Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism

Lakehead University · Thunder Bay.

Kinesiology and Recreation: blue ink subject illustration

4 years
Duration (years)
4 years
Lakehead · Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism current programme
Supervised fourth-year placement in Outdoor Recreation 4920
Work experience
Supervised fourth-year placement in Outdoor Recreation 4920
Lakehead · Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism current programme
70% minimum
Academic minimum
The university publishes a 70% academic minimum, not an entering-average range.
Lakehead · Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism current programme

Deadlines

November 2026

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Next deadlineMonday, November 2, 2026

Winter international application recommendation
Winter 2027 entry · International applicants where the programme offers Winter entry
Recommended date; later applications may be accepted if space remains. Excludes the named Education, advanced Social Work, Nursing and JD exceptions. Current application closure controls availability.
Official deadline

Other deadline details

Not open yet; check live program statusFall 2027 applications2027 entry

Not open yet; check live program status
Lakehead's program list shows Fall 2027 programs as not yet accepting applications
The university says Fall applications usually open in mid-September of the previous year

SourceChecked Sep 9, 2026

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by programOUAC Undergraduate application, applicants who are not Ontario high school students (Group B)2026 entry

No single OUAC deadline, deadlines are set by each university and sometimes by program
No single OUAC deadline
University, program, transcript, portfolio, interview, and audition dates still apply

Full source wording

Verbatim: "There is no specific Undergraduate application deadline if you are a Group B applicant. Deadlines vary at each university and sometimes depend on the program. Visit the university websites or contact the universities directly for their deadlines. If you are interested in a program but the deadline has passed, you may contact the university's admission office for help. Be aware of university-specific deadlines for submitting transcripts and portfolios, if required, and for arranging interviews and auditions. You must ensure the OUAC has enough time to process your choices before the universities' program deadlines." OUAC defines Group B as anyone who does not meet the Group A criteria, e.g. not currently taking an Ontario high school course, a Canadian outside Ontario, an international applicant, a postsecondary transfer student, or a mature applicant.

SourceChecked Aug 14, 2026

Requirements

Admission requirements

High-school prerequisites

ENG4UEnglish

OSSD and six Grade 12 U/M courses including prerequisites; minimum 70% top-six final average. Higher grades may be needed for competitive admission.

Application steps

Step 1Check the admission requirements
- Check the published entry route for your applicant category.
Lakehead · Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism current programmeLakehead · Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism current programme
Step 2Apply through OUAC
- Create your application and select this program.
OUACOUAC
Step 3Official secondary and postsecondary transcripts
- Provide records from every secondary and postsecondary institution attended or currently attending. Official transcripts must come directly from the issuer or through OUAC or another accepted electronic service; student or agent submissions are not official.
Lakehead official transcript requirementsLakehead official transcript requirements
Step 4Apply through OUAC to the appropriate first-year entry programme or gateway; submit the required academic records.
- Complete this item using the university’s applicant instructions.
Lakehead · Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism current programmeLakehead · Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism current programme

Applicant pathways

Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism (Thunder Bay): Prerequisites

Ontario high-school applicants entering Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism (Thunder Bay) (AAI) in 2027/28. Applies only to the named entry route; later major declaration is separate.

ENG4U
Outdoor Recreation & Natural Science (Double Degree): ENG4U, 2 from MCV4U, MDM4U, MHF4U, SBI4U, SCH4U, SES4U, SPH4U

Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism (Thunder Bay): Basic Requirements for Admission

Ontario high-school applicants entering Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism (Thunder Bay) (AAI) in 2027/28. Applies only to the named entry route; later major declaration is separate.

You must have an Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent and a minimum of six 4U/M courses or equivalent, including program-specific prerequisite courses, with a minimum 70% overall final average (calculated using the best six 4U/M courses).

Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism (Thunder Bay): Timing and Process for Admission Decisions

Ontario high-school applicants entering Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism (Thunder Bay) (AAI) in 2027/28. Applies only to the named entry route; later major declaration is separate.

Early conditional offers of admission are extended as early as December 2026, based on final first-semester Grade 12, interim and/or final 3U/M grades.
All offers of admission are conditional pending the successful completion of the OSSD with a minimum of six 4U/M courses or equivalent, including any outlined conditions and program-specific prerequisite courses, with a minimum overall average as outlined in your offer (calculated using the best six 4U/M courses).
If you are not offered admission to your program of choice, you will automatically be considered for admission to an alternative program, provided you meet the admission requirements of that program.

