Application process

Recreation Management - Professional Development emphasis (MS)

How to apply

We encourage you to make contact with our program director to introduce yourself and ask any questions you might have about the program. This contact also helps to alert us to your interest in the program. Complete the form below to get the process started!

Recreation Management Professional Development

Follow the link to the UW System application. Register as a new user, unless you already have an account.
The email you enter on this application will be used to send you important information related to completing your graduate school application. You should use an email address that you monitor on a regular basis.
There is a $56 UW System application fee, which you can pay online at the time of application. Alternatively, you can send a check (payable to UWL) to the address below. *Application fee assistance is available to McNair Scholars.

Graduate Admissions Office
1725 State Street
La Crosse, WI 54601

Watch your email

Following UW System Application submission, you will receive two emails.

The first email is an invitation to your WINGS Student Center and includes information about your NETID/WINGS Username. Access your WINGS Student Center to check the status of your application fee and transcripts.

The second email provides login information for your Applicant Dashboard. This email will be sent within 3 business days of submission of your UW system application; you may need to check your junk/spam email folders. You will use your Applicant Dashboard to submit the supplemental application materials described below (including reference requests) for this program. If you have problems with the Applicant Dashboard, please contact gradstudies@uwlax.edu.

WINGS (example)	Applicant Dashboard (example)

Request that ALL previously attended institutions of higher education send official transcripts to the UWL Admissions Office. This includes college level courses taken while in high school. If you enrolled in fewer than 10 undergraduate semester credits at an institution, you do not have to send an official transcript unless the courses completed are prerequisites for the graduate program. Additional transcripts may be required at the university or graduate program's discretion. All graduate transcripts must be submitted. UWL accepts transcripts mailed directly from the issuing institution(s) or through an electronic secure document sending service. Transcripts should be sent to:

UWL Admissions Office
1725 State Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
admissions@uwlax.edu

Applicants can check transcript status via their WINGS account.
Applicants who are current UWL undergraduate students/alumni do not need to request formal transcripts for UWL coursework. Admissions can access your UWL transcript.
It may take a week or more for transcripts to be received/uploaded to your application file. Please plan accordingly in order to meet application deadlines.

All supplemental application materials and information listed below will be submitted via your Applicant Dashboard. You will receive an email invitation to login to your Applicant Dashboard within 3 business days of UW System Application submission. Contact gradstudies@uwlax.edu with questions.

This program requires submission of a personal statement. A personal statement describing your belief about the importance of recreation, your personal and professional experiences and passions related to recreation, and the reasons you would like to pursue a graduate degree in recreation. Please also include any additional information about yourself that you would like us to consider that speaks to your ability to contribute to our program or our University.

1 letter of recommendation is required.

You will submit your recommendation request(s) using the Applicant Dashboard by providing the name and email address for each reference. The system will automatically send the reference an email, including a link through which their recommendation should be uploaded to your application file. Your reference(s) should receive the emailed link within one business day of your request.

It is your responsibility to notify your reference(s) of the emailed request (they may need to check spam/junk folders) and provide information regarding deadlines for completion of the recommendation.

You will be able to monitor the status of your recommendation requests, resend requests, and change reference information on Applicant Dashboard. Please contact gradstudies@uwlax.edu with questions.

You will be asked to submit a current professional resume.

In addition to the application requirements listed above, international applications will need to submit the following items:

Transcript information: As noted above, official, certified or attested transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended must be submitted. Additionally, documents issued in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified English translation.

Proof of English language proficiency: Non-native English speakers must submit evidence of one the following language proficiency requirements for admission:
- TOEFL score (within last 2 years) of at least 79 iBT or 550 pBT - Institution Code: 1914
- IELTS score (within last 2 years) of at least 6.0
- Duolingo English Test (DET) score of at least 110
- 60 PTE score
- A bachelor’s or higher degree from UWL or another approved institution where English is the sole language of instruction.
  - Degree must be earned within two years of expected enrollment in this UWL graduate program.
  - Applicant must have attended the institution for a minimum of two years.

Please contact International Admissions at intladmissions@uwlax.edu if you have questions. Each of the items listed in this section "Additional requirements for international applicants" can be sent directly to the UWL Admissions Office.

UWL Admissions Office
1725 State Street
La Crosse, WI 54601
USA

* Special note regarding F-1/J-1 Visas: UW-La Crosse (UWL) is unable to issue immigration documents for an F-1/J-1 visa to international students in this online program [8 CFR 214.2(f)(6)(i)(G)]. International students must either complete the program outside the U.S. or have a valid visa that permits online study in the U.S. If you have further questions please contact UWL's International Education & Engagement (IEE) at international@uwlax.edu.

Application Dates and Review Information

Admission decisions for completed applications are made on a rolling basis.

The graduate Recreation Management Program follows a comprehensive admissions review process in selecting students for admission to the online Professional Development Emphasis. Although our program is designed for working recreation professionals, other students will be considered for admission dependent upon their application materials and available space in the program. The GRE is not required for program admission and neither a thesis nor a comprehensive exam is required to complete the program. The factors that will be considered in the review of an application include:

Primary factors:
- A baccalaureate degree in recreation or leisure from an accredited institution; OR
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution and a minimum of one year of experience working in the recreation or leisure field.
Secondary factors:
- A minimum of one year of full-time experience working in the recreation or leisure field
- Staff supervisory experience

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Recreation Management - Professional Development M.S.

Recreation Management - Professional Development emphasis (MS)

How to apply

Recreation Management Professional Development

Watch your email

WINGS (example)

Applicant Dashboard (example)

Application Dates and Review Information

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Recreation Management - Professional Development M.S.