Our Essential Eligibility Criteria lists basic functions required to participate in an NCOAE activity or program….

…Coming off a four-year stint as coordinator for a university outdoor recreation program, J.T. Schexnayder III is proving to be a masterful leader as our outdoor program coordinator. Raised in Myrtle Beach, S.C., this neighboring state native led his middle school peers on backpacking, climbing, caving and paddleboard expeditions to backcountry areas in his home…

…One tree doesn’t offer the strength of a forest, just as one organization can’t lead an entire industry. According to others, we here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) have distinguished ourselves as outdoor and adventure education industry leaders. But without collaborations, our ability to be creators and innovators would be…

…One of the hallmarks of a great outdoor education program provider is its ability to become accredited by the leading trade group for the industry. Another sign of a top-notch outdoor education organization is a willingness to align its courses and trainings such that when students successfully complete a course or training, they can apply…

…The thing that makes Ricardo Flores exceedingly well qualified to serve as a National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education field instructor is his love of the outdoors and experience in group dynamics through his corporate  management experience. Specifically, Ricardo formerly worked as a logistics manager and a project manager for Proctor & Gamble, which…

…As you enter or continue high school, extend your learning beyond the classroom on one of NCOAE’s teen expeditions….

…Meet NCOAE Student Will Newman and learn how our Intensive Hybrid EMT course jumpstarted Will’s education and career!…

…Take a deeper look at what life during an NCOAE Gap Semester is really like. Explore a day in the life on campus and in the field…

…The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education (NCOAE) has forged an academic relationship with the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) that will see UNCW students earning up to six academic credits for participating in and completing educationally-focused backcountry expeditions thousands of miles from campus and lasting up to a month. Beginning next spring,…

…Our wilderness medicine instructors teach courses that result in their students completing coursework to receive outdoor medical certifications….

…Explore the remote Pacific Northwest, on a 25-day wilderness expedition!…

…Take the trip of a lifetime to Ecuador with NCOAE. You’ll explore the snow-capped mountains and lush rainforests of “Luz de América.”…

…Thanks to a $25,000 grant from the National Park Service (NPS), 10 students enrolled in our Education Without Walls program will participate in a 21-day summer 2017 backcountry adventure in southeast Alaska. The funding for the trip, which is designated as an NPS Challenge Cost Share Program Grant, covers nearly all the costs associated with…

…Earn official high school credit—including Honors-level science—while gaining certifications in leadership and wilderness medicine….

…It’s pouring rain, and some of North Carolina Central University’s custom outdoor education program participants slip into the knee-deep mud, briefly Wilderness orientation programs for transfer students and incoming freshmen are gaining in popularity at historically black colleges and universities….

…Meg Young joined the staff team here at The National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education late last year as office manager and was swiftly promoted to director of admissions. She works closely with our students to ensure their registration and enrollment process goes as smoothly as possible — something she believes sets them up…

Read about our Covid-19 policy. Check back for NCOAE‘s latest Covid-19 updates….

…At NCOAE, we believe an effective educational framework impacts student and learner outcomes in many ways….

…Camp LEAD brings experiential leadership to Brunswick County youth on beaches, rivers, and coastal forests—building communication, resilience, and teamwork….

…It’s long been an objective of ours to partner with a college or university to offer college level credits for National Center for Outdoor & Adventure Education training. Now, just a year or so after commencing the search for a higher education partner, we’re just weeks away from being able to announce that we’ll soon…