Therapeutic Recreation
Degree Options
Bachelor's, Master's, & Ph.D. Offered
The Therapeutic Recreation Department currently offers three degree programs that students can pursue. The curriculum in all degree programs reflect an emphasis on health promotion and rehabilitation through play, recreation, and leisure. Degree options are:
Bachelor of Science in Therapeutic Recreation
Masters of Education in Therapeutic Recreation
FAQ Master's Degree (EdM) Program
Doctor of Philosophy in Health Studies
Bachelor of Science Degree
Prepares students to pass the NCTRC exam
The BS degree in Therapeutic Recreation is designed to exceed certification requirements mandated by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC). The undergraduate curriculum is a combination of University CORE courses which requires 33 - 40 semester hours, Therapeutic Recreation departmental requirements, elective and required TR cognate courses, internship experiences, and required external coursework in other departments.
The University CORE Courses required are as follows:
Composition (3 sh)
Intellectual Heritage (3-6 sh)
American Culture (3 sh)
The Arts (3 sh)
Individual and Society (3 sh)
Quantitative Logic (6 sh)
Science and Technology (6-8 sh)
Foreign Language/International Studies (3-6 sh)
Writing Intensive (9)
Departmental Requirements:
Contemporary Aspects of Disability
Professional Seminar
Research and Evaluation
Teaching Health Promotion through Leisure Education
Health Psychology and Human Behavior
Adapted Sport and Leisure Services
Foundations of Professional TR Practice
TR Assessment and Documentation
Clinical Procedures in TR
Modalities in TR Practice
TR Administration
Cognate Electives:
TR and Physical Disabilities
TR and Mental Health
TR and Developmental Disabilities
Collaborative Studies in Assistive Technology
TR and Long Term Care
TR & Pediatric HealthCare
Leisure & Aging
Adventure Programming
Internships
Internship I
Internship II
External Requirements
Psychology as a Social Science
Anatomy and Physiology
Psychopathology
Developmental Psychology or Life Span Human Development
Masters of Education in Therapeutic Recreation
Uses conceptual model of health promotion and rehabilitation
The 33**semester-hour master's program in Therapeutic Recreation is designed for individuals who want to advance their knowledge and understanding of therapeutic recreation as a part of health care and human services. The program is intended to be flexible enough to accommodate those who are entering the therapeutic recreation profession as well as those with academic and professional experience in the field. The curriculum teaches from a conceptual model of health promotion, rehabilitation, and disease prevention. Students have an opportunity to understand therapeutic recreation's role and potential contribution to health care delivery systems that have expanded beyond a primarily medical model orientation to include health promotion and wellness models of service delivery. Based on academic and professional goals, graduate students develop an area of concentration with guidance from a faculty advisor (gerontology, counseling, and disability studies).
Students who do not have an academic or clinical background in therapeutic recreation may use the master’s program to meet the academic sitting requirements for the national credentialing examination used by the National Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC); however, additional undergraduate leveling coursework will be required. As an exit requirement, all Ed.M. students must successfully pass a comprehensive examination upon completion of their program requirements.
** 33sh represents graduate coursework only. Students who do not have an undergraduate degree in Therapeutic Recreation will be required to take undergraduate leveling courses in this department.
Admission Requirements
For admission to the Ed.M. program, a student must: (1) have earned an undergraduate degree (3.0 overall GPA; lower GPA may be offset by standardized test scores at or above the 65th percentile); (2) have acceptable scores on either the Miller Analogies Test or the Graduate Record Examination verbal and quantitative tests; (3) provide three professional/academic letters of recommendation; (4) submit a resume; and (5) submit a written professional goal statement (500-1000 words) that highlights academic and career goals. This statement should also reflect your knowledge of the TR discipline and how a graduate degree in Therapeutic Recreation will contribute to the achievement of your career goals. The admissions committee recommends one or more personal interviews. Admission is based on review of all components of the application. Ed.M. application deadlines are June 15th for Fall semester admission and November 1st for Spring semester admission.
Required TR Core Courses (15 sh)
TR 8171 (511) TR Administration (Fall)
TR 8150 (574) Seminar in Disabilities I (Fall)
TR 8141 (563) Conceptual & Contemporary Issues in TR (Fall)
TR 9143 (521) Leisure, Health, and Well-Being
TR 8188 (566) Fieldwork/Internship *
*Note: In consultation with an Advisor, students who are currently certified by NCTRC may do an advanced practicum or will complete an additional course by advisement.
Cognate Courses (12 sh)
In consultation with a faculty advisor, students develop an academic plan of courses based on a specific area of concentration or "cognate". These courses are located within and outside the TR department. Generally, cognate courses include:
TR 8160 (575) Seminar in Disabilities II (Spring)
TR 8142 (570) Clinical Programming (Spring)
2 Electives in cognate area
Required External (6 sh)
Ed 5101 (500) Research Design (or equivalent)
Ed 5325 (525) Introduction to Statistical Research (or equivalent)
Possible Leveling Courses
Students lacking a background in TR, or those planning to sit for the NCTRC Certification examination may be required to take the following (determined in consultation with advisor):
TR 3101 (331) TR Assessment & Documentation
Kin 1223 (100) Anatomy & Physiology
PSY 2201 (220) Psychopathology
Ed 1322 (122) Development Across the Lifespan
TR Graduate Students
Recent Masters Degree Graduates
Doctor of Philosophy in Health Studies
TBA
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