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 M.S. 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).
Summary of Degree Units
| University Graduation Requirements |
44 |
| Major Preparation |
16 |
| Major Core Requirements |
32 |
| Concentration Requirements |
22 |
| University Electives |
6 |
| Total |
120 |
University Requirements for Graduation
Students must complete all residency, curriculum, unit, and GPA requirements as outlined in the Undergraduate Graduation Requirements section of the Policies and Procedures .
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.
General Education/American Institution Requirements
Courses that meet General Education/American Institution requirements are noted with area designation for required area. For legend please see General Education Attributes .
