The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of alumni who had graduated from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s (UTK) recreation program. The data collection tool used in this study was a questionnaire developed by the researcher. The questionnaire gathered information from the alumni on the following research questions:
1. How many graduates were employed in the field of recreation upon graduation and what were some of the reasons for one not being employed in the field?
2. What were the alumni’s perceptions of the quality of their education, from the recreation program, in relation to their demands of their current job?
3. What was the feedback that the alumni had on their fieldwork agencies?
4. What were the perceptions of the alumni pertaining to specific course work electives and requisites in the recreation program?
5. What were the additional feedback and suggestions on how to improve the recreation program?
The subjects studied were graduates between the years of 1993 and 2003 from the recreation program. The goal of the present study was to examine the perceptions of alumni on the effectiveness of the Recreation and Leisure Studies curriculum.
With a response rate of 56.8 percent, the study rendered a description of the demographics of the alumni within the designated years as well as their perceptions on the program and curriculum of the recreation program. The summary of the results indicated that graduates were prepared and equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to be competent and competitive in the field
