Tourism Program

Welcome to the only accredited Tourism Program in Arkansas and your gateway to a thriving career in one of the state’s top industries. Nestled in the heart of the scenic Ozark Mountains, our program offers a dynamic and flexible curriculum tailored to meet the diverse needs and professional goals of our students. Arkansas Tech University’s Tourism Program combines academic excellence with real-world applications, emphasizing sustainable tourism, event management, and hospitality.

We provide flexible scheduling options with both in-person and online courses, allowing you to tailor your education to fit your lifestyle. For accelerated degree completion, we offer pathways that leverage your previous coursework for a smooth transition to graduation. Our inclusive and supportive learning environment reflects our commitment to accessibility and excellence.

ATU's Tourism Program equips students with essential skills and knowledge to thrive in Arkansas's thriving tourism sector. With strong industry connections and a focus on making a positive impact, Arkansas Tech University stands out as the premier choice for aspiring tourism professionals. Discover the endless opportunities in tourism with ATU and build your future in The Natural State.

Tourism prepares students for success in Arkansas’ second-leading industry.

TOURISM

The Tourism program ensures students are well-prepared for diverse careers in hospitality and lodging management, event planning and entertainment, recreation and parks management, natural resource management, and experience industry.

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THERAPEUTIC RECREATION

Therapeutic Recreation gives students experience in recreation and activity-based interventions to help improve an individual's physical, emotional, cognitive, social, spiritual, and leisure functioning to enjoy life more fully.

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CAREERS IN THE TOURISM & EXPERIENCE INDUSTRY

  • Hospitality & Lodging  
  • Wildlife & Nature Tourism
  • Cultural Tourism 
  • Travel & Transportation
  • Eco Tourism 
  • Events & Entertainment
  • Outdoor Adventure
  • Economic Development
  • Therapeutic Recreation
  • Outdoor Recreation

The Technical Certificate in Casino and Gaming Industry Management expands on the Certificate of Proficiency and is designed for business/non-major students interested in casino careers, gaming professional development opportunities, hospitality and tourism professionals, and educators seeking to re-skill and expand their knowledge in casino management. 

The Certificate of Proficiency in Casino and Gaming Industry is designed for business/non-major students interested in casino careers, gaming professional development opportunities, hospitality and tourism professionals, and educators seeking to re-skill and expand their knowledge in casino management.

In addition to our tourism core offerings, we provide a Minor in Hospitality Administration tailored for non-majors interested in exploring or enhancing their understanding of the tourism industry. This minor includes foundational courses such as Intro to Hospitality, Guest Relations, and Intro to Travel and Tourism. Students also complete 9 hours of upper-division tourism courses, focusing on advanced topics in hospitality and tourism management.

The minor in Recreation and Park Administration is designed for those students majoring in other disciplines who wish to develop specialized knowledge in the area of Recreation and Park Administration. This minor may be of particular interest to those students who wish to work for a recreation and park oriented agency after graduation. This minor may be well-suited for Emergency Management, Fisheries and Wildlife Science, and Hospitality Administration majors. Flexibility in the minor allows students to choose courses to match their particular needs and interests.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Department of Agriculture and Tourism is to provide superior education and experiences in Agriculture and Tourism, building a foundation for personal and professional growth while developing and encouraging lifelong learning.

Vision Statement

The Department of Agriculture and Tourism at Arkansas Tech University will be known for producing outstanding citizens, leaders, and professionals in their field.

 

Core Values

  • We strive to provide rigorous classroom and high impact teaching practices to prepare students for a future career in agriculture and tourism.
  • We value continued and robust student-faculty interaction through rigorous classroom experiences and high impact practices.
  • We value engagement of students in curricular and co-curricular activities.
  • We value ethical decision making and critical thinking.
  • We value and foster a culture of belonging and inclusion.
  • We value a commitment to civic engagement and social responsibility to the institution, region, state, and beyond.
  • We value the use of decisions that are data driven and values people.
  • We value the efficient and effective use of resources.
 

 

 
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