Outdoor Adventure Leadership

Explore the natural beauty of Northern Ontario while earning your degree.

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This program is designed to assist individuals in becoming competent leaders in the outdoors. Students will develop sound theoretical knowledge in physical and health education and outdoor adventure leadership. Students have a choice to obtain a significant number of nationally recognized certifications.

Students in the program will partake in some of the foremost and longest-running outdoor adventure leadership training in Canada and have the opportunity to gain valuable experiences and earn provincially or nationally recognized technical certifications in outdoor activities, such as canoe tripping, river rescue, sea kayaking, rock climbing and wilderness emergency first aid.

The learnings, techniques and theories of leadership, practised in the outdoors, are easily transferable to any other context. Industries today are constantly requiring quality leadership; the adventure leadership discipline understands this and creates opportunities for its students to be successful wherever they may end up after graduation. Students are well-rounded in their experiences and market-ready (and driven) upon graduation. Self-motivated and passionate students will excel in this program which offers many student-directed, and hands-on experiences.

Academic Advisor

Professor Jim Little

Telephone: 705.675.1151 x 1205

Email: jlittle@laurentian.ca

Office: B-243, Ben Avery Building, Laurentian University Campus

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By land area, Greater Sudbury is the largest city in Ontario and as such, the great outdoors beckon with its vast expanse of lakes and waterways, varied terrain, forests and comprehensive network of trails.

Program Details

Delivery Method: On campus

Program Language: English

Interesting Facts:

Small and interactive class sizes for many courses; many courses have less than 30 students.
Many practical/experiential courses (Wilderness Outdoor Living Skills, Canoe Tripping, Rock Climbing and Rescue, to name a few).
Third-year intensive field camp experience with an opportunity for international travel and expedition. Opportunity to obtain several internationally recognized certifications (Wilderness First Responder, River Rescue, Canoeing, Rock Climbing etc.).

Admission Requirements

Ontario High School Applicants

Program Prerequisites:

1 grade 12 English U/M course;1 grade 12 U Biology or Exercise Science; 4 other grade 12 U/M courses
A minimum overall average of 75% in the 6 best grade 12 U/M courses

Additional information for applicants who have completed Advanced Placement courses.

Additional information for applicants who have completed the International Baccalaureate.

Click here to view information regarding General Admission Requirements.

Applicants from outside an Ontario High School

International Students

Canadian High School Applicants from outside Ontario

Applicants from Colleges

Applicants from other Universities

Mature Students

How To Apply

International Applicants

International students will use the undergraduate application form linked below. International students will need to fill out the international application form. International students should disregard the information below and follow the link for specific instructions.

How To Complete An International Application

How to Apply

1. Know what type of OUAC application you will need to complete

The Ontario Universities Application Center (OUAC) processes applications for admission to Laurentian University. International students will need to fill out the international application form

Ontario Highschool Students

If you are currently attending an Ontario high school, you will be required to use the 101 Application.

How To Complete A 101 Application

Other Undergraduate Applicants

Out of province applicants,mature students, and college and university transfers will complete the 105 Application.

How To Complete A 105 Application

2. Review your program entry requirements carefully

Ensure that you meet the prerequisites for each program that you are applying to. This information is covered under the Admissions Requirements section on our programs page. For example the Architecture program, at the undergraduate level requires a Portfolio submission. Please review the Admission Requirements section for your program page before you apply.

3. Login to the OUAC website and complete your application

Ontario Highschool Students (101 Applicants)

You will require a PIN from your school guidance team to access and complete the application. Go to the 101 Login Portal link and use your PIN to create a new account. Once completed, please follow the 101 Application Guide to complete your application.

101 Students, Apply Now

Other Undergraduate Applicants (105 Applicants)

Out of province applicants, mature students, and college and university transfers will complete the 105 application. You can learn more here 105 Application Guide. Follow this link to the 105 Portal and create a new account.

105 Students, Apply Now

Learn More

Learn more on our how to apply to undergraduate programs page.

Detailed How To Apply

Degree Options

For Current Students

The degree options listed below are for the upcoming academic year, not the current academic year. If you are a current student looking for which courses to take in order to complete your degree options from a previous academic year's curriculum, please consult with an academic advisor.

Outdoor Adventure Leadership (120 credits)

Students must follow these regulations in order to meet graduation requirements.

This program focuses on outdoor leadership, guiding, and instructing in various environments including remote locations. Students have the opportunity to gain valuable experiences and provincially or nationally recognized technical certifications in outdoor activities, such as canoe tripping, white water, sea kayaking, rock climbing, and wilderness emergency first response.

