Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Outdoor and Environmental Education (Common Entry)
Overview
This Common Entry degree offers three award options, which are determined by the electives you choose. The Award Options are:
- Outdoor Education
- Outdoor Education and Therapeutic Applications
- Geography and Outdoor Education
What is Outdoor Education?
Outdoor education involves learning outdoors, challenge, personal growth, journeys in nature, reflection and adventure. It is widely recognised as having a therapeutic, educational, developmental, and social effect on participants and for fostering general wellbeing and a connection with the natural world.
Outdoor learning experiences are utilised within many sectors in Ireland, such as schools, social care organisations, community development, youth services and adventure tourism. Outdoor Education students at ATU gain an in depth understanding of the varied role of outdoor learning and develop experience in designing, running and facilitating educational programmes. Through fieldtrips, expeditions and lectures, students explore and examine Irish landscape, heritage and ecology and realise the potential of adventure tourism, green exercise and nature therapy. Graduates will be empowered to promote careful use and management of an increasingly threatened natural world and to educate others in wise use and sustainable practice.
These degrees offer a unique blend of academic learning and adventure sports training.
Students explore outdoor education’s therapeutic, developmental, and educational aspects, while also studying Ireland’s natural and cultural landscape, health, fitness, group facilitation, recreation management, teaching, and psychology.
Students have the option of degree in Outdoor Education or depending on specialist modules chosen, to receive a degree in Outdoor Education with Therapeutic Application or Geography and Outdoor Education. Students select their specialist modules during Semester 1 in year 1.
Each week includes adventure sports practicals in Mayo’s mountains and coastline, leading to National Governing Body Adventure Sports leadership qualifications.
Programme Code
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AU699
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Points
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NEW (2024)
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Level
- 8
Location
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Mayo
Number of Places
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24
Duration
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4 Years
Method of Delivery
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On Campus
Mode of Study
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Full Time
Why Study this course?
Further Study
Graduates can progress to a wide range of postgraduate Masters areas such as Environmental Management, Nature Conservation, Counselling, Youth Work, Family and Community. ATU also run an MSc in Outdoor Education, Sustainability and Well-being.
Study Abroad
Students can spend a year in Western Carolina University studying Parks and Recreation Management in the Heart of the Appalachian Mountains. We also have Erasmus semester long student exchanges with the University of Galva to study Artic Ecology and with the University of Agder in Norway to study Outdoor Learning.
Location
One day a week is spent exploring the rich cultural and geological landscape of Mayo. We are close to the Wild Atlantic Way and Ballycroy Wild Nephin National Park.