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The College of St. Scholastica

Our Adventure Education and Outdoor Leadership (AEO) minor blends adventure education with leadership training. Adventure education is an active, hands-on learning process that challenges you both physically and mentally. You’ll practice technical skills in climbing, backpacking and canoeing while also learning to manage risk, facilitate outdoor experiences, and promote environmental and social responsibility.

You will learn to facilitate team development and leadership through strategically sequenced icebreakers, communication, problem-solving, trust, empathy and low-element activities. Additionally, you will learn how to apply these concepts from the backcountry to the boardroom. Overall, this program strengthens your skills in leadership, critical thinking, problem-solving and emergency preparedness, while inviting you to stand out in any industry.

Encouraging Adventure and Building Leaders

Adventure Education and Outdoor Leadership with kayaks on Lake SuperiorSt. Scholastica’s Duluth campus offers a unique opportunity to enhance your learning beyond the classroom through its unmatched access to nature. Duluth is the gateway to Lake Superior, Superior National Forest, Voyageurs National Park, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore and the Boundary Waters.

For those who love the outdoors and want to integrate it into their education, this minor offers a balance of professional development and personal fulfillment. The AEO program turns adventure into a pathway for success in a variety of degrees and career paths!

AEO Minor Fast Facts

  • Integrated practicum and field experience
  • Location advantage — easy access to Lake Superior and multiple parks
  • Opportunities for safety, emergency preparedness and wilderness medicine credentials
  • Hands-on coursework and leadership training
  • Tracks to align with career goals:
    • Pre-Health Care/Medical
    • Education, Psychology and Development
    • Global Sustainability and Justice
    • Biology, Wilderness and the Natural Environment
    • Outdoor Adventure Education
    • Self-designed Track (requires approval)

Receive Program Info and Financial Aid Options

  • Detailed program overview
  • Personalized financial aid
  • Individual admissions support

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Benedictine Scholarship

All new first-year applicants to St. Scholastica will be awarded either the Benedictine Scholarship or the Access Award, upon admission to the College.

Financial Aid

100% of traditional incoming undergraduates receive some type of scholarships. The average for scholarships, grants and/or loans is $31,841.

Degree Details

Tuition

Are You Looking for a Face-to-Face (on-campus) Experience?

St. Scholastica’s longstanding commitment to inclusivity and generous financial aid packages make our world-class educational programs accessible to students from any background.

Curriculum

Visit our Catalog to view the program and course requirements. Be sure to create your course plan in consultation with your advisor.

Career Outlook

The Adventure Education and Outdoor Leadership minor complements a variety of majors, helping you to stand out in your chosen career path. This minor equips you with leadership skills, confidence, critical thinking abilities and hands-on experience, making you a strong candidate for supervisory and management-level positions after graduation.

Graduates with this training and experience are well-prepared for careers in:

  • Outdoor education
  • Experiential learning
  • Emergency medical services – First Responder, EMT, Search and Rescue
  • Parks and recreation management
  • Adventure and eco-tourism
  • Youth development
  • Higher education
  • Leadership development
  • Upper-level management in non-outdoor career

Related Programs

Discover other related programs that expand your career opportunities and blend well with your interest in leadership and the environment.

The College of St. Scholastica

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