Outdoor Leadership: Courses
Introduction to Wilderness and Adventure Ministry
Biblical, Theological, and Philosophical Foundations
Outdoor Leadership Organization and Management
Stewardship of Creation: Theology and Practice
Adventure Ministry in Cross-Cultural Contexts
Outdoor Leadership Practicum
Adventure Therapy
Courses in the Development Phase:
Facilitation, Challenge, and Group Process
Expedition Planning and Leadership
Courses Currently Offered:
Introduction to Wilderness and Adventure Ministry
This is a practical course designed to introduce students to the theology, philosophy, methodology, and potential outcomes of utilizing wilderness and adventure ministry. Students will explore this subject through readings, instruction, discussion, and most importantly through guided experiential involvement in the Colorado backcountry. Personal journaling and a solo experience are both important parts of this course. Other courses in the Outdoor Leadership Focus will expand upon this course. (2 Credits)
Biblical, Theological, and Philosophical Foundations of Outdoor Leadership
This course introduces students to a practical theology of wilderness journey, a biblical perspective on the practice of outdoor leadership, a biblical approach to the implementation of experiential learning in the outdoor leadership setting, a philosophy of wilderness ministry, and the Bible’s unique perspective on outdoor leadership theory. Course reading, class discussions, and course assignments will focus on the wilderness context and adventure programming as a primary location for spiritual formation and leadership development. (3 credits)
Outdoor Leadership Organization and Management
This course explores biblical leadership principles of organizational management. Students will gain an understanding of the theology of leadership and develop a personal philosophy on how to integrate their own leadership qualities into outdoor program administration. Students will integrate Scripturally-based leadership ideology in the areas of leadership styles, decision making, program development and management. Students will gain an understanding of how to start, staff, and lead an outdoor/adventure program. (3 credits)
Stewardship of Creation: Theology and Practice
This course introduces students to a biblically informed theology of creation and its stewardship, discovering the rich Christian tradition of caring for creation, understanding how impacts to creation can disproportionately impact the poor, and developing a better-informed apologetic concerning contemporary environmental issues. Students will also learn how to apply the secular Leave No Trace (LNT) curriculum using biblical examples and undergirded by a Christian Ethic. Reading and writing requirements will be augmented by experiential, in the field learning. (2 Credits)
Adventure Ministry in Cross-Cultural Contexts
This course is a study of the use of wilderness and adventure in cross-cultural contexts, with special attention given to the biblical/theological rationale and cultural sensitivity required for design and implementation. The focus is on wilderness and adventure as the means and the context for evangelism, discipleship, spiritual formation, leadership development, and mission in both local and global cross-cultural settings. (2 Credits)
Adventure Therapy
This course introduces students to Biblicaly informed therapeutic aspects of adventure, combining adventure activities and therapeutic techniques. Classroom sessions will include lectures and discussions as well as opportunities for personal interact with professionals in adventure healing programs. Hands-on, experiential field sessions will allow students to apply classroom learning in a supervised environment. This course provides a detailed exploration of adventure therapy, benefiting counselors and outdoor leaders in private practice, institutional, church, parachurch, and adventure programming contexts, but does not result in professional credential. NOTE: THis course is listed on course schedules as a CO (counseling licensure) prefixed course but also fulfills outdoor leadership rewuirements. (2 credits)
Outdoor Leadership Practicum
This is an advanced, field-based course providing opportunities for students to gain meaningful life-on-life training to increase their outdoor leadership experience, competencies, and vocational fitness. A 7-day wilderness trip in the Wind River Range of Wyoming will provide opportunities for each student to learn and apply the soft- and meta-skills required of professional leaders of wilderness and adventure programs. Knowledge and skills that are part of this course content include experiential learning models; designing, setting up, implementing, and debriefing adventure activities; risk management; Christian environmental stewardship; incorporating spiritual formation activities; and effective outdoor leadership. Students can also expect challenging scenarios, opportunities to encounter God, practice of spiritual disciplines, solo time, and character development. Reading and writing requirements will augment experiential learning. (2 Credits)
Courses Currently in the Design Phase:
Facilitation, Challenge, and Group Process: Leading Christ-Centered Adventure Experiences
This course will train outdoor leaders in the theological, philosophical, and experiential foundations and methodology of leading Christ-centered outdoor adventure and teambuilding activities. Students will be provided with the tools to correctly sequence activities, foster group synergy, process learning through questioning techniques, and ensure that contained experiences become applicable and transferable to real life situations. The course will involve both online learning and a weeklong outdoor intensive which will include challenge course elements, hiking, rock-climbing, and rappelling. This course will be offered for the first time during the 2012 summer session. (2 Credits)
Expedition Planning and Leadership
This course will focus on the planning and execution of extended backcountry trips. It will be developed, led, and taught by our partners at Solid Rock Outdoor Ministries in conjunction with one of their 40/40 trips. (2-4 Credits)
