CU Boulder Outdoor Recreation Economy (ORE) Graduate Program

What CU Boulder Outdoor Recreation Economy (ORE) Graduate Program does

The CU Boulder Outdoor Recreation Economy (ORE) Graduate Program is a fully online graduate program within the University of Colorado Boulder, offering a Master of Science in Outdoor Recreation Economy and five stackable graduate certificates. It targets working professionals employed across the U.S. outdoor recreation economy — a $1.1 trillion sector that employs 3.2% of American workers — and is structured as the only fully online graduate program of its kind in the nation. The curriculum is delivered through Canvas LMS and Coursera, leveraging Coursera's global learner marketplace for distribution while relying on CU Boulder's institutional infrastructure for academic operations.

The program operates inside a public university framework, benefiting from CU Boulder's brand reputation (founded 1876) and Higher Learning Commission accreditation since 1913. It is administered through the Division of Continuing Education in coordination with the Office of Academic and Learning Innovation, giving it access to shared university services rather than operating as a standalone commercial entity. Revenue is generated almost entirely through per-credit-hour tuition ($906 in-state, $983 out-of-state for the 2026-27 academic year), with the stackable certificate architecture allowing students to enter at multiple price points and progress toward the full MS degree.

The program's go-to-market combines institutional outreach, employer ecosystem partnerships (including Career Academy Boulder, which connects to Google, Meta, and IBM pipelines, and the Center for Veteran Employment in the Outdoors), and Coursera's platform reach. It does not raise venture funding and does not operate as an independent company; growth is funded through tuition, university allocation, and program-level reinvestment. The competitive position is anchored in accreditation, brand, and first-mover status in the online ORE graduate credentialing niche rather than in proprietary technology.

Name

CU Boulder Outdoor Recreation Economy (ORE) Graduate Program

Legal name

University of Colorado Boulder

Website

https://online.colorado.edu

Company type

Public

Founded year

1876

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The ORE Graduate Program at CU Boulder delivers a fully online MS in Outdoor Recreation Economy and five stackable graduate certificates to working professionals across the $1.1 trillion U.S. outdoor recreation industry, distributed via Canvas LMS and Coursera.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Higher Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal Enrichment & Creative Arts Programs (EDAAAEAG)

Keywords

• Online graduate education
• Outdoor recreation programs
• Graduate certificates
• Sustainability leadership
• Public lands policy

Headquarters

HQ city

Boulder

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Tuition Revenue: The program generates revenue through tuition charged per credit hour. In-state tuition is $906 per credit and out-of-state/international tuition is $983 per credit. Students pay per credit hour with additional fees including GPSG fees, new student fees, and optional computing fees. The program offers payment plans, employer reimbursement options, and eligibility for the University of Colorado Employee Tuition Benefit Program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The CU Boulder Outdoor Recreation Economy (ORE) Graduate Program is a fully online graduate education portfolio offered by the University of Colorado Boulder. It delivers a Master of Science in Outdoor Recreation Economy and five stackable graduate certificates covering public lands policy, community economic development, sustainable business leadership, and inclusivity in the outdoor recreation economy. Students can also enroll as non-degree students in individual credit courses, with up to 20 credit hours applicable toward the master's degree.

Product overview

CU Boulder Outdoor Recreation Economy (ORE) Graduate Program is a fully online graduate education portfolio consisting of a Master of Science degree and five stackable graduate certificates. The Master of Science in Outdoor Recreation Economy is an interdisciplinary, applied degree that prepares professionals for leadership across the outdoor recreation sector. Students can complete individual graduate certificates independently or stack them with elective coursework toward the master's degree. Individual non-degree courses are also available, allowing professionals to sample specific topics before committing to a credential. The program covers five thematic areas: Introductory Foundations, Public Lands and Natural Resource Policy, Community Economic Development, Business and Leadership, and Inclusivity and Belonging. The program is the only fully online graduate program of its kind in the nation, delivered 100% online with flexible asynchronous subject courses and synchronous project courses.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Introduction to the Outdoor Recreation Economy Certificate:
• Public Lands and Natural Resources Policy Certificate
• Building Resilient Communities through Outdoor Recreation Certificate
• Leading a Sustainable Business in the Outdoor Recreation Economy Certificate
• Inclusivity and Belonging in the Outdoor Recreation Economy Certificate

