BS in Recreation Therapy
Students wishing to major in the recreation therapy program complete a pre-professional course sequence their freshman and sophomore years consisting of undergraduate core curriculum courses, pre-recreation therapy curriculum courses and recreation therapy support courses. Upon acceptance into the professional sequence entering their junior year, students complete 46 credit hours of recreation therapy-specific coursework followed by a 15-credit hour, 560-clock hour internship the summer of their senior year.
Requirements
- Current certification in CPR.
- Immunizations: Mantoux, Rubella Titer/ Roseolla (MMR), Hepatitis B required. Additional immunizations may be required by internship agency.
- Background checks: May be required by internship agency.
- Physical requirements: “Fit for Duty” test may be required by internship agency.
- Transportation: Students must provide their own transportation to internship site.
- Summer classes are required after the senior year. Students graduate in August.
Bachelor of Science in Recreation Therapy
Below is a sample plan of study. Consult your degree audit for your program requirements.
| First Term | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| ENGL 1110 | College Composition I | 3 |
| HHS 1000 | Health And Human Services/College Orientation | 1 |
| MATH 1180 | Reasoning With Mathematics | 3 |
| PSY 1010 | Principles Of Psychology 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 1300 | Introduction To Recreation And Leisure Studies 1 | 3 |
| Social Science Core | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Second Term | ||
| ENGL 2960 | Professional and Business Writing | 3 |
| PSY 2510 | Lifespan Developmental Psychology 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 1310 | Introduction to Recreational Therapy Programming 1 | 3 |
| Natural Sciences Core | 3 | |
| Core Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Third Term | ||
| EXSC 1560 | Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology 1 | 3 |
| EXSC 1460 | Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology Lab 1 | 1 |
| PSY 2200 | Abnormal Psychology 1 | 3 |
| Arts/Humanities Core (Non-US Diversity) | 3 | |
| RCRT 4720 | Introduction To Therapeutic Recreation 1 | 3 |
| Hours | 13 | |
| Fourth Term | ||
| HEAL 1800 | Medical Terminology 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 3310 | Inclusion and Recreational Therapy Services 1 | 3 |
| Core Elective | 3 | |
| Arts/Humanities Core | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fifth Term | ||
| RCRT 4340 | Leisure, Recreation, And Aging in Recreational Therapy Practice 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 4730 | Physical and Neurological Diagnosis and Conditions in Recreational Therapy Practice 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 4740 | Assessment And Documentation In Therapeutic Recreation 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 4560 | Recreational Therapy Interventions 1 1 | 3.0 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Sixth Term | ||
| RCRT 4040 | Recreational Therapy Services within the Veterans Administration 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 4750 | Group Dynamics In Recreational Therapy 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 4790 | Psychological Diagnosis and Conditions in Recreational Therapy Practice 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 4565 | Recreational Therapy Interventions 2 1 | 3.0 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Seventh Term | ||
| RCRT 3710 | Outdoor and Adaptive Sports Program Delivery in Recreational Therapy Practice 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 4450 | Research Applications In Recreational Therapy 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 4000 | Community and Event Planning in Recreational Therapy Service 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 4810 | Recreational Therapy Fieldwork 1 1 | 1 |
| RCRT 4820 | Recreational Therapy Fieldwork 2 1 | 1 |
| RCRT 4570 | Recreational Therapy Interventions 3 1 | 2.0 |
| RCRT 4850 | Recreational Therapy Internship Preparation 1 | 1 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Eighth Term | ||
| RCRT 4330 | Administration In Recreational Therapy 1 | 3 |
| RCRT 4870 | Comprehensive Program Planning In Recreational Therapy 1 | 3 |
| Core Elective | 3 | |
| Multicultural Core US | 3 | |
| RCRT 4830 | Recreational Therapy Fieldwork 3 1 | 1 |
| RCRT 4840 | Recreational Therapy Fieldwork 4 1 | 1 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Ninth Term | ||
| Summer | ||
| RCRT 4950 | Recreation Therapy Internship I 1 | 5 |
| RCRT 4770 | Recreational Therapy Project Design 1 | 1 |
| RCRT 4960 | Recreation Therapy Internship II 1 | 5 |
| RCRT 4780 | Recreational Therapy Project Evaluation 1 | 1 |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- 1
A "C" or better is required in this course.