Full IB Diploma: prerequisite levels and mathematics

Applicants assessed on the full IB Diploma; each named entry route retains its published prerequisites

IB Diploma prerequisite subjects may be at Standard or Higher Level, subject to the mathematics exception. Keep the specific prerequisites for your chosen program.
Where the entry route requires Ontario MHF4U, the accepted IB mathematics subjects are Analysis and Approaches SL/HL or Applications and Interpretations HL. This rule does not add MHF4U to an entry route that does not require it.

Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism · regular Ontario route

Ontario secondary-school applicants

English (ENG4U)

Degree requirements

Credits and degree requirements

Outdoor Recreation 1150 meets the Indigenous Content Requirement.
Follow the named first- and second-year core and the specified upper-year Outdoor Recreation course blocks.

References

Required courses and electives

First year also requires 1 FCE from the published Anthropology/Economics/Geography/Indigenous Learning/Political Science/Psychology/Sociology choices, plus 1.5 elective FCEs.

References

Program facts

Academic minimum

Work experienceSupervised fourth-year placement in Outdoor Recreation 4920

Check work experience options

Majors & specializations

The faculty programme directory separately lists a therapeutic concentration, double degrees and education combinations. Only regular HBOR course requirements are mapped here.

Nature-Based Therapeutic Recreation

HBOR

The concentration covers inclusive therapeutic recreation, adventure therapy and supporting psychology courses.

Published requirements

Courses

Current 2026/27 regular four-year HBOR requirements and named alternatives, grouped by source year. Non-Honours fallback, concurrent education and college transfer plans are excluded.

Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation (TB): First Year16 listed

Current calendar section. Alternatives and elective menus are included; they are not all compulsory. Course weights use FCE, not lecture/lab hours.

Outdoor Recreation 1010Group Dynamics and Outdoor Leadership0.5 credits
Group dynamics and leadership in recreation, including communication, diversity and conflict management.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
Outdoor Recreation 1070Foundations of Outdoor Recreation0.5 credits
Recreation in natural settings, environmental issues and approaches to outdoor-recreation management in Canada.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
Outdoor Recreation 1150Land Relations0.5 credits
Human relationships with land, including Indigenous knowledge and the effects of colonial institutions and policies.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
Outdoor Recreation 1310Outdoor Skills and Theory I0.5 credits
Outdoor skills in risk management, navigation, trip planning, outdoor living and leadership.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
English 1016Introduction to Professional Writing0.5 credits
Professional writing, revision and research for communicating with different audiences.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
Anthropology 1032Introduction to Biological Anthropology and Archaeology0.5 credits
Human biological origins, archaeology, the emergence of culture and the rise of civilization.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
Anthropology 1034World Cultures0.5 credits
How societies and cultures function, communicate, organize and adapt to their environments.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
Economics 1010Principles of Microeconomics0.5 credits
Markets, trade, demand, pricing, competition and the distribution of income.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
Economics 1011Principles of Macroeconomics0.5 credits
National income, unemployment, inflation, economic fluctuations, exchange rates and growth.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
Geography 1150The Environment0.5 credits
Environmental issues through relationships between societies and the Earth’s environmental systems.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
Geography 1190Indigenous Knowledge, Science and the Environment0.5 credits
Sustainability through Indigenous knowledge and comparisons with western scientific approaches.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
Indigenous Learning 1100Introduction to Indigenous Learning1 credits
Indigenous traditions and experiences before and after European arrival, including present-day circumstances.
Published credit weight: 1.0 full course equivalents (FCE).
Political Science 1100Introduction to Political Science1 credits
Political concepts and methods, institutions and ideas, with Canadian and comparative examples.
Published credit weight: 1.0 full course equivalents (FCE).
Psychology 1111Foundations of Psychology: Biological and Cognitive0.5 credits
Research methods, biological behaviour, perception, learning, memory and language.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
Psychology 1112Foundations of Psychology: Social and Individual Differences0.5 credits
Individual differences, social influences, mental health, development, emotion and motivation.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).
Sociology 1100Introduction to Sociology1 credits
Society, culture, interaction and power, including inequality and social institutions.
Published credit weight: 1.0 full course equivalents (FCE).

Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation (TB): Second Year5 listed

Current calendar section. Alternatives and elective menus are included; they are not all compulsory. Course weights use FCE, not lecture/lab hours.

