Recreation and Tourism Studies
Frequently Asked Questions:
What do I write on my personal statement? The goal of your personal essay is to communicate a sense of who you are and why you want to study in this field; to demonstrate any relevant background; to show that you have specific goals/research interests in your field; to say why you want to study this specific field at this specific school; and to communicate to the school/faculty why they should want you there, and what you feel you can contribute.
Who can write a letter of recommendation?Letters of recommendation can come from previous or current instructors, advisors, or employers that can speak to your ability for learning, contributing, and general work/study ethic.
What if I don't do well on my GREs?Old Dominion University has a 900 minimum acceptance for GREs in the combined scores for math and verbal (e.g., you could get a 550 in Verbal and a 350 in Math).There is no secret to GREs except that you are guaranteed a higher score by PRACTICING.A study guide is helpful for test-taking techniques, but the best is software from the GRE website links - go to www.gre.org for more information.We do accept students provisionally if they have strong letters of recommendation and a high GPA.However, provisional acceptance is rare because the university policy of a 900 GRE score is often quite firm.Think of the GRE as an indication of an early commitment to studying - do the work, and you'll get the results.
What if I cannot meet the full application deadline, or am not sure if I am ready for a Master's degree, can I take courses without getting a degree?ABSOLUTELY!Courses can be taken as non-degree seeking students (www.admissions.odu.edu/nondegree.php).Many students may even apply on-line ($40 application fee that can be later be applied to your graduate school application fee). You can take up to 6 credits (two courses) as a non-degree student that can later count towards your degree when you apply for the degree.Our suggestion is to take the recreation-specific courses first (see courses in Handbook, e.g. RTS 575, RTS 561, RTS 616, and RTS 619).Any questions on this issue, please contact the Recreation and Tourism Graduate Program Coordinator at 757-683-4881 or e-mail at ehill@odu.edu.Note that the 500 level courses generally meet at 4:00 p.m., and the 600 level courses generally meet at 7:00 p.m., both one night a week.
Do these courses qualify as continuing education credits/units for my field?Because the Recreation and Tourism field is vast, and credits for continuing education vary by certifying agency, it is best to check with your professional certification agency.They would have the preeminent answer as to whether or not a college course would meet any certification requirement.
Do we have to do the course work in one year?No.The sample one-year course work plan in the Handbook is for full-time students, or those that wish to complete the courses in a year.We realize several of you work full-time positions, and will probably matriculate part-time.We have tried to provide some flexibility by offering summer courses.Note, courses are currently offered once a year, please plan accordingly.
Do I need to be computer savvy to enroll in the Distance Learning option? No, it helps to have a basic understanding of computer programs, but the Office of Distance Learning offers on-line tutorials on using technology (e.g., Blackboard).
Do I need to have a background in recreation/tourism to enter the RTS Graduate program?No.Because our field is interdisciplinary, we generally start with an overview in every class to make sure everyone has the general base knowledge.