Description

The Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer with a focus in outdoor leadership prepares students to transfer to a baccalaureate institution. Outdoor leadership includes careers in outdoor recreation, outdoor education, wilderness therapy, and tourism and leisure enterprises.

The Outdoor Leadership program is grounded in the principles of lifelong learning, environmental stewardship, personal growth, and leadership. This degree emphasizes experiential methodologies to combine theory and practice in a strong, field-based curriculum. Students will develop current and accepted skills and will understand comprehensive knowledge and standards. Highly skilled and knowledgeable faculty exemplify the highest level of standards, integrity, and ethics. 

The College offers two other options: Associate of Science with an outdoor leadership emphasis, designed for transfer to OSU-Cascades; Outdoor Leadership One-Year Certificate of Completion,  designed for those who want a career and technical education award.   

Entrance Requirements

While this degree has no formal entrance requirements, individual courses may have prerequisites which must be met before enrollment.

Course Requirements

¹

HHPA activity courses (1 credit each) are not to be duplicated.

²

Elective courses must be numbered 100 or above and can be any combination of general electives, Career and Technical Education (CTE) courses (12 credits maximum) or CWE/HHPA activity courses (15 credits maximum).

Advising Notes

The Outdoor Leadership (OL) program is a cohort where students complete courses each term with a single peer group. Before taking OL courses, students should complete as much of their general education requirements as possible.

Students begin introductory/fundamental OL courses courses in Fall term. This is a particularly special time as students attend courses in an outdoor classroom daily for the entire term and complete two five-day expeditions during the term. After Fall term, students complete prescribed courses in Winter and Spring terms. During Winter term, students work on advanced theory and application courses and gain more extensive understanding about the practices of professional outdoor leaders. Students complete another five-day expedition during Winter term. In Spring term, students complete advanced skills courses aimed at developing practice of professional standards within specific activities.

First-year completion requirements for enrollment into second-year include: completion of the OL-prefix courses (OL 271 Facilitating Group Experiences, OL 273 Outdoor Recreation Leadership, OL 280 Co-op Work Experience-OL) with a grade of C or higher; completion of a minimum of 36 college credits made up, in part, by the above courses and appropriate prerequisites. See advisor for details.

Performance Standards

• Academic Requirements:
  • Students must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA to earn a COCC certificate or degree.
  • All courses in the program must be completed with a grade of C or higher.

Sample Plan

¹

HHPA activity courses (1 credit each) are not to be duplicated.