Adventure Sports Certificate
The one-year adventure sports certificate introduces you to the foundational skills necessary for competent personal performance in diverse adventure settings. Prepare for a wide range of future applications including field studies, further study towards the expeditionary studies B.S. or simply lifelong enjoyment of outdoor environments.
What Will I Learn?
Based in the Adirondack region, this program offers a gateway to backcountry travel in all seasons. Your fall semester classes will take place while paddling on Lake Champlain, as well as hiking and rock climbing in the Adirondack Mountains. During the colder months of the spring semester, you will receive an introduction to backcountry ski touring and ice climbing, followed by paddling on moving water in the rivers of the Adirondack North Country.
What is Unique About Our Program?
- Location, location, location — The adventure sports certificate takes advantage of SUNY Plattsburgh’s unique location between Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains. The majority of the program is field based and takes place within an hour of the college campus.
- World-class and world-traveled faculty — In classes that are often as small as five or six students, you’ll be studying with world-class faculty who have traveled and guided around the world. Our innovative curriculum guarantees you will have constant and close contact with them in the field throughout your studies.
- Options — The required coursework for the adventure sports certificate is identical to the first-year courses in the bachelor of science in expeditionary studies. Students who complete the certificate have the option to continue with the B.S. program or to finish with a certificate. This optional exit point allows students to participate in the certificate program while pursuing other majors on campus.
What Are My Career Opportunities?
This program prepares you for academic, personal, and professional success. The Department of Adventure Sports and Expeditionary Studies is sending its graduates into a variety of professional positions. They enjoy fulfilling careers as sea kayak and mountain guides, professional ski patrollers, park rangers, and leaders in eco-tourism and adventure-based counseling.