This department was established in the 2004 academic year. At that time, there was only one class in the two-year daytime technical program. With the increase in the number of students, a two-year program in the Continuing Education and Extension Division and a four-year daytime technical program were subsequently added. By the 2009 academic year, a master's program in the Department of Leisure and Recreation was established to meet students' educational needs. However, due to changes in the overall educational system and the shortage of student sources, the two-year program in the Continuing Education and Extension Division stopped admitting students in 2009, and the two-year daytime technical program stopped admitting students in 2012. Up to the 2012 academic year, the classes admitted by the department and institute over the years were as follows:
Students admitted in 2004: One class in the two-year daytime technical program
Students admitted in 2005: One class in the two-year daytime technical program, one class in the four-year daytime technical program, one class in the two-year evening technical program
Students admitted in 2006: One class in the two-year daytime technical program, one class in the four-year daytime technical program, one class in the two-year evening technical program
Students admitted in 2007–2008: One class in the two-year daytime technical program, one class in the four-year daytime technical program, one class in the two-year evening technical program
Students admitted in 2009: One class in the two-year daytime technical program, one class in the four-year daytime technical program, one class in the two-year evening technical program, one class in the master's program
Students admitted in 2010: One class in the two-year daytime technical program, one class in the four-year daytime technical program, one class in the master's program
Students admitted in 2011: One class in the two-year daytime technical program, one class in the four-year daytime technical program, one class in the master's program, one class in the in-service master's program (Leisure Division of the Department of Business Administration)
Students admitted in 2012–2013: One class in the four-year daytime technical program, one class in the master's program, one class in the in-service master's program (Leisure Division of the Department of Business Administration)
Students admitted in 2014–2019: One class in the four-year daytime technical program, one class in the master's program, one class in the in-service master's program (returned to the Department and Graduate Institute of Leisure and Recreation)