Experiential and Outdoor Education (EOE)

The M.S. in Experiential and Outdoor Education is a two-year hybrid program.

In the first year, face-to-face coursework will include a 5-day intensive during the first week of classes in August on the Cullowhee campus followed by four weekends each in the fall and spring semesters (class all day Friday and Saturday). The weekend sessions are rotated between the Biltmore Park instructional site in Asheville. Students will be engaged in online (asynchronous and synchronous) coursework throughout year 1. Face-to-face class sessions in year 1 are are 8:00 am – 6:00 pm on Fridays and Saturdays with an occasional evening session.

During the second-year, students will complete additional required and elective coursework (individual choice of face-to-face, online and/or hybrid course formats) including a thesis or project.

This format allows for students to remain employed full-time and/or pursue field-based coursework (e.g. internships) at regional agencies.

Directions to Biltmore Park Instructional Site

Tentative Fall 2022 Dates
(Cohort 3 Face-to-Face; All-Day Sessions for EOE 500, EOE 501, EOE 502 & EOE 503)
EOE 500 – 5-day intensive (August 22 – 26) (Cullowhee)
Weekend 1 – September 9/10 (Cullowhee)
Weekend 2 – October 7/8 (Biltmore Park)
Weekend 3 -  November 18/19 (Cullowhee)
Weekend 4 – December 9/10 (Cullowhee)
**Cohort 2 Thesis and Project Proposals are October 5, 6, and 7 at Biltmore Park

Tentative Spring 2023
(Cohort 3 Face-to-Face; All Day Sessions for EOE 600, EOE 601, and EOE 602)
Weekend 1 – January 13/14 (Cullowhee)
Weekend 2 – February 17/18 (Cullowhee)
Weekend 3 – March 17/18 (Biltmore Park)
Weekend 4 – April 20/21/22 (Biltmore Park) *3 Days
**Cohort 2 Thesis and Project Defenses are March 15, 16 & 17 at Biltmore Park

Students will:

1. Develop a theoretical and philosophical foundation for experiential and outdoor education.
2. Understand research methods as they apply to experiential and outdoor education scholarship.
3. Design learning experiences for diverse populations that integrate theory into practice.
4. Demonstrate an ability to identify a need in the literature, propose and complete a graduate level thesis or
   project to meet that need.

The Association of Experiential Education defines Experiential Education as: “… a philosophy that informs many methodologies in which educators purposefully engage with learners in direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills, clarify values, and develop people's capacity to contribute to their communities.”

Total credits: 36
Required core credits: 27
Electives credits: 9

Transfer credits are limited to 6 from an accredited university. Additional electives may be taken from the list below and other WCU Gradute programs.
Note: Counseling electives available for EOE students may change. Contact the Counseling program for current course offerings. EOE students should contact the instructor for permission to register. All Counseling courses are offered in a face-to-face format at the Biltmore Park Instructional Site

"Educators working in this field have extremely varied backgrounds. We're excited that the Experiential and Outdoor Education masters program will provide an opportunity for educators from across the southeast to expand their skill sets, so they can create better learning experiences for their students."
Lauren Pyle, Executive Director, Environmental Educators of North Carolina

"This is an exciting development to help prepare the future of the outdoor industry for the demands of the next generation. WCU is gifted with an amazing faculty, outstanding natural resources, and a tradition of excellence in training leaders in Experiential and Outdoor Education. We at Southwestern Community College are proud of our strong educational partnership over the decades that has allowed our Outdoor Leadership and Wilderness Therapy graduates to continue their studies at WCU with seamless articulation to help raise the bar of professionalism in our field. This new graduate program simply extends that reach to impact graduates to make a difference in their lives and those of others."
Paul Wolf, Program Director of Outdoor Leadership and Wilderness Therapy at Southwestern Community College and Chair of Standards of the Association for Experiential Education Accreditation Council.

"WCU has had wonderful foresight in designing and implementing this new program, at a time when creative initiatives and leadership development are key components for a productive economy for our outdoor industry."
Mairi S Padgett, Administrative Director, Landmark Learning

Diversity Statement
Diversity involves the affirmation, understanding, and professional application of the richness of human differences, ideas, practices, and beliefs that result from, but are not limited to, age, race, color, disability/health, ethnicity, gender identity, language, national origin, religion/spirituality, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, rural or urban status, as well as the intersectionality of these multiple identities.  Professional practice that is responsive to diversity includes culturally appropriate communication skills; understanding power differentials and dynamics; and attending to the social and cultural values which influence the multiple areas of practice represented in EOE.

Commitment to Social Justice
A commitment to social justice serves as a guiding principle of the EOE Program and reflects our belief in the values and goals of a socially just society.  Socially just societies are dependent upon the optimal functioning, health, and well-being of all persons in that society.  Optimal functioning, health, and well-being of persons are contingent upon access to healthy environments that support healthy development and functioning.  Our program is centered on a social justice approach by helping students to examine power structures resulting in social injustices and to adopt an advocacy role in working with marginalized and underserved populations.  Our goal is to foster the development of professional advocates who work to change societal structures, practices, values, and policies which have long served to perpetuate unhealthy environments for these populations.  By working to effect change at the individual, institutional and systemic level, our students assist in promoting greater access to economic, social, political, and cultural resources.