University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

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UWM Undergraduate Catalog 2009-2010


College of Health Sciences


Therapeutic Recreation


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    Please note: Effective September, 2003, no new students will be accepted to the undergraduate degree program in Therapeutic Recreation. For additional information about other options to explore therapeutic recreation at UWM, please contact the TR Program coordinator, Patricia Thomas, Enderis 935, at (414) 229-2507.

    Therapeutic Recreation (TR) is the provision of treatment services and recreation services to persons with illnesses or disabling conditions. The primary purposes of treatment services (also called recreation therapy) are to restore, remediate or rehabilitate in order to improve functioning and independence. The primary purpose of recreation services is to provide recreation and leisure resources and opportunities to assist in the improvement of health and well-being, and, ultimately, enhancing quality of life.

    Therapeutic Recreation Specialists may work in hospitals, residential care, long-term care, schools, and a variety of community settings. Individuals served include people with mental, physical, or emotional disabilities. A variety of recreation/leisure activities are employed as tools to help the individuals served to reach independence and a high quality of life.

    Course of Study. The undergraduate Therapeutic Recreation program located in the Department of Occupational Therapy is a four-year curriculum leading to a Bachelor of Science degree in therapeutic recreation. The program consists of pre-professional study (freshman and sophomore years) and professional study (junior and senior years) leading to the completion of 128 credits including general education, support courses, and professional courses. The current TR program helps to prepare the student to be eligible for the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification examination.

    Curriculum for the Therapeutic Recreation Major

    Note: At the date of this publication, courses may have changed. Please contact the College of Health Sciences Advising Office for additional information.

    Biological Sciences Cr.
    Bio Sci 202 Anatomy and Physiology I 4
    Bio Sci 203 Anatomy and Physiology II 4
    Communication  
    Commun 103 Public Speaking 3
    Health Care Administration  
    HCA 203 Human Life Cycle 3
    HCA 222 Language of Medicine 3
    HCA 224 Introduction to Microcomputers for Allied Health Professions 3
    Human Movement Sciences  
    HMS 101 Introduction to Leisure 3
    HMS 230 Health Aspects of Exercise and Nutrition 3
    HMS 270 Statistics in Health Professions: Theory and Practice 3
    HMS 320 Biomechanics 3
    HMS 461 Principles of Motor Learning 3

    Mathematics

    Math 105 Intermediate Algebra

    or  

    Math 106 or 175 (or equivalent)

    3
    Occupational Therapy

    OccThpy 260 Enhancing Health Through Activity, Occupation, and Technology I

    3
    or  

    OccThpy 245 Client Diversity in Health Sciences: An Interdisciplinary Perspective

    3
    or    
    OccThpy 280 Applied Human Anatomy for Health Professionals 3
    OccThpy 315 Group Process in Rehabilitation 3
    OccThpy 321 Administration of Rehabilitation Programs 3
    or

    15

    OccThpy 323 Program Management in Rehabilitation

    2
    Psychology

    Psych 101 Introduction to Psychology

    3
    Psych 205 Personality

    3
    Psych 412 Psychopathology 3
    Sociology    
    Sociol 101 Introduction to Sociology 3
    Therapeutic Recreation
    TherRec 101 Introduction to Therapeutic Recreation 3
    TherRec 102 Field Experience in Therapeutic Recreation 2
    TherRec 110 New Games 1
    TherRec 200 Psychosocial Aspects of Leisure 3  
    TherRec 201 Facilitation Techniques in Therapeutic Recreation 4
    TherRec 300 Therapeutic Recreation Assessment and Documentation 4
    TherRec 301 Program Development and Evaluation in Therapeutic Recreation 3
    TherRec 302 Leisure Education in Therapeutic Recreation 3
    TherRec 303 Inclusive and Special Recreation 3
    TherRec 308 Therapeutic Recreation in Physical Rehabilitation and Behavioral Health 4
    TherRec 309 Therapeutic Recreation in Pediatrics and Gerontology 4
    TherRec 400 Therapeutic Recreation Trends 3
    TherRec 401 Therapeutic Recreation Internship and Seminar 12

    Electives

    9 credits are available during the pre-professional and professional semesters. The elective credits should be distributed as follows:  
    Fine Arts Electives 3
    Free Electives   6

    *Students must earn a minimum grade of B in all TherRec pre-professional courses for
    admission to Professional Study (junior-senior levels).

