Outdoor Adventure Leadership
Explore the natural beauty of Northern Ontario while earning your degree.
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 ext. 1205
Email: jlittle@laurentian.ca
Office: B-243, B.F. Avery Physical Education Centre

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.).
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
Canadian High School Applicants from outside Ontario
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 ApplicationHow 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 ApplicationOther Undergraduate Applicants
Out of province applicants,mature students, and college and university transfers will complete the 105 Application.
How To Complete A 105 Application2. 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 NowOther 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 NowLearn More
Learn more on our how to apply to undergraduate programs page.
Detailed How To ApplyFor 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
Certificate in Ecohealth Promotion (Scroll to the Certificate in Ecohealth Promotion section)
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 the 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 the 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.
Professional Development Seminar
Outdoor School I
Exercise Science, Wellness and Health
Human Movement
Perspectives of Physical Education and Sport
Anatomy and Kinesiology I
Anatomy and Kinesiology II
Introduction to Psychology
Professional Development Seminar
Wilderness Travel
Minor Games
Cross-Country Skiing
Introduction to Outdoor Education
Physiology I
Physiology II
Wilderness Emergency Management
Outdoor School II
Introduction to Outdoor Living Skills
Canoe Tripping Leadership
Professional Development Seminar
Adventure Leadership
Outdoor School Leadership
Expedition Planning
Physiology of Exercise
Outdoor Facilitation and Team Building
Outddor Adventure Leadership Internship
Winter Camping
Risk Management in Outdoor Environments
Nutrition
Climbing and Rescue Management
White Water Canoing
Advanced Outdoor Expedition
River Rescue
ADVL Senior Seminar
Expedition Leadership Practicum
Recreational to Therapeutic Adventure
List of Faculty Members
Sessional Members:
- Randy Battochio
- Jean Benoît
- Lise Brown
- Michelle Brunette
- Carlo Castrechino
- Randy Cavallin
- James Coffey
- Coulombe Jasmine
- Carla Cox
- Tony Cox
- Caroline Dignard
- Nicole Dubuc-Charbonneau
- Gino Ferri
- Charles Fink
- Sarah Forbes
- Sheila Gagnon
- Robert Jack
- Thomas Lee Kingston
- Michelle Laurence
- Jeffrey McGarry
- Karen Rebeiro Grouhl
- Raymond Savignac
- Olivier Serress
- Natalie Tissot Van Patot
- Andelka Tuttle
- Diana Urajnik
- Melissa Wiman
Adjunct Professors:
- Ben Hejer, Ph. D.
- Hakim Hariti, Ph. D.
- Pascal Lefebvre, Ph. D.
- Nicole Dubuc-Charbonneau, Ph. D.
- Ann Pegoraro, Ph. D.
- to be completed
Faculty Members:
Jaouad Alem
School of Kinesiology and Health SciencesJian Chen
School of Kinesiology and Health SciencesSandra Dorman
School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
Tammy Eger
Office of the Vice-President, Research
Alain Gauthier
Faculty of Education and Health
Alison Godwin
School of Kinesiology and Health SciencesSylvain Grenier
School of Kinesiology and Health SciencesGeorges Kpazai
School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
Michel Larivière
School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
Nancy Lightfoot
School of Kinesiology and Health SciencesJames Little
School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
Kerry McGannon
School of Kinesiology and Health SciencesGinette Michel
School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
Sebastien Nault
School of Kinesiology and Health SciencesBruce Oddson
School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
Barbara Ravel
School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
Stephen Ritchie
School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
Robert Schinke
School of Kinesiology and Health SciencesAmanda Schweinbenz
School of Kinesiology and Health Sciences