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Recreational Therapy, also known as Therapeutic Recreation, is a health profession that uses recreation and leisure based interventions to improve the physical, social, cognitive, and emotional functioning of individuals with disabilities. It is a profession where you can enhance independent living skills and overall quality of life of people through leisure and recreation based treatment and activities.

The Florida International University Recreational Therapy Program provides a nationally recognized curriculum designed "To prepare competent entry-level recreational therapists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains." Students are prepared to work in a variety of human service settings, including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing facilities, veterans’ services, community parks, recreation centers, mental health facilities, correctional facilities and private practice, among others. Students learn from faculty members who are all nationally certified and recreational therapists with many years of experience.

The BS/MS Combined Degree in Recreation and Sport Management: Recreational Therapy Track (RT 4+1) prepares students to be eligible for certification as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTSR) and work as a recreational therapist after the bachelor’s degree and also be able to complete a master’s degree online in one year after the BS. Having a master’s degree in the field will allow students to be more competitive for RT jobs and likely offer more potential for upward mobility at an agency to become an administrator or manager in the future.

Pre-Recreational Therapy Track

To qualify for admission into the program, students must meet all published admission requirements which include: program prerequisites, General Education/Gordon Rule, GPA = 2.0. *The RT 4+1 track requires a 3.2 overall GPA.

Pre-Recreational Therapy Track Prerequisites

• DEP 2000 Human Growth and Development
• ZOO3731/L Human Anatomy OR PET 3325c Anatomy for Exercise and Sport Sciences
• HSC 3549 OR PCB2099 OR APK3110 Physiology

Combined BSMS in Recreational Therapy (4+1 program)

1. Current enrollment in the Bachelor’s degree program in Recreation and Sports Management, Pre-Recreational Therapy/Adaptive Recreation Track.

2. Completed 75-90 credits of coursework in Pre-Recreational Therapy.

3. Current GPA of 3.2 or higher.

4. Completed LEI 3703 with a grade of "C" or higher.

5. International graduate student applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A total score of 80 on the iBT TOEFL or 6.5 on the IELTS is required.

Recreational Therapy Track:

• Recreational Therapist in Geriatrics
• Recreational Therapists in Community Settings
• Recreational Therapists in Mental Health
• Recreational Therapists in Hospitals

Pre-Recreational Therapy Track:

• Inclusive Recreation Services
• Adaptive Sports Services
• Activities Assistant in long-term care
• Adult Day Training Services

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Source and more information: https:/www.bls.govoes/current/oes291125.htm#st

Tania Santiago Perez
ZEB 336-A
305-348-3905
tsantiag@fiu.edu
http:///rt.fiu.edu/