What is the Camp & Rec Program?

It’s college at camp… sort of.  Drop the classroom lectures and add a mentor-based approach to learning everything at camp and you have the Camp & Rec Program.  Students that want to complete a 4-year degree in Camp & Recreation Ministry complete their junior or senior year (32 credits) as a camp intern at one of our partner camps.  Because the program is experience-based, all coursework is woven into the internship, not delivered in a traditional classroom setting.  If you want to work at camp AND complete your degree, this is the program for you! 

Who can enroll?

Anyone that meets the enrollment requirements of the PER partner school(s) that grant credit for the program courses. 

Can I just enroll for a class or two?

Absolutely!  Not everyone will want to matriculate at one of PER’s partner schools.  If it makes sense to just take a class or three, go for it, then transfer the credits. 

How transferable are the credits?

The credits will be granted by a PER partner school that is fully accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.  That means they will transfer anywhere!  It is the student’s responsibility to verify with their school of choice whether the courses taken will transfer as electives or directly into their degree program. 

Is this going to be a bunch of extra work?

Well-designed experience-based courses are not just a rubber stamp on your work at camp.  They are designed to weave intentional learning into your work and relationships at camp.  PER courses will require some extra effort, but that effort will primarily be activity-based and it will be intentionally braided into your responsibilities at camp. 

What does the average course look like?

All courses begin with a personal evaluation, setting learning goals with your prof, defining some key challenges, regular journaling, assigning research and an application project.  The application project will be tied directly to your responsibilities at camp, so your effort will not be divided between work and study.  When you take multiple courses at the same time, your challenges, research, journaling and project will encompass the learning objectives of each course at the same time.  That means less work per course!  We call it integrated learning and it exponentially increases the learning value of the time you invest. 

Who will my professor be?

For the most part, your professor will be a person at the camp that has both the degree qualifications and PER training to effectively mentor you through the learning process.  In rare cases and at our discretion, we allow students to complete these courses at a site with no qualified onsite profs.  Access to an onsite prof is ideal for both academic and ministry growth.

How much will it cost?

For the 2006-07 school year, Baptist Bible College (Clarks Summit, PA) is the only PER partner school offering this degree program.  Full time undergraduate tuition is $6480 (12-18 credits).  Part time tuition is $540/credit hour.  Most of our partner camps will cover a student intern's room and board cost and many of them pay a stipend on top of that!  Remember to take the whole equation into account when considering the cost of the program.

What camps are participating in the program?

We have a growing list of camps that are qualified to host and instruct PER student interns.  Please visit our Learning Sites page to see a current list with contact information.

What if the camp I want to intern for is not a qualified PER Learning Site?

While we do make exceptions on a very limited basis, student interns should plan to work at an approved PER Learnign Site.  The approval process can take several months for new camps.  You may ask the internship coordinator at your camp of choice to contact PER to discuss becoming an approved site.  There is no doubt that a host of camps offer very valuable internship programs.  It is our obligation and our committment to you and to our partner schools to provide both a valuable internship AND high academic quality that is clearly documented.