.edu/~jkozlows.

PRLS 490 – PRLS Internship

The POR or TR internship is the capstone student ‘synthesis experience’.  Completed during the senior year, the internship provides students with an opportunity to network with outstanding professionals and to undertake tasks that allow them to independently apply their university coursework to real-life situations while completing a project for the agency.  This experience helps seniors launch their professional careers, making them a more valuable asset to any hiring organization. 

Interns have the opportunity to work full-time (30 to 40 hours per week) at an approved agency for a minimum of 400 hours (480 hours for TR under a certified therapeutic recreation specialist) during a regular semester or summer (10 – 12 consecutive weeks). Only one other course may be taken during the internship (fall, spring, summer) semester. Senior standing is required (90 hours completed) as well as satisfactory completion of the following prerequisites:  HEAL 205, 323; PHED 200; PRLS 210, 310, 316, 327, and 410.  POR and TR interns are supervised directly by professionals, who communicate regularly with the student’s Internship Supervisor.

Student interns must register for PRLS 490 – 12 credits, select a site, and obtain both agency and university approval during the semester preceding the internship.  This will give the site supervisor and RHT Internship Coordinator, Dr. Waddell, ample time to develop an agency agreement.  Internships can be very competitive, especially in clinical settings, so it is best to plan ahead. 

Details on the internship may be found in the RHT Internship Manual (.pdf file)

For inquiries about the internship program, please contact Dr. Cindy Waddell, RHT Internship Coordinator, at cwaddell@gmu.edu or 703.993.4160.