Outdoor Recreation 2010Specialized and Inclusive Therapeutic Recreation0.5 credits
Explore disability, equity and inclusion in outdoor recreation, including societal attitudes and adapted programming.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE). Prerequisite(s): Outdoor Recreation 1010 and 1070
Outdoor Recreation 2011Nature-based Tourism0.5 credits
Examine nature-based tourism, sustainability and its environmental, social, economic and cultural context.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE). Prerequisite(s): Outdoor Recreation 1010 and 1070
Outdoor Recreation 2270Programming0.5 credits
Design, deliver and evaluate recreation programs to support outcomes for participants and organizations.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE). Prerequisite(s): Outdoor Recreation 1070 , 1150
Outdoor Recreation 2350Outdoor Skills and Theory II0.5 credits
Develop winter outdoor skills through safety, risk management, equipment, snow science, ecology and leadership.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE). Prerequisite(s): Outdoor Recreation 1310 and Outdoor Recreation 1010
Outdoor Recreation 2755People and Parks0.5 credits
Examine park management issues and historical influences while balancing visitor experiences with ecological integrity.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE). Prerequisite(s): Outdoor Recreation 1310

Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation (TB): Third Year3 listed

Current calendar section. Alternatives and elective menus are included; they are not all compulsory. Course weights use FCE, not lecture/lab hours.

Outdoor Recreation 3050Evaluation and Assessment0.5 credits
Plan program evaluations through research models, data collection and analysis, reporting and follow-up.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE). Prerequisite(s): Outdoor Recreation 2011
Outdoor Recreation 3312Risk Management in Outdoor Recreation0.5 credits
Assess outdoor recreation risks, liability and negligence, and develop mitigation methods for leaders and organizations.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE). Prerequisite(s): Outdoor Recreation 2010
Outdoor Recreation 3370Field Explorations I0.5 credits
Prepare research, routes, risk management and food plans for a 10–14-day capstone expedition.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE). Prerequisite(s): Outdoor Recreation 2350 , 2755

Honours Bachelor of Outdoor Recreation (TB): Fourth Year2 listed

Current calendar section. Alternatives and elective menus are included; they are not all compulsory. Course weights use FCE, not lecture/lab hours.

Outdoor Recreation 4370Field Explorations II0.5 credits
Complete the capstone expedition, apply outdoor leadership skills and finish a research project, often for an agency partner.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE). Prerequisite(s): Outdoor Recreation 3370
Outdoor Recreation 1150Land Relations0.5 credits
Human relationships with land, including Indigenous knowledge and the effects of colonial institutions and policies.
Published credit weight: 0.5 full course equivalents (FCE).

Published first-year named courses5 listed

Excerpt from the current recruitment page. The additional first-year FCE choice and electives remain separately stated; this is not a full degree map.

Outdoor Recreation 1010Group Dynamics in ORPT
Outdoor Recreation 1070Foundations of Outdoor Recreation
Outdoor Recreation 1150Land Relations
Outdoor Recreation 1310Outdoor Skills and Theory I
English 1016Introduction to Professional Writing

Elective choices

Year 1: 1 FCE from the listed social-science alternatives and 1.5 FCE electives.
Year 2: 2.5 FCE electives.
Year 3: 2 FCE of third-year Outdoor Recreation, 0.5 FCE fourth-year Outdoor Recreation, and 1 FCE electives at second-year level or higher.
Year 4: 2 FCE fourth-year Outdoor Recreation, 0.5 FCE third-/fourth-year Outdoor Recreation, and 2 FCE electives at second-year level or higher.

Study routes

The faculty programme directory separately lists a therapeutic concentration, double degrees and education combinations. Only regular HBOR course requirements are mapped here.

Regular HBOR
Nature-Based Therapeutic Recreation concentration
Separate double-degree and concurrent education pathways

Study locations

Teaching location and format: Thunder Bay.Lakehead · Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism current programme

References

Careers

Career examples

Tourism Development and Planning Officer
Interpretive Programmer
Municipal Recreation Manager
Outdoor Education Coordinator
Conservation Officer
Events Manager
Youth Camp Director
Primary/Secondary Teacher
Small Business Owner
Outdoor/Field Instructor
Adventure Guide
Various Parks Canada/Provincial Park positions

Career sectors

Small Business Owner
Outdoor/Field Instructor
Adventure Guide
Various Parks Canada/Provincial Park positions

Career sectors

Scope and qualifications

Some examples require further study, professional registration, examinations or experience. A preparatory or undecided entry route does not itself grant the later professional qualification.

University-published career examples for Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism, including its published routes; some require further training or registration. These are examples, not ranked graduate outcomes.

Career examples in the university’s Outdoor Recreation, Parks & Tourism profile, the exact held source linked to this record. The list covers this profile’s programme family and its named options; it is not a measured graduate-outcome list or a qualification granted by every credential or campus route.