Recreation Management

I am Professor Şenol Çavuş. I am the Head of Recreation Management at Sakarya University of Applied Sciences, Faculty of Tourism. Our department is a newly established department of tourism faculties in Turkey. Previously, it was a department that continued its activities as a Recreation Department within the School of Physical Education and Sports, but Recreation Management departments have started to be opened in tourism faculties in recent years. We started to accept students for the first time in the Faculty of Tourism in our university. Students studying in the Department of Recreation Management receive education related to both tourism and management. In addition, recreation is a very general and wide-ranging topic. In this context, courses related to sports, culture and health are predominant and students who graduate from the department have the opportunity to work both in tourism enterprises and in various businesses that we call recreation enterprises. This department is involved in many different fields. People can find work in universities, tourism and sports enterprises, national parks, municipalities, including public institutions. Students studying in this department receive professional practice training. In addition to this, we also have an internship practice. The internship covers 60 working days. We also have hands-on training. We devote a whole period to the sector. So we could say that we don’t think internships are sufficient enough. The program structure of our university has been designed according to the 7 + 1 system. It is envisaged that our students will definitely receive training in the sector for one semester. In this context, we are doing two applications in our program. We also have an internship. Students who will choose this department will attend two semesters of practical training and spend time involved in the industry. They will receive their education personally in the sector. In addition, they have to do a 60-day internship. Our faculty has contracted universities and departments within the scope of Erasmus and Mevlana programs.
As we said in the Recreation Department, there is a very wide area of study areas and opportunities, including tourism. Recreation is essential in all areas of our lives. In tourism enterprises, people need to make use of their leisure time, which we call leisure. There is a need for recreation in terms of creating a healthy community structure and protecting and improving public health. As we said, the working area is very wide. Municipalities, public institutions, youth and sports directorates, ministries and provincial organizations, national parks, General Directorate of Forestry, especially tourism enterprises are among the places that one could find work. In addition, students who study and graduate from this department can run their own businesses. In the program, sports, culture, art and tourism are taught to you. Whichever field you are talented in, you can improve yourself in that field; If you want, you can work in the private sector, or you can become the head of your own business by establishing your own business. If you want, you can work in public institutions related to recreation. Our faculty is located in the center of Sapanca. The region is geographically very beautiful and interesting. There are many beautiful natural areas to explore here. In terms of recreation, there is a very nice atmosphere where you can find the opportunity to practice especially in the areas we call outdoor recreation and spend time in nature. In addition, it also has the important advantage of being at the intersection point between Ankara and Istanbul. So it is a place close to big metropolises. There is no problem regarding transportation. As far as I can observe, the love and sympathy of the people here for the students is also very high. There is an atmosphere that embraces students. So you can find many reasons to choose this place. I wish success to students who will choose our university, our faculty and of course the Department of Recreation Management within the faculty. I also recommend the Recreation Management Department. We are waiting you to join this department, which offers a profession with a great future and can offer you quite a wide range of opportunities.