Overview

The Recreation and Tourism Management programme at San Diego State University provides students with the professional skills required to lead and manage agencies across the public, commercial, and private sectors. This degree focuses on developing leadership capabilities for overseeing parks, recreation facilities, and tourism organisations. Students gain a deep understanding of the leisure industry while preparing for diverse careers in delivering community and commercial services.

Why Recreation and Tourism Management at San Diego State University?

The L. Robert Payne School of Hospitality & Tourism Management is dedicated to providing students with significant professional advantages through practical experience and global exposure. Students benefit from dedicated support at the J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation Student Center for Professional Development. The programme emphasises real-world readiness, requiring 125 hours of supervised field work and extensive internships to ensure graduates are industry-ready. Furthermore, the school strongly encourages international experiences, offering options for study abroad, international internships, and global field trips to enhance the student's perspective on sustainable tourism.

Tuition Fee Breakdown

International fee: USD 14130 per year
National fee: USD 14130 per year
Local fee: USD 6838 per year

Visit the Fees and Funding section for a breakdown in your local currency.

Syllabus

The curriculum is divided into lower-division preparation and upper-division specialisation. Modules may include:

Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Professions
Managerial Accounting
Hospitality and Tourism Management
Service Leadership Development
Leisure and Tourism
Cross-Cultural Perspectives of Tourism
Global Travel and Tourism Management
Outdoor Leadership and Adventure Programming
Event and Meeting Industry

Careers with Recreation and Tourism Management

Graduates are prepared for management and leadership roles within a variety of leisure-related industries. The programme equips students for careers in public park and recreation agencies, non-profit organisations, and for-profit commercial recreation businesses. Potential career paths include roles in event and meeting management, sporting events, festival coordination, and outdoor adventure programming. The focus on managerial and organisational behaviour ensures that graduates can effectively lead teams and oversee operations in the global tourism and experience economy.

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Recreation and Tourism Management
Recreation Programming and Leadership

Supervised Field Work
Leisure and Tourism
Wilderness and Leisure Experience
Cross-Cultural Perspectives of Tourism
Marketing, Financing, Assessment of RTM
Administration/Operation of Recreation and Tourism Agencies

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-08-24 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-04-01 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-12-01 00:00:00 , National

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

120 SCH

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

San Diego, United States

Disciplines

Hospitality Management Tourism & Leisure View 285 other Bachelors in Hospitality Management in United States

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

105

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

National

Admission application through the Cal State Apply website (online)

Unofficial transcripts

Your Social Security Number, if you have one.

Your citizenship status.

Credit card. Application fees are due at the time of submission and are paid by credit card.

Annual income. If you are a dependent, then report your parents income. If you are independent, then report your income.

Your parent's employment background and two recommendations. This applies only if you are applying to the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP).

International

Completion of high school/secondary level

SAT/ACT Tests

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

14130 USD / year

≈ 14130 USD / year
Out-of-State

14130 USD / year

≈ 14130 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

6838 USD / year

≈ 6838 USD / year

Living costs

San Diego

United States

1400 - 2455 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Recreation and Tourism Management.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

San Diego

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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