Recreation Therapy, A.A.S.
A.A.S. Degree—63 credit hours
Curriculum Code 1259
This program prepares students for a professional career in recreation therapy. Recreation Therapy professionals help people in community and clinical settings. Recreation therapists plan, and implement therapeutic-based treatment programs for people with disabilities, injuries, or illnesses. These therapists use a variety of modalities including arts and crafts, drama, music, dance, sports, aquatics and community outings to help maintain or improve a person's physical, social, cognitive, spiritual and emotional well-being. Graduates are eligible for employment in physical rehabilitation centers, medical rehabilitation centers, hospitals, long-term care, skilled care, adult day care, alcohol and drug treatment centers, special recreation associations, and mental health agencies. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics employment of recreational therapists is projected to grow 12 percent from 2014 to 2024, faster than the average of all occupations. As the large baby-boom generation ages, they will need recreational therapists to help treat age-related injuries and illnesses and to help them maintain a healthy, active lifestyle. Hospitals will provide a large number of recreation therapy jobs, with additional jobs provided by long-term rehabilitation and psychiatric hospitals. Continued growth is expected in community residential facilities, park districts and day care programs for people with disabilities.
Required General Education Courses
26 credit hours as follows:
(Note: Take MTH-120 or higher.)
A minimum level of competency in mathematics is required for graduation for all A.A.S. degrees. This minimum competency may be demonstrated in one of three ways:
- Placement into MTH-120 or higher; or
- Successful completion with a minimum grade of “C” or better in BUS-120, MTH-102, MTH-109, MTH-121, or MTH-133 or higher-level mathematics course for designated career programs; or
- An equivalent transfer course from another college with a minimum grade of “C”.
Select 3 credit hours from Humanities and Fine Arts:
ARB, ART, FRE, HUM, LIT, MUS, PHI, SPA, THE
Required Career Courses
27 credit hours as follows:
| REC-101 | Rec Therapy and Sport Management | 3 |
| REC-102 | Older Adult Recreation and Wellness | 3 |
| REC-180 | Perceptual Motor Development | 3 |
| REC-182 | Recreation for Special Populations | 3 |
| REC-201 | Applied Leadership Essentials | 3 |
| REC-205 | Professional Issues | 2 |
| THR-150 | Recreation Therapy Techniques I | 3 |
| THR-152 | Recreation Therapy Techniques II | 3 |
| THR-233 | Recreation Therapy Practicum | 3 |
| THR-237 | Recreation Therapy Seminar | 1 |
Electives - Select 10 credit hours from the following:
Electives to enhance skills identified to be important in the field.
| ADC-101 | Introduction to Addiction Counseling | 3 |
| CRJ-107 | Juvenile Delinquency & Procedures | 3 |
| MRT-110 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| PEH-160 | Fundamentals of Human Movement | 3 |
| PEH-170 | First Aid | 3 |
| PEH-171 | A Healthy Lifestyle and You | 3 |
| PEH-190 | Outdoor Recreation & Nature Study | 3 |
| PEH-___ | PEH-105, 107, 108, 120, or 140 | 1 |
Electives to ease transfer for those interested students.
Suggested Schedule
Semester 1 (15 credit hours)
| COM-101 | Composition I | 3 |
| PSY-101 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| REC-101 | Rec Therapy and Sport Management | 3 |
| THR-150 | Recreation Therapy Techniques I | 3 |
| ___-___ | Career Elective | 3 |
Semester 2 (16 credit hours)
| COM-102 | Composition II | 3 |
| REC-102 | Older Adult Recreation and Wellness | 3 |
| REC-180 | Perceptual Motor Development | 3 |
| SOC-101 | General Sociology | 3 |
| THR-152 | Recreation Therapy Techniques II | 3 |
| PEH-___ | PEH-105, 107, 108, 120, or 140 | 1 |
Semester 3 (15 credit hours)
| COM-103 | Speech Fundamentals | 3 |
| MTH-120 | General Education Mathematics | 3 |
| REC-182 | Recreation for Special Populations | 3 |
| REC-201 | Applied Leadership Essentials | 3 |
| ___-___ | Career Elective | 3 |
Semester 4 (17 credit hours)
| BIO-115 | Anatomy and Physiology | 5 |
| REC-205 | Professional Issues | 2 |
| THR-233 | Recreation Therapy Practicum | 3 |
| THR-237 | Recreation Therapy Seminar | 1 |
| ___-___ | Humanities and Fine Arts Elective | 3 |
| ___-___ | Career Elective | 3 |