Program of Study

First Year:

PHED 0199E Outdoor School I

PHED 0100E Outdoor Leadership Colloquium

PHED 1006E Exercise Science, Wellness and Health

PHED 2149E Introduction to Outdoor Living Skills

PHED 2159E Canoe Tripping Leadership

BIOL 2105E Human Anatomy and Physiology

PSYC 1105E Introduction to Psychology

6 credits of electives

Note: In order to advance to the second year of the program, students must provide a photocopy of a current certificate in CPR (level C) and First Aid before February 28.

Second Year:

PHED 0299E Outdoor School II

PHED 0200E Outdoor Leadership Colloquium

PHED 2109E Wilderness Camping

PHED 2329E Cross-Country Skiing

PHED 2516E Musculoskeletal Anatomy + lab

OR PHED 2517E Applied Human Physiology + lab

PHED 3615E Wilderness Emergency Management

PHED 2406E Outdoor Education

15 credits of electives

Third Year:

PHED 2606E Adventure Leadership

PHED 0300E Outdoor Leadership Colloquium

PHED 3116E Expedition Planning

PHED 3906E Outdoor Adventure Leadership Internship

PHED 3236E Outdoor Facilitation and Team Building

PHED 4446E Risk Management in Outdoor Environments

PHED 3049E Outdoor School Leadership

PHED 4209E Winter Camping

12 credits of electives

Fourth Year:

PHED 4116E Advanced Outdoor Expedition

PHED 4079E Outdoor Adventure Pursuits

PHED 4149E River Rescue

PHED 3029E Climbing and Rescue Management

PHED 4009E White Water Canoing

PHED 4906E Internship

(OR) any PHED theory elective

PHED 4447E Recreational to Therapeutic Adventure

PHED 4126E Professionalismin Outdoor Leadership

PHED 4246E Ecohealth Promotion

9 credits of electives

Academic Regulations

To be in good academic standing in the School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, the student must:
1) satisfy all conditions of admission;
2) not fail more than 3 credits in an academic year or in the previous 30 credits;
3) maintain a cumulative overall average of at least 4.0 on all courses taken.
A student who fails to attain good academic standing may be allowed to continue on probation for no more than one year (or 30 credits). If after one probationary period, the student does attain good academic standing, he or she may proceed in program. However, if after the probationary period, the student fails to attain good academic standing, he or she must withdraw from the School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences, but may apply to transfer to another program at the university.
A student who fails over 6 credits in the 1st-year of program may not proceed to upper year PHED courses.
After one calendar year, a student who has been asked to withdraw from the program may petition the Senate Committee on Academic Regulations and Awards for readmission, but such measures should have the recommendation of the academic unit before being considered by the Senate Committee.

Courses

Year:

PHED-1198EL - Professional Development Seminar PHED-1099EL - Outdoor School I PHED-1006EL - Exercise Science, Wellness and Health PHED-1106EL - Human Movement PHED-1206EL - Perspectives of Physical Education and Sport PHED-1506EL - Anatomy and Kinesiology I PHED-1507EL - Anatomy and Kinesiology II PSYC-1105EL - Introduction to Psychology PHED-2198EL - Professional Development Seminar PHED-2109EL - Wilderness Camping PHED-2259EL - Minor Games PHED-2329EL - Cross-Country Skiing PHED-2406EL - Introduction to Outdoor Education PHED-2506EL - Physiology I PHED-2507EL - Physiology II PHED-3615EL - Wilderness Emergency Management PHED-2099EL - Outdoor School II PHED-2149EL - Introduction to Outdoor Living Skills

PHED-2159EL - Canoe Tripping Leadership PHED-3198EL - Professional Development Seminar PHED-2606EL - Adventure Leadership PHED-3049EL - Outdoor Adventure Leadership Practicum PHED-3116EL - Expedition Planning PHED-3126EL - Physiology of Exercise PHED-3236EL - Outdoor Facilitation and Team Building PHED-3905EL - Outddor Adventure Leadership Internship PHED-4209EL - Winter Camping PHED-4446EL - Risk Management in Outdoor Environments PHED-4507EL - Nutrition PHED-3029EL - Climbing and Rescue Management PHED-4009EL - White Water Canoing PHED-4116EL - Advanced Outdoor Expedition PHED-4149EL - River Rescue PHED-4199EL - ADVL Senior Seminar PHED-3129EL - Expedition Leadership Practicum PHED-4447EL - Recreational to Therapeutic Adventure