The MOAEL is designed to meet the needs of outdoor adventure leaders and educators in the regional, national, and international communities. This program targets outdoor educators and adventure leaders seeking a high-level graduate program with a strong foundation in theory and experiential learning, and equips students with the interdisciplinary skills required to grasp and develop new concepts, technologies, methods and trends in the outdoor adventure leadership field. The MOAEL will provide outdoor adventure leaders with the experience, knowledge and tools needed to advance into leadership roles and shape the future of this dynamic field. Above all, students will grasp and embody the concept of the “explorer” mindset: being determined, resilient and inquisitive to meet the demands of a volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous world.

By completing the program, students will gain leadership skills associated with the outdoor and international environment and learn to transfer and redirect their abilities towards any endeavor. In short, MOAEL students will gain the skills to lead any group, in any environment, towards any goal. To achieve this objective, students will develop their own regional, national, and international expeditions to gain key skill-sets that are critical for experiential leaders and modern day explorers. Our students will become leaders, activists and explorers; developing their own unique and innovative leadership styles to shape the future of the outdoor adventure industry and to tackle the unstable, inexact, multifaceted, and unclear obstacles and challenges associated with any transformational expedition.

ADMISSION CRITERIA

• Bachelor degree from an accredited institution; may substitute professional/personal experience or supplemental coursework if degree is not in a field of study that provides sufficient preparation and skills for successful completion of the program;
• Official copy of academic transcripts and minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale) on last 90 credits;
• Three letters of recommendation that specifically evaluate academic and/or professional skills and abilities to pursue graduate studies in the adventure programing discipline;
• Personal statement (1000 words maximum) describing the nature of the student’s interest in OAEL, their teaching and guiding philosophy, academic and work objectives, and how the Master in OAEL will help the student fulfill those interests and objectives. This writing piece should include references in APA style and will serve as a writing sample;
• Submission of copies of all professional, state, national, and international certifications and certificates, such as American Mountain Guide Association (AMGA), American Canoe Association (ACA), Professional Climbing Instructor Association (PCIA), Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), Rescue 3 International, American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE), and/or Leave No Trace Master Educator (LNT);
• Demonstrated adventure sports skills, leadership experience, and potential for success through submission of a statement of purpose, a resume, and a logbook of appropriate experience.