There are several steps that must be taken to get you prepared for your 398 internship. It is imperative that you meet with our internship and placement associate director, Christina Jeffries, at least one semester before you intend to pursue your internship so she can add you to the student internship request list. We conduct periodic internship information sessions throughout the semester; please stop by the HTM office (PFSA, Room 436B) for details on when these are held. We also strongly encourage students to take HTM 301 before starting their internship. Careful, proactive planning on your part will ensure a smooth transition into your first internship.

You must enroll in the HTM 201 and 223 courses first. When you have completed these classes (with a letter grade of C or better), please make an appointment to meet with Christina Jeffries so you may discuss your switch into the upper division HTM major. (Note: if you have any difficulties with enrolling in the HTM 223 class, please notify Ms. Jeffries about your situation and ask her for assistance in working with the instructor to gain admittance into the class). Appointments can be made by calling the HTM office at 619-594-4964.

Please plan to make an appointment with Christina Jeffries at the end of the semester after grades have posted. There is a small window of time between final grade postings and registration for the upcoming semester, so you will have time to make the transition to upper division status in time to register for appropriate classes. When you meet with Ms. Jeffries, she will review your degree evaluation to ensure you have met all program requirements and will sign a “declaration of major” form with the corresponding upper division major code. You will then take his form to the registrar’s office, where your status will be changed in WebPortal accordingly. To make this appointment, call 619-594-4964.

No. All students must meet all lower division requirements before they are admitted into upper division status, including a letter grade of C or better in preparation for the major classes; completion of 60 units lower division coursework; and an overall/cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. All lower division coursework is to be completed in full before a student is signed into upper division status. To keep track of your coursework, you may consider taking the remaining preparation for the major classes you need, along with the nine units of upper division explorations classes (required of all SDSU students – see explorations section of the general catalog; you need to take one class in sections A, B, and C of this category). You do not need to be coded as an upper division student to enroll in these particular classes. This way you can take your one or two remaining classes that prepare you for the major, along with these additional requirements, to round out your schedule.

You should meet with an advisor every semester to be sure that you are on track. They are here to help you figure out your class schedule, navigate the necessary paperwork for each step in your academic career, and for moral support. The student advisors are available by appointment or email. To schedule an appointment, please call the HTM office (619-594-4964) or come by to sign up in person. If you have a question that can be answered via email, please contact the student advisors at htmadvising@yahoo.com. Please bring an unofficial transcript to your appointment.

Only the Sustainable Tourism Management emphasis requires International Experience. The International Experience may be fulfilled if you engage in any one or combination of the following depending on your interests: international student exchanges, study abroad, internships, and/or professional opportunities during the Degree Program (which could include cross-U.S. border, Mexico, and/or Canada, activities). Scholarships are available for International Experience. The International Experience is also required to be course-transferable, based on student learning outcomes delineated by the program. Students may consult with the Sustainable Tourism Management emphasis advisor before pursuing International Experiences.

Field Work and Internships are two practicum courses required of all graduates. Each requires a significant amount of work under the guidance and supervision of a recreation and tourism professional. The primary course requisite is placement in a position in an organization in the profession. Faculty members supervise the experience and grade (credit/no credit) the students on the quality of their work and may travel anywhere in the world to complete the experience. Graduates in this major have worked in Spain, Germany, England, Iran, France, New Zealand, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Canada, and all 50 of the United States. Most stay locally within San Diego County but the world is virtually available to them for completion of this academic experience.

A RTM graduate can look forward to a position in the profession from the following examples: Director of Recreation, Director of Tourism, Environment Educator, Interpretive Naturalist, Outdoor Program Manager, Natural Resource Manager, Natural History Writer, Park Ranger, Athletics Supervisor, Sports Coordinator, Camp Director, Special Events Supervisor, Aquatics Director, Park Superintendent, Facilities Supervisor, Waterfront Director, Program Specialist, Boating Activities Coordinator, Programs Coordinator, Family recreation Director, Convention Planning Specialist, Recreation Marketing Coordinator, Sports Marketing Supervisor, etc.

Many of the upper division courses in recreation and tourism management have prerequisites that each student must meet prior to enrollment. In some special instances, course prerequisites are waived by the faculty member teaching the course for serious and compelling reasons. If you do not meet the course prerequisites but have a serious and compelling reason, please see the course’s instructor prior to enrolling.

Your Change of Major status changes as soon as you take the form to the Registrar’s Office and it is inputted into the computer (WebPortal). It is that fast and simple!

No, but you must meet the course prerequisites if there are any. You may take lower division courses simultaneously only after consulting with your emphasis advisor. For instance, say you have IDS 180 to complete as your only remaining lower division course. You could enroll in that class and the upper division courses during the same semester depending on approval from your advisor.

No, the RTM program is not yet impacted. All emphases are open to all students without going through the supplemental admission process. Students who declare this major are immediately accepted into the major.