Southern Utah University

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Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Outdoor Recreation Internship (Face-to-Face)

ORPT 4890-01

Course: ORPT 4890-01
Credits: 8
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: PEHP
CRN: 31429

Course Description

Professional experience in a departmental approved leisure services program. (Fall) [Pass/Fail] Repeatable for Add’l Credit? Yes - Total Credits: 9 Registration Restriction(s): None

Required Texts

ORPT Internship Handbook (Instructor-provided)

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply theories, concepts, philosophies and techniques learned in academic coursework to practical situations. 
  2. Develop an understanding and appreciation of roles, duties and responsibilities of professionals in the field of outdoor recreation in parks and tourism. 
  3. Refine and focus understanding of the scope of the outdoor recreation field.
  4. Gain experience in a variety of programming, leadership, administrative and/or maintenance functions within an outdoor recreation in parks and tourism management setting. 
  5. Identify strengths and weaknesses in personal professional behavior which may be developed and/or corrected before seeking a permanent, full-time position in the field.  
  6. Define career goals and/or determine the need for future education.     
  7. Develop and refine communication skills and demonstrate ability to effectively communicate with supervisors, colleagues and the public.
  8. Articulate future role in the stewardship of outdoor recreation.

Course Requirements

  1. The internship must be approved by the Internship Coordinator before any work can begin. See SUU Policy #6.3 Internships.
  2. Hours: A minimum of 45 hours of professional internship experience is required for every one (1) unit of academic credit. 
  3. Internship Goals: Students will articulate their goals for their internship.
  4. Pre-flection: Students will complete a reflection to assess their current knowledge, skills, and abilities before beginning their internship.
  5. Bi-Weekly Reports: Students will complete a report every 2-weeks documenting their experience.
  6. Mid-term Self-Evaluation: Students will complete a reflective self-evaluation.
  7. Final Evaluation: Students will complete a final evaluation at the end of their internship and receive feedback from their mentor/supervisor.
  8. Special Project: Working with their mentor/supervisor, the student will identify and complete a project that fills a need within the organization. The final project may take a variety of forms, such as a report, training manual, in-service training project, video production, marketing plan, program plan, homepage construction, etc.  The intention is for the student to develop a long-term plan and work on a project from week to week throughout the internship.  This is also an opportunity to seek additional responsibility within the position.

Grading

This course is Pass/Fail. Students must satisfactorily complete all course requirements in order to pass the course.

Course Outline

Due to the individualized nature of the internship, each individual student’s work and experience will be different. Assignments will be scheduled as follows:
  • Week 0 (prior to beginning internship position) - Internship Goals & Pre-flection
  • Week 2 - Report
  • Week 4 - Report
  • Week 6 - Report
  • Week 7 - Mid-term Self-Evaluation
  • Week 8 - Report
  • Week 10 - Report
  • Week 12 - Report
  • Week 14 - Special Project and Final Evaluation

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Assignments will be due at 11:59pm (Mountain Time) on Sundays.

Work will be accepted up to 48 hours (2 days) past the posted deadline with no penalty. Extensions beyond the 2-day grace period are granted on a case-by-case basis and may be given for extenuating circumstances with appropriate communication. Late assignments received >48 hours past the posted due date will receive half of the total points earned. Late assignments without an extension will not be accepted more than 4 days past the posted due date. No "extra credit" or alternative assignments will be granted to "make up" for missed learning activities.

Because assignments are linked to a professional internship work experience, no alternative or make up assignments will be offered. 

If registering for credit after the completion of the internship placement, all work must be submitted by 11:59pm on the Sunday of the third week of classes.

Attendance Policy

Students are expected to fulfill the requirements and duties of their internship as outlined in their hiring documents. Students are expected to communicate with their site supervisor/mentor directly to handle any work-related needs or concerns (e.g. missing work due to illness, scheduling work hours and days off, etc.).

Risk Statement

This course includes or could include, a laboratory, physical activity, personal travel, or field trips. Participation in the course may expose the student to certain foreseeable and unforeseeable risks of injury such as, but not limited to illness, injury or even death. Knowing of these risks, the student freely and voluntarily participates in the course and hereby agrees to assume and accept any and all associated risks.

Course Fees

There is no additional fee for this course. 

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.