Recreational Therapy Concentration, B.S.

Overview

Our Recreational Therapy B.S. program prepares students for national certification and licensure in North Carolina. Students learn to assess client needs, create treatment plans, and track progress.

The program includes service-learning for hands-on experience while helping the local community. Graduates work as licensed recreational therapists in various settings like rehab hospitals, mental health centers, and assisted living. This degree also provides a pathway to graduate studies in Occupational Therapy.

THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

• RT students take courses such as assessment, clinical procedures, facilitation techniques, abnormal psychology, human development, anatomy/physiology, helping skills, and medical terminology. RT students also can minor in areas such as human development, gerontology, psychology, or sign language.
• In the Accelerated Master’s Program (AMP), students have the opportunity to graduate with a Bachelor of Science AND Master of Science degree, within a five-year time period.
• Students wishing to pursue a master’s in occupational therapy (OT) who are majoring in the RT concentration are advised to take the required prerequisite courses for application to OT programs in North Carolina.
• Students are required to complete a semester-long fieldwork practicum and a semester-long internship, totaling over 600 hours of extensive experience in the field prior to graduation.
• Undergraduate research assistantships are available to support students as they gain valuable research experience by working with faculty members.
• Curriculum provides classes in Facilitation Techniques, Clinical Procedures, Assessments, Program Planning, Serving Underrepresented Populations, Management in Parks & Recreation, and Financing and Budgeting.
• Students consistently earn scholarships and awards from state and national professional associations.
• Service-learning and volunteer opportunities offer hands-on practical experience in a myriad of professional and community settings.
• UNCG/RT’s “Celebrate the Trail to Recovery” program, facilitated by members of the department, offers opportunities for cancer patients to get out on the hiking trail systems of the greater Greensboro area to embrace the restorative properties of nature and build new relationships on the trail to recovery.
• CTR students and the community have access to a 1,000 square feet RT Lab for training and research.

Students pursuing careers in Recreational Therapy must understand state licensing laws and national certification requirements. The Department of CTR prepares students to earn a four-year BS degree and meet eligibility to pass the national certifying exam (www.nctrc.org) and become licensed Recreational Therapists (www.ncbrtl.org). The program equips students with both the academic training and exam readiness needed for success. As a result, students are well-prepared to enter the workforce as qualified, licensed professionals in North Carolina and other states where licensing and certification are required.

Undergraduate Minors

• Community Recreation
• Community and Recreational Therapy
• Event Planning
• Recreational Therapy

AFTER GRADUATION

CTR graduates in Recreational Therapy have secured jobs in:

• Recreation Therapy in Memory Care
• Pediatric Care
• Rehabilitation
• Adapted Sports
• Long Term Care
• Veterans Administration
• Behavioral Health
• Forensic Mental Health Services

Alexandra Arpajian – CTR Alumna

“Incorporating client’s interests, and the client’s family and community makes the therapy process meaningful and relevant. Recreational therapists weave the concept of healthy living into treatment to enhance independence and successful involvement in all aspects of life” (ATRA, 2020)

“The unique feature of RT that makes it different from other therapies is the use of recreational modalities in the designed intervention strategies. RT is extremely individualized to each person by his or her past, present and future interests and lifestyle.”