Special Focus

We’ve designed the majority of our courses for teenagers and adults in a co-ed environment. Courses have age guidelines to both reflect the course difficulty and to keep students of similar age groups together. When you enroll, your Admissions Advisor can advise you on the group make-up of your course (by age and gender) to make sure that you are enrolling in the course that’s most appropriate and comfortable for you.

Outward Bound also offers Special Focus courses. These cater to like-minded people who are encountering similar life experiences or who have similar goals or issues. These include:

Special Focus

Alumni — Even though all of our courses are open to alumni, this year we have designated several courses specifically for alumni who have enn on an Outward Bound course before. It is a great opportunity to connect with other alums and deepen your Outward Bound experience.

Educators — Join educators from around the country in a wilderness challenge that focuses on reestablishing "learning by doing" in the classroom. We’ll focus on contemporary educational issues with you and your peers.

Family (Including Parent/Child and Parent as Coach) — Tackle the challenges of the outdoors together and improve or reaffirm your bond as you learn more about each other in the eye-opening beauty of the wilderness.

Instructors — Considering a career in outdoor instruction? Develop the skills and theory of experiential education and learn the basics necessary to become a wilderness educator including Outward Bound's technical and safety systems.

Semester — Some lessons you just can't learn while sitting at a desk. Take a giant step out of the classroom and join a group of college-age students at our "campus," traveling high in the mountains, down deep-cut canyons, through ancient forests, and across open waters. Academic credit, and spirited adventure, is available.

Troubled Teens/Intercept — Sometimes a fresh look is what it takes to turn the corner. These special "early intervention" courses pull troubled teens out of their everyday element and into a heart-stirring environment where they’re free to gain a different perspective on their lives and understand more about themselves.

Women Only — Join other women in a course that is every bit as strenuous as our co-ed version. It’s a unique opportunity to explore your physical strength and mental resolve in the company of all other women (including instructors).