Experiencing an educational adventure requires a well-trained professional leader.
Adventure Education Majors and Minors
- B.S. in Adventure Education
- Minor in Adventure Recreation
- Catalog Program Description
Program Director: Paul Stonehouse
paul.stonehouse
Telephone: (802) 287-8256
The adventure education program at GMC is unique. The curriculum is responsive to industry changes and trends. Further, each course is part of a closely woven progression requiring students to develop a thorough working knowledge of themselves, theories, skills and the industry.
Program highlights
First year students learn the fundamentals of outdoor expeditioning in Outdoor Living Skills while backpacking in either the Green Mountains of Vermont, the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York, or the White Mountains of New Hampshire.
Sophomores participate in the 17-credit Immersion Semester in the Northeast and beyond. The Immersion Semester features 50+ days of outdoor expeditioning where students learn and practice the outdoor, human, and educational skills required of adventure and outdoor educators. Past activities include rock climbing, raft guide training, canoe & sea kayak expeditions, white water kayaking, mountain bike group management, canyoneering and backpacking.
Juniors complete The May Course where they plan and lead an independent outdoor expedition. Professional guides and instructors shadow these expeditions to ensure safety and provide feedback on leadership and trip administration.
After having completed practicum hours, gained certifications, and attended a national-level conference, seniors complete a six-credit, 400-hour Internship with a partner organization. Students frequently travel to Colorado, Alaska, Washington, California, Idaho, and beyond for their internship.
Curriculum/Courses
The Fall Block Course
Sophomores and qualifying transfer students participate in the 17-credit immersion semester in the Northeast and beyond. The Fall Block features 50+ days of outdoor expedition where students learn and practice the outdoor, human, and educational skills required of adventure and outdoor educators. Past activities include rock climbing, raft guide training, canoe & sea kayak expeditions, white water kayaking, mountain bike group management, canyoneering and backpacking.
The Practicum
A practicum is applied learning outside the classroom. All Recreation & Outdoor Studies students (Adventure Education and Youth Development & Camp Management) must complete 200 practicum hours that include (at a minimum) four (4) high quality experiences. One of the practicum experiences must be at least 75 hours in length and be with a single organization. All experiences must be in alignment with the student’s degree program and be directly applicable to their career goals.
NOLS Credit
The National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) began offering college credit through Green Mountain College beginning in the fall of 1999. NOLS college credit is administered by the adventure education program. Additionally, NOLS semester courses offer 3 hours of natural science credit through the math/science department.
The following are courses where credit may be received on a pass/fail basis by attending NOLS.
- BIO 1071 Field Studies in Natural Science (3 credits)
- ADE 100N Recreation Elective (6 credits)
- ADE 1009 Outdoor Skills Practicum (4 credits)
- ADE 1041 Outdoor Living Skills (3 credits)
- ADE 2315 Wilderness First Responder (WFR, 3 credits)
EMS Courses
There are many Emergency Medical Services courses offered through a variety of organizations. Green Mountain offers courses in Wilderness First Responder, Outdoor Emergency Care, and Diver Rescue. Which courses are appropriate for you to take? We have prepared a Guide to EMS Courses in the Recreation Field. This document will help you better understand the types of EMS courses out there and to determine which GMC EMS courses you should take.
Career Destinations
Whitewater Raft Guide, ACE Adventure Resort, Minden, WV
Cullen MacAndrew ’17
Raft Guide, Paradise Adventure Company, Gardiner, MT
Kyra Richardson ’17
Staff, Project Adventure, Beverly, MA
Kelly Heslin ’15
Logistics Coordinator, North Carolina Outward Bound School, Asheville, N.C.
Emma Christiansen ’14
Head Coach, Telluride Telemark Freeride Team, Telluride, Col.
Roger Conant ’14
Video Boater, Three Rivers White Water, The Forks, Me.
David Goff ’14
Head Climbing Guide/Kayak Instructor, Rockie Mountain Outdoor Center, Col.
Nick McEachern ’14
Graduate Student, Parks, Recreation, and Toursism, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
Derek Prill ’13
Wilderness Medicine Instructor, Wilderness Medicine Training Center, Winthrop, Wash.
Jamie Bernstein ’12
Assistant Coordinator, Weber State University Outdoor Program, Ogden, Utah
Matt Edenfield ’12
Staff, Outward Bound, Col.
Derek Gavelis ’12
Green Mountain Adventure Programs Director, Poultney, Vt.
Jennifer Heumann ’12
COPE Director, Goose Pond Scout Reservation, Lake Ariel, Penn.
Alaina Killion ’12
Lead Guide, ARC Experiential Education, Los Angeles, Cal.
Jonathan O’Neill ’12
Staff, True North Wilderness Program, Waitsfield, Vt.
Declan Scannell ’12
Program Coordinator, Frost Valley Adventure Programs, Claryville, N.Y.
Sandra Townsend ’12
Guide, Alaska Glacier Tours and Ice Climbing, Glacier View, Alaska
Ben Halay ’11
White Water Kayak Instructor, Rocky Mountain Outdoor Center, Col.
Charlie Watt ’11
Head Guide, Class Six River Runners, Lansing, W.V.
Nate Higgs ’10
Marketing Director, Inner Peaks Climbing Gym, Charlotte, N.C.
D. Graham Johns ’10
Hang Gliding Instructor, Kitty Hawk Kites, Nags Head, N.C.
Kyle Pike ’10
Guide, Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School, Bar Harbor, Maine.
Casey Graham ’09
Assistant Director of Outdoor Adventure Programs, Fort Peterson AFB, Fort Peterson, Col.
Sam Weiss ’08
Graduate Student, University of Vermont School for Social Work, Burlington, Vt.
Jane Anderson ’07
Program Coordinator, Colorado Mountain School, Estes Park, Col.
Maggie Burke ’07
Managing Director for Vermont Adaptive Snow and Sport, Burke, Vt.
Alex Scholtz ’07
Outward Bound, Course Director
Fort Lewis College, Durango, Col.
Photo Gallery
Eleven students and two faculty participated in a 21-day raft expedition skills and canyon geology skills course during their recent winter break. River safety, group travel techniques, and the geologic history of Grand Canyon were covered as part of this experience. To experience more about the GMC Adventure Education program follow us on Facebook at http://facebook.com/GMCAdventureEd
Green Mountain College