- Theoretical and historical foundations of therapeutic recreation: Theoretical foundations of therapeutic recreation service delivery (e.g., foundational models and theories), Theoretical and scientific foundations of the systems in which therapeutic recreation is delivered, including the impact of technology and globalization on those systems, Human functioning, including anatomy and physiology, human growth and development across the lifespan, variations in development and resulting disability, psychology, including abnormal psychology, and theories of human behavior change, Human services supportive areas (e.g., medical terminology, pharmacology, counseling approaches, therapeutic communication, community development, positive behavioral supports)
- 7.02 a) Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate the ability to create/select, conduct, and evaluate individualized assessment for therapeutic recreation services clearly reflecting application of knowledge from relevant facets of contemporary professional therapeutic recreation practice, science, and philosophy. Fundamental elements of assessment: Focus on leisure, physical, social, cognitive, psychological/emotional, and spiritual domains of human well-being, Encompass standardized assessments, observation, interview, and record review, Are team-based and inter/transdisciplinary, Ascertain participants abilities, strengths, goals, and aspirations
- 7.02 b) Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate the ability to conduct individualized planning of therapeutic recreation services clearly reflecting application of knowledge from relevant facets of contemporary professional therapeutic recreation practice, science, and philosophy. Fundamental elements of individualized planning: Utilize assessment results to generate person-centered contextualized plans\\n-Use appropriate and correctly formatted goals and objectives, Use culturally relevant evidence-based interventions, strategies, facilitation techniques, modalities, activities, and adaptations, Are team-based and involve the family/community, Are contextualized to the service delivery system (e.g., health care, human services, recreation, education)
- 7.02 c) Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate the ability to implement and facilitate therapeutic recreation interventions and services for diverse clientele, settings, cultures, and contexts. Fundamental elements of implementation and facilitation include: Individual and group leadership skills, Helping relationship skills, A variety of common therapeutic recreation interventions, facilitation techniques, activities, and modalities, Activity/task analysis, adaptation, and assistive technologies\\n-Team and family participation, Advocacy, Contextualization to the service delivery system (e.g., health care, human services, recreation, education)
- 7.02 d) Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate the ability to document therapeutic recreation services according to regulatory, professional, and system requirements. Fundamental elements of documentation include: Assessment results, Individualized plans, Progress notes, Discharge/transition summaries, Compliance with agency, accreditation, and professional standards for documentation
- 7.02 e) Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate the ability to evaluate therapeutic recreation services at the participant and program level and to use evaluation data to improve the quality of services. Fundamental elements include: Use of appropriate research and evaluation designs and methods to conduct formative and summative evaluation to document outcomes from services, Use of evaluation results to improve services or programs and show accountability, Quality assurance/quality improvement contextualized to the service delivery system
- 7.03 Students graduating from the program shall be able to demonstrate entry-level knowledge about facts, concepts, principles, and procedures of management/administration in therapeutic recreation. Fundamental elements include: Regulatory and legal compliance contextualized to the service delivery system (e.g., health care, human services, recreation, education), Operations and maintenance, Finance and budgeting, reimbursement, Marketing and advocacy, \\nStrategic and other agency/program level planning, Risk and safety management, Quality management, Human resource development and management, Professional development, Evidence- theory-based practices, Research and technological impacts
- 7.04 a) Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate a readiness for the internship as determined by meeting criteria set by the program (e.g., fieldwork hours prior to the internship, competency testing, GPA requirements in core coursework, basic certifications in first aid/CPR, other dispositions or candidacy benchmarks set by the program).
- 7.04 b) Students graduating from the program shall demonstrate, through a comprehensive and culminating internship, the ability to apply the therapeutic recreation process, use diverse, structured ways of thinking to solve problems related to different facets of professional practice, engage in advocacy, and stimulate innovation. The internship must meet current professional standards for credentialing with the state, national/international credentialing bodies.