Bachelor of Outdoor Leadership

This unique degree is designed to meet the needs of the outdoor-education and recreation sectors, helping you create a rewarding lifelong career.

You'll learn to apply your on-campus study through a range of activities in our outdoor labs. This practical experience combined with your knowledge of the natural environment, group leadership and planning will open up diverse career possibilities in the following industries:

• adventure tourism
• adventure sports
• environmental education
• outdoor adventure
• outdoor education
• outdoor recreation
• nature tourism.

We offer an exceptional opportunity to gain career experience through a paid internship with The Outdoor Education Group. This internship has been designed to work in tandem with your study, so you can apply best-practice theory to real situations.

Throughout the Bachelor of Outdoor Leadership program, the main themes will be explored through adventure-based activities such as:

• bushwalking
• canoeing
• cycling
• white-water rafting
• alpine activities
• rock-climbing.

Join VU for one of the most adrenaline-packed degrees in Australia!

The Bachelor of Outdoor Leadership offers several career pathways:

• camp program manager
• environmental educator
• outdoor educator
• outdoor adventure guide, instructor or facilitator
• park ranger
• teaching (with additional Master of Teaching (Secondary Education))
• business owner
• eco and adventure tourism.

The nature-based outdoor economy offers many career opportunities. An industry-based report Outdoors Victoria and Sport and Recreation Victoria - Victoria's nature based outdoor economy, indicates this industry is worth $7.4 billion annually to Victoria's economy, employing 71,000 full-time jobs.

On graduation, you may continue on to our Master of Teaching (Secondary) to become a registered teacher.

To attain the Bachelor of Outdoor Leadership, students will be required to complete 288 credit points consisting of:

• 96 credit points of First Year Core units
• 96 credit points of Professional Core units

Plus one of the following:
Option A:

• 96 credit points of SMAOLI Outdoor Leadership Industry Internship Major studies

OR
Option B:

• 96 credit points of Major studies from the approved list

OR
Option C:

• 96 credit points of Minor studies from the approved list

Use our credit calculator to find out how much credit you could get towards your course, based on your previous study.

If you have completed study with another university or institution and believe you are eligible to receive credit for skills and past study, you can apply for advanced standing.

Applications for advanced standing can be made after a discussion with your course chair or academic adviser.