Therapeutic Recreation Major, BS

Mission

It is the goal of the Therapeutic Recreation (TR) Program to prepare individuals to successfully enter the field of therapeutic recreation who have the foundation for further study and/or professional development in the human service areas and who meet the requirements for application to the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification.

The Therapeutic Recreation Program is based on the belief that healthy recreation and leisure involvement is fundamental for life satisfaction; also, leisure is an important tool to help people negotiate a changing and often stressful world. Therapeutic Recreation (TR) is a specialty area which uses recreation and leisure experiences to help people with disabilities or limiting conditions to recover, develop, and grow. TR services adhere to a specified set of actions, and can be delivered in a variety of settings, including clinical, residential and community settings.

To qualify for the Bachelor of Science degree in therapeutic recreation, students must satisfy the core requirements as well as the major requirements for the degree. A minimum of 125 semester hours of course work is required to qualify for  graduation. The recreation professional core and the therapeutic recreation core consist of 58 semester hours. An additional 21 semester hours are required in the related core. Students with a major in therapeutic recreation must be advised by TR program advisors in order to enroll in TRC courses. To be admitted to the major, a student must complete the core curriculum requirements, have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 2.0 and successfully complete an interview. Students must earn a minimum grade of C or better in each professional course within the major and related core. Senior level courses may be taken only after admission to the major and advisor approval. The aquatics competency must be completed within four years prior to graduation, while the First Aid/CPR competency must be completed within two years prior to graduation.

Student Learning Outcomes

Graduates of this program will:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of and ability to apply fundamental recreation and leisure concepts for all people.
2. Have the ability to think critically, to solve problems, and to communicate effectively.
3. Demonstrate knowledge, skills and abilities essential for the delivery of therapeutic recreation services, as well as professional behavior, through practical application.