Products and services

• Master of Science in Outdoor Recreation Economy An interdisciplinary, applied master's degree that prepares professionals to become creative, thoughtful leaders across the outdoor recreation sector. Students can stack graduate certificates and/or elective coursework to create a tailored master's degree, requiring 20+ credits of coursework.
• Introduction to the Outdoor Recreation Economy Certificate

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CourseracoreTechnology or IntegrationThe CU Boulder-Coursera partnership enables students to access CU Boulder's academic and professional resources with flexibility. Features include performance-based admissions, year-round enrollment so students can start anytime, ability to upgrade from non-credit to for-credit courses, and pay-as-you-go tuition options.
• Division of Continuing EducationcoreOthersCU Boulder Online is administered collaboratively by the Division of Continuing Education and the Office of Academic and Learning Innovation. The Division of Continuing Education handles administrative functions including accounting, student services, and program management.
• Office of Academic and Learning InnovationcoreOthersCollaboratively administers CU Boulder Online alongside the Division of Continuing Education. Provides instructional design expertise and academic oversight for online program development and delivery.
• GoogleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough Career Academy Boulder, students access free career training programs from Google and other industry leaders including Meta, IBM, and more to complement their classroom learning.
• MetaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough Career Academy Boulder, students access free career training programs from Meta as part of the industry partnership providing job-relevant skills and microcredentials.
• IBMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough Career Academy Boulder, students access free career training programs from IBM as part of the industry partnership providing job-relevant skills and microcredentials in high-demand fields.
• Center for Veteran Employment in the OutdoorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHelps service members and veterans transition to careers in the outdoor industry by providing access to employees in various fields, connections to education and certifications, and support for benefits.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Prescott College Adventure Education: Prescott College offers graduate programs in adventure education and outdoor leadership with sustainability components; it is a direct peer targeting aspiring outdoor industry leaders with applied, experiential graduate education.
• Unity College Environmental and Sustainability Programs: Unity College offers graduate programs in environmental science, sustainability, and wildlife conservation, training professionals for adjacent outdoor-economy roles and competing for similar mission-driven learners.
• Western Colorado University Outdoor Recreation Industry Studies: Western Colorado University offers programs in outdoor recreation industry studies and related fields; it is one of the closest U.S. university peers training professionals for the outdoor recreation economy, competing for similar faculty expertise and student interest.
• University of New Hampshire Outdoor Recreation and Adventure Tourism programs: UNH runs outdoor recreation and adventure tourism academic programs through its recreation management and policy faculty, serving as a direct curricular peer to ORE in training outdoor-sector professionals.
• Colorado State University Natural Resources and Recreation programs: CSU's Warner College of Natural Resources and related programs train professionals in natural resource management and recreation — overlapping significantly with ORE's public lands, policy, and community development tracks.

Emerging players

• NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School): NOLS delivers instructor-level outdoor leadership and wilderness education certifications; it is an emerging peer competing for the same outdoor-industry professional audience with shorter, more practice-oriented credentials.
• Outward Bound USA: Outward Bound delivers outdoor leadership and experiential education programs; it is an emerging player in the same talent-development ecosystem, particularly for leadership and inclusive-outdoors themes that overlap with ORE's curriculum.

Broad incumbents

• Coursera: Coursera is both a distribution partner and a broad incumbent: it hosts CU Boulder's ORE offerings while also offering competing graduate-level specializations in sustainability, business, and public policy that overlap with ORE's target learner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cuboulder
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CU Boulder
• Facebookfacebook.com/cuboulder
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cuboulderore
• Instagraminstagram.com/cuboulder

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CU Boulder Outdoor Recreation Economy (ORE) Graduate Program