Recreational Therapy BS

Do you have an interest in working with people who have a disability, are recovering from a serious illness or accident, or are struggling with mental health issues? Do you have a calling that is urging you to reach out to those who are dealing with physical, social, emotional, or cognitive challenges to help them reach a better quality of life?

Students studying recreational therapy learn the skills needed to work with people in allied health-care settings such as hospitals, psychiatric clinics, long-term care facilities, rehabilitation clinics, substance abuse centers, and similar settings. You might work with returning injured service-members, seniors, children, adolescents, and individuals from all walks of life. The BS degree in recreational therapy at ECU has a strong clinical focus, which means that graduates will work side-by-side with physicians, occupational and physical therapists, nurses, and other members of an individual's treatment team wherever they work. The goal is always to help the patient/client achieve the highest level of functioning possible so as to experience life to the fullest. ECU recreational therapy students learn in the classroom, through practicum experiences, and they spend 15 weeks in a full-time internship where they learn to work with a variety of clientele in various settings. Upon graduation, students are eligible to sit for the national certification exam and become credentialed to work in the field. In North Carolina, both national certification and state licensure are required to practice recreational therapy.

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