Outdoor Leadership Major Requirements

The Outdoor Leadership degree will provide you with a foundation of knowledge and experience to prepare you for a leadership position in the outdoor adventure field, while also allowing you the flexibility to choose elective courses that you feel will make you distinctive. Please see the major requirements for a list of required courses.

When planning for your completion of the OL major, please consider the following:

• Minors/Double-Majors: Students completing a OL major are encouraged to pursue minors and/or double-majors that will enhance their preparation for their chosen specialization, but should carefully review requirements for those programs in order to plan for completion. An advisor/second advisor in the chosen area is recommended.
• Prerequisites: Be sure to check course prerequisites early in your degree planning, as there are a number of courses that have multiple prerequisite courses required (e.g., OL 399 Immersion Semester requires OL 205, OL 206 and OL 107 before participating) 
  • Minimum Grades: A grade of C is required in all prerequisite courses (e.g., if a course requires OL XXX as a prerequisite, OL XXX must have been completed with a grade of C or better in order to register).
  • Physical Conditioning Requirement: The immersion semester does require a minimum level of physically conditioning before participating so please speak with your advisor about this early so that you have time to prepare.
• Immersion Semester (OL 399): You will live off campus during this semester and be participating in some of the most amazing outdoor adventure experiences of your life.  You will not be able to take other classes during this semester so you must plan for this experience carefully.
• Field Experience: Field Experience is an opportunity to apply the skills you are learning in a specific way that is most beneficial to you after you graduate. It is required to do 4 credits of Field Experience (OL 479) or do the 4 credits of Expedition Planning (OL 110) and International Expedition (OL 310). 

All major and minor requirements, including for a major in outdoor leadership, can be found in the online academic catalog.