What is Community and Therapeutic Recreation?

The Department of Community and Therapeutic Recreation, accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions since 1981, prepares students for promoting individual and community growth, wellbeing, and quality of life through recreation services. Concentrations are available in Recreational Therapy (RT), Community Recreation (CR), or Event Planning (EP). 

With a bachelor’s degree, Recreational Therapy students are eligible to become North Carolina Licensed Recreational Therapists (LRT) and Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRS) working in a variety of settings including hospitals, behavioral health centers, veteran services, and senior living communities.

Community Recreation students are employed as Government and Nonprofit Recreation Coordinators and Directors, Athletic Directors, Youth Development Specialists, Camp Directors, and Campus Recreation Managers. With a bachelor’s degree, graduates can become a Certified Parks and Recreation Professional (CPRP). 

Event planning students develop careers as Meeting, Wedding, and Event Planners as self-employed entrepreneurs, or in for-profit and nonprofit organizations. 

CTR offers significant hands-on learning and fieldwork experience including over 600 practicum, internship, and project hours with our many local and national partners such as City of Greensboro, Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Hospital, Disney, National Park Service, and Boys & Girls Clubs.

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