Dec 04, 2024

2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Recreation, Recreation Therapy Concentration, BS

Major Advisor: Susan Ross

The recreation degree program, founded in 1947 by the Department of Public Health and Recreation , has a core accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Park, Recreation, and Tourism Related Professions (COAPRT). The degree has maintained continuous accreditation since its first awarding of this status occurred in April 1987, demonstrating the rigor and recognition of our programs. The Bachelor’s degree in Recreation is a nationally accredited program comprised of a core set of classes and courses split generally between concentration courses and major electives. Graduates completing one of these concentrations are eligible to apply for national and state certification. While the general recreation degree is the most flexible in terms of choosing related electives, students may instead elect to complete a more specialized course of study in one of our two approved concentrations within the B.S. Recreation Degree: Recreation Management and Recreation Therapy. We also offer MS in Recreation, all of which are designed to meet increasing needs and demands for recreation professionals and administrators in our growing fields of practices in public, non-profit, and commercial sectors, not only locally and regionally, but also nationally and globally.

Recreation therapy is a systematic process of treatment services that utilize recreation and other activity-based interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions, as a means to improve psychological and physical health, recovery, and well-being. Graduates of recreation therapy work in a wide range of health services settings (i.e. veterans administration, mental health, addictions, physical medicine, rehabilitation, prison/corrections, pediatrics, municipal park and recreation, hospice, skilled nursing, adventure/therapeutic camps, and private practice).

Program Learning Outcomes

Summary of Degree Units

University Graduation Requirements	47
Major Preparation	16
Major Core Requirements	32
Concentration Requirements	22
University Electives	3
Total	120

Program Roadmaps

The 4-Year Roadmap is available online. Roadmaps should be used in consultation with the catalog and your advisor to identify additional requirements for completing the major (for example, course grade minimums). Associate Degrees (ADT) Pathways are also available online.

University Requirements

Students must satisfy all of the major and Undergraduate University Graduation Requirements , which includes unit, GPA, and residency requirements as well as the below identified General Education , American Institutions, Graduation Writing Assessment, and Physical Education requirements. Courses that meet Undergraduate University Graduation Requirements are noted with an area designation (see Course Note Abbreviations ).

Core Lower Division General Education (30 units)

Of the 39 units required by the university, 9 units may be satisfied by coursework outlined below. Courses that meet GE Areas A1, A2, A3, B4, or F must be passed with a “C-” or better to meet the requirement. Consult with a major advisor for details.

Upper Division General Education (9 units)

Of the 9 units required by the university, 0 units may be satisfied by coursework outlined below. Consult with major advisor for details.

American Institutions (6 units)

Complete one 6-unit sequence of American Institutions (US123) courses, which also satisfies GE Area D. Students may also satisfy the American Institutions Requirement with other courses, but these may not satisfy other GE areas.

The American Studies sequence (AMS 10 /AMS 11 ; 6 units) satisfies the American Institutions Requirement and additional GE Areas (see course descriptions for details).

Consult with a major advisor to select the appropriate sequence.

U.S. History and Government (6 units)

Complete One US1: US History Course

AMS 10 - Stories that Make America 3 unit(s) (C2+US1)
HIST 15 - Essentials of U.S. History 3 unit(s) (D+US1)
HIST 170S - Topics in American History: American Identities and Institutions 3 unit(s) (S+US1)

Complete One US23: US Constitution and California Government Course

AMS 11 - Visions of Democracy 3 unit(s) (D+US23)
POLS 15 - Essentials of U.S. & California Government 3 unit(s) (D+US23)
POLS 16 - Power and Ideas in American Politics 3 unit(s) (C2+US23)
POLS 170V - American Politics in Global Perspective 3 unit(s) (V+US23)

Physical Education (2 units)

All SJSU undergraduate students, regardless of major, have an opportunity to expand their knowledge and skills in physical activities. To accommodate students’ needs and interests, the university offers a diverse selection of activity courses .

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement

At SJSU, students must pass a Writing in the Disciplines (100W) course with a grade of C or better (C- not accepted) to meet graduation requirements. For this major, the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) is satisfied by a course in the major.

Major Preparation (16 units)

RECL 100W - Writing Workshop 3 unit(s) (WID)
PSYC 1 - Introduction to Psychology 3 unit(s) (D)
PSYC 110 - Adult Psychopathology 3 unit(s)

Complete One Course From:

PH 15 - Human Life Span 3 unit(s) (D)
PH 99 - Introduction to Public Health 3 unit(s)

Human Anatomy (4 units)

Complete one course:

BIOL 65 - Human Anatomy 4 unit(s) (B2B3)
BIOL 65O - Human Anatomy 4 unit(s) (B2B3)

Major Requirements (54 units)

Core Courses (32 units)

RECL 90 - Foundations of Recreation Parks & Tourism 3 unit(s)
RECL 110 - Leisure, Life and Contemporary Society 3 unit(s)
RECL 112 - Foundations of Recreation Therapy 3 unit(s)
RECL 132 - Recreation Program Planning 3 unit(s)
RECL 135 - Planning and Managing Rec Areas & Facil 3 unit(s)
RECL 136 - Principles of Recreation and Park Admin 3 unit(s)
RECL 160 - Evaluation and Research in Recreation 3 unit(s)
RECL 170A - Pre-Intern Workshop 1 unit(s)

Internship (10 units)