Overview of Sport and Recreation
Careers in the field of Sport and Recreation promote physical fitness, social and psychological well-being as well as healthy nutrition.
A day in the life of an Athletic Trainer.
Get details on the salary and job security of these Sport and Recreation careers:
Get Career Ready for Sport and Recreation
Find out what it takes to land a career in Sport and Recreation
Earn a Degree
To work in the field of Sport and Recreation, it is recommended to have a strong background in science, health, or business. Degree information can be found in the George Mason Catalog.
Along with your degree, professional certifications like these may increase your employment options:
- CPR/AED Certification
- Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP)
- Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS)
- Certified Athletic Trainer
- Physical Therapy (PT)/Physical Therapy Assistance (PTA) License
- Occupational Therapy (OT)/ Occupation Therapy Assistant (OTA) License
- Certified Clinical Exercise Physiologist (ACSM-CEP)
Gain Experiences
Employers expect at least six to twelve months of related experience to be competitive for full-time positions. Gain experience while you are a student at George Mason.
Here are the types of experiences most valued by Sport and Recreation employers, and where to find them:
Internships/Jobs
- Check with your academic department for practicum/field placement requirements as part of your degree program
- George Mason Recreation
- TeamWork Online: George Mason community- use George Mason email to register your account
- JobsInSports
- WorkInSports
Volunteer
- Volunteer at a Fairfax County Rec Center
- Coach or referee for a youth league in the community
- Join a local athletic booster organization
- Volunteer at sport and recreation conferences (e.g., Sports Industry Networking & Career Conference (SINC)
Market Your Skills
It is important for you to be able to clearly communicate the knowledge, skills and experiences you have gained in and outside of the classroom.
Get ideas on how to showcase your qualifications to Sport and Recreation employers from the resume samples below:
Resume
Interview
Interviewing well is key to standing out with employers in the sports and recreation industries—and the best way to build confidence is through practice. Use InterviewPrep, George Mason’s free virtual mock interview tool, to explore industry-specific interview questions and sharpen your responses at your own pace.Graduate Sports and Recreation (docx)
- Register for an account at InterviewPrep using your George Mason email.
- Once you're logged in, use the following code to access a curated interview set for this career area: [8NW7tnhkwKt0]
Career Ready
Career ready George Mason grads have gone on to work for sport and recreation employers, such as:
| George Mason Athletics | Fairfax County Public Schools | Monumental Sports & Entertainment |
| Washington Nationals | CACI National Inc | Georgetown University |
| Potomac River Running | University of Pennsylvania | Salesforce |
Join the sport and recreation community
Get involved with academic and professional Sport and Recreation groups to grow your network while you're still a student.
George Mason Student Organizations
Professional Associations
- National Athletic Trainers Association
- Mid-Atlantic Athletic Trainers Association
- Virginia Athletic Trainers Association
- North American Society for Sports Management
- National Intramural and Recreational Sports Association
- National Sports Marketing Network
- Women in Sports and Events
- National Society of Black Sports Professionals