Recreational Therapy, BS

Total number of hours for the program: 120.

Declaration of a major in Recreational Therapy does not guarantee admission into the program. Students should begin as pre-majors (PREC), preferably in their freshman year. Students must formally apply and be admitted into the program before beginning the professional sequence of courses and/or proceeding into clinical placements. Students are expected to adhere not only to the technical and professional standards of the program but to the academic requirements below. For the most up-to-date information regarding these standards, program suspension, and termination refer to the Recreational Therapy website at rt.wcu.edu.

Applying for Admission

Students are encouraged to apply for the major during the fall of their sophomore year. Admission to the Bachelor of Science degree requires completion of the application for new majors. Please visit rt.wcu.edu for the latest application information.

Minimum GPA Requirement: 2.5

Students admitted to the program must earn a grade of C or better in each RTH course in the major and must maintain an overall GPA of 2.50 to remain in the program. Visit the rt.wcu.edu to view the eight-semester curriculum guide.

Liberal Studies Hours (42 hours)

Liberal Studies Program Requirements

Note:

Six hours of the prerequisites will also meet Liberal Studies requirements. One course in Biology (BIOL 291) will partially meet C5 Liberal Studies requirements, and PSY 150 will partially fulfill the P1 requirement. Students are strongly urged to choose LS courses carefully to avoid taking additional courses for those requirements.

Major Requirements

BIOL 291 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I Credits: 4
BIOL 292 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II Credits: 4
COUN 325 - Survey of Human Development Credits: 3
PSY 150 - General Psychology Credits: 3
PSY 470 - Abnormal Psychology Credits: 3
RTH 200 - Foundations of Recreational Therapy Credits: 3
RTH 252 - Client Assessment in Recreational Therapy Credits: 3
RTH 340 - Recreational Therapy for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Credits: 3
RTH 341 - Recreational Therapy for Intellectual Disabilities and Developmental Disabilities - Lab Credits: 1
RTH 350 - Recreational Therapy and People with Physical Disabilities Credits: 3
RTH 352 - Recreational Therapy Processes and Techniques Credits: 3
RTH 353 - Recreational Therapy for People with Physical Disabilities Lab Credits: 1
RTH 360 - Recreational Therapy Services for Older Adults Credits: 3
RTH 361 - Recreational Therapy for Older Adults - Lab Credits: 1
RTH 380 - Research & Evaluation in Recreational Therapy Credits: 3
RTH 395 - Recreational Therapy Professional Preparation Seminar I Credits: 2
RTH 405 - Recreational Therapy in Behavioral Health Credits: 3
RTH 406 - Recreational Therapy in Behavioral Health Lab Credits: 1
RTH 417 - Administration and Advancement of Recreation Therapy Services Credits: 3
RTH 484 - Recreational Therapy Clinical Internship Credits: 12
RTH 495 - Recreational Therapy Professional Preparation Seminar II Credits: 2
Credits / Units: 3
RTH 496 - Research & Evaluation Presentation Seminar Credits: 1

Students should select one course from the following:

HPE 235 - Motor Behavior Credits: 3
HPE 223 - Applied Kinesiology I - Anatomy, Physiology & Biomechanics Credits: 4
HPE 365 - Physical Activity and Aging Credits: 3

Students should select three courses from the following:

RTH 301 - Modality Skill: Leisure Education Credits: 1
RTH 302 - Modality Skill: Horticulture Credits: 1
RTH 303 - Modality Skill: Community Integration Credits: 1
RTH 304 - Modality Skills: Adventure-Based Recreational Therapy Credits: 1
RTH 305 - Modality Skills: Creative and Expressive Arts Credits: 1
RTH 306 - Modality Skills: HeartMath Credits: 1

Electives

General electives (3-10 hours) are required to complete the program. The range of electives is contingent on the student’s completion of PSY 150 (3 credits) and BIOL 291 (4 credits) within the Liberal Studies Program. If the student does not complete PSY 150 and BIOL 291 within Liberal Studies requirements, the student will have few electives available. Lists of guided electives are available in advising sessions to help the student meet their individual needs. To meet another universtiy requirement, students must take 25 percent of all courses at WCU and at the junior-senior level.