Therapeutic Recreation (Bachelor)

About this programme

Make a positive and purposeful difference in the lives of people living with physical, social and mental health challenges through a career in recreation therapy. As a recreation therapist, you’ll assess, plan, implement and evaluate individual and group leisure interventions that help children, adolescents, adults and seniors improve their overall health and well-being and live full, independent lives. The four-year Bachelor of Therapeutic Recreation program gives you the tools to assess, plan, implement and evaluate a wide range of leisure services for people with barriers to participating in leisure activities. Such services might include arts and crafts, dance, music, sports, games, aquatics and group outings. You’ll apply what you learn in the classroom through practicum placements and community projects, where you’ll work with real clients in a variety of health-care and social service settings. Recreation therapists work in the fields of gerontology, paedology, psychology, rehabilitation and more in a variety of settings, including hospitals, mental health centres, long-term care homes, rehabilitation centres and social-service settings. There are many job opportunities in the recreation therapy field, and the average annual salary in British Columbia (B.C.) is $61,794 , with positions in health care often paying higher than average. Surveys show that 83 percent of our Therapeutic Recreation degree graduates are working in the field after graduation. (Source: B.C. Student Outcomes ).