    Students must obtain a cumulative GPA of 2.75 in the junior and senior TherRec courses
    to be eligible for internship.

    The Therapeutic Recreation degree program requires 128 credits to graduate with a bachelor's degree in Therapeutic Recreation. Students are required to take responsibility to complete all required courses, GER requirements and elective credits.

    Admission. Admission to the pre-professional and professional programs has been suspended effective Fall, 2003. Contact the Therapeutic Recreation Program coordinator with questions.

    Acceptance into Professional Study. The following requirements must be met before beginning the professional course of study:

    1. Completion of 58 credits, including all courses in the pre-professional therapeutic recreation program.

    2. 2.5 cumulative GPA.

    3. B or better in all TherRec pre-professional courses.

    4. Completion of English composition and mathematics requirement of General Education Requirements.

    5. Prior to the start of the professional training, students will be required to comply with a background check.

    6. It is strongly recommended that students maintain health insurance during the professional training experience.

    Maintaining Professional Study Status. The following requirements must be met to continue the professional course of study.

    1. Maintain 2.5 cumulative GPA.

    2. Attain a 2.75 GPA each semester.

    Admission to Internship. The following requirements must be met before enrolling in TherRec 401, Therapeutic Recreation Internship and Seminar:

    1. Completion of all other curriculum requirements.

    2. 2.75 in all professional-level courses.

    3. Verification of 320 hours of post-high school paid or volunteer work experience in the therapeutic recreation field.

    4. It is also recommended that students maintain professional liability insurance throughout the internship period.

    Students should be aware that the Therapeutic Recreation Internship and Seminar course requires full-time (40 hours per week) commitment for 16 weeks.

    Graduation Requirements. Graduation requirements include the following:

    1. Completion of the required 128 degree credits.

    2. GPA of 2.75 in TherRec courses, including Therapeutic Recreation Internship and Seminar.

    Certificate in Therapeutic Recreation

    According to the US Department of Labor, "The rapidly growing number of older adults is expected to spur job growth for recreational therapy professionals and paraprofessionals in assisted-living facilities, adult daycare programs, and other social assistance agencies. Continued growth also is expected in community residential care facilities, as well as daycare programs for individuals with disabilities." Given the projected need for recreation specialists, the College of Health Sciences at UWM has created a certificate program in Therapeutic Recreation (TR) available to a broad range of individuals, including students and TR and other human service professionals in the community. In addition, individuals who are certified with the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) may wish to complete certificate coursework to comply with continuing education requirements.

    The certificate focuses on the development of knowledge and acquisition of skills and abilities in the areas of health and TR. In preparation for the nationally recognized certification examination, coursework covers topic areas included in the NCTRC Job Analysis categories. Courses present the concepts of health, wellness, disease and illness in relation to quality of life for individuals with disabilities. Specific skill development in the areas of assessment and facilitation techniques is also taught and complemented with an ongoing focus on emerging issues in the field of therapeutic recreation. 

    Five courses are required to successfully complete a Certificate in Therapeutic Recreation. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 must be maintained on all the required coursework.

    TR Certificate Coursework   

    TherRec 390 Topics in TR: Recreation as a Therapeutic Intervention 3
    TherRec 300 Therapeutic Recreation Assessment and Documentation     4
    *TherRec 308 Therapeutic Recreation in Physical Rehabilitation and Behavioral Health 4
    *TherRec 310 Facilitation Techniques in Therapeutic Recreation 4
    *TherRec 400 Therapeutic Recreation  Trends 3
    Total   18

    Related Programs and Degrees

    Students interested in pursuing a career in Therapeutic Recreation  may wish to examine one of the following degree programs at UWM:

    Bachelor of Art
    Psychology
    Sociology

    Bachelor of Science
    Biological Sciences  
    Nursing
    Social Work

    Bachelor of Science
    Occupational Studies

    Note:

    1. Recommended sequence of coursework completion is listed above.

    2. Asterisked (*) courses are taught  only online. There may be an additional course fee for the online courses.

    3. Completion of this certificate program allows the individual to meet one portion of the academic coursework required for the credential as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist with NCTRC. Additional requirements are needed to fully qualify for the credential.

    4. Students interested in obtaining NCTRC certification are encouraged to visit the NCTRC website at www.nctrc.org

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