Betsy Kennedy, Undergraduate Program Director
2132 Health Sciences Building
(757) 683-4703, bkennedy@odu.edu
This program is designed to prepare students for entry-level careers in recreational therapy. A recreational therapist is a health care professional who uses activity-based interventions to support individuals with illness and disability to achieve their highest level of independence, wellness, and quality of life. The recreational therapy curriculum includes community-engaged learning activities in many courses to expose students to a wide variety of disability groups in various health and human service settings. Upon graduation students will be eligible to sit for the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) national certification exam.
A minimum of 120 credit hours, which must include both a minimum of 30 credit hours overall and 12 credit hours in upper-level courses in the major program from Old Dominion University, is required for the Recreational Therapy major.
National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) is the credentialing organization for the profession of Therapeutic Recreation. https://www.nctrc.org
American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) is the national professional organization representing the interests and needs of recreational therapists. https://www.atra-online.com
* The recreational therapy curriculum includes prerequisite coursework required for admission into ODU's Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program. Completing the recreational therapy program does not guarantee admission into the OTD program.
Admission into the Recreational Therapy Major
To officially declare a major in Recreational Therapy, requirements are as follows:
- Students must have an overall grade point average of 2.00.
- Students must have completed the following courses: ENGL 110C (C or higher), PSYC 203S, BIOL 240 or BIOL 250, BIOL 241 or BIOL 251, and RT 261 (C- or higher).
- Students who have met all Recreational Therapy major admission requirements will be referred by their advisor in the Health Sciences Advising Center to the Recreational Therapy Undergraduate Program Director for major declaration and assignment to a faculty advisor.
- Students must pass a background check.
- Students must be admitted to the Recreational Therapy major before enrolling in RT 300- or 400- level required courses.
- Students must comply with all policies and procedures outlined in the Recreational Therapy Student Handbook.
For additional information on the curriculum or major declaration requirements, please contact: Program Director (bkennedy@odu.edu) or the College of Health Sciences Advising Center (hsadvising@odu.edu).
Continuance and Readmission Policy
In addition to Old Dominion University's continuance policies, the following policies are specific to all declared Recreational Therapy majors in the BSHS degree. All continuance policies for the Recreational Therapy major can be found in detail in the Recreational Therapy Student Handbook.
1. A cumulative grade point average of 2.00 or better is required to continue in the major.
2. Students placed on academic suspension by the University will not be considered in good academic standing and will be dismissed from the major. At the request of the student, their status may be changed to an intended major.
3. Students may apply for readmission to the major once they have completed the academic suspension period, have been readmitted to the University, and have met all the entrance to major requirements.
4. Students may be readmitted to the BSHS Recreational Therapy major only once.
5. A student who leaves the major and is readmitted may be required to take additional course work prior to or concurrent with readmission.
Senior Internship
The senior internship, RT 468 is a capstone course and requires a 560-hour and 14-week internship experience at an approved health and human service agency practicing recreational therapy. Students will apply academic learning and will demonstrate competencies associated with entry-level practice in recreational therapy. The student’s academic and agency direct supervisors must be Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRS). The senior internship is a planned, supervised, and evaluated culminating experience for students. The senior internship must adhere to all NCTRC internship standards for national certification. All coursework must be completed prior to a student beginning the senior internship experience.
Requirements for Graduation
Requirements for graduation include the following:
- Minimum of 120 credit hours.
- Minimum of 30 credit hours overall and 12 credit hours of upper-level courses in the major program from Old Dominion University.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken toward the major.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken toward a minor.
- Completion of ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C, and the writing intensive (W) course in the major with a grade of C or better. The W course must be taken at Old Dominion University.
- Completion of Senior Assessment.
Requirements
Lower-Division General Education
Course List Code | Title | Credit Hours |
| 6 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 0-6 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 3 |
| 8 |
| 3 |
Written Communication Skills: Grade of C or better required in both courses.
Human Behavior: PSYC 201S is required with a C or better.
Lower-division general education requirements met in the major:
- Mathematics: STAT 130M is a core requirement and met in the major, with a required grade of C- or better.
- Impact of Technology: HLSC 485 is met in the major, with a required grade of C- or better
Lower-division general education requirements preferred courses:
- Information Literacy and Research: HLTH 120G is preferred
- Philosophy and Ethics: PHIL 345E is preferred
Upper-Division General Education
- Option A: Disciplinary Minor (a minimum of 12 hours determined by the department) or Second Major or Second Degree
- Option B: Interdisciplinary Minor (specifically 12 hours, 3 of which may be in the major)
- Option C: An approved Certification Program such as teaching licensure
- Option D: Six hours of elective upper-division courses from outside the College of Health Sciences and not required by the student's major.
Requirements for Graduation
Requirements for graduation include the following:
- Minimum of 120 credit hours.
- Minimum of 30 credit hours overall and 12 credit hours of upper-level courses in the major program from Old Dominion University.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken toward the major.
- Minimum overall cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) in all courses taken toward a minor.
- Completion of ENGL 110C, ENGL 211C or ENGL 231C, and the writing intensive (W) course in the major with a grade of C or better. The W course must be taken at Old Dominion University.
- Completion of Senior Assessment.
Recreational Therapy Prerequisite Courses
Course List
Code |
Title |
Credit Hours |
BIOL 240 | Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
or BIOL 250 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I |
BIOL 241 | Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
or BIOL 251 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II |
PSYC 203S | Lifespan Development | 3 |
RT 261 | Foundations of Recreational Therapy Practice ** | 3 |
Total Credit Hours | 14 |
Recreational Therapy Major
Course List
Code |
Title |
Credit Hours |
| 35-41 |
| 6 |
| 14 |
HLSC 320 | Health Equity and Disability Culture ** | 3 |
HMSV 339 | Interpersonal Relations ** | 3 |
or HLSC 335 | Population Health |
HLSC 390 | The U.S. Healthcare Delivery System ** | 3 |
HLSC 485 | Health Informatics ** | 3 |
RT 468 | Senior Internship * | 12 |
STAT 130M | Elementary Statistics ** | 3 |
RT 210 | Leisure, Health, and Wellness ** | 3 |
RT 290 | Professional Preparation in Recreational Therapy ** | 3 |
RT 366 | Internship Preparation ** | 1 |
RT 420 | Intervention Techniques in Recreational Therapy ** | 4 |
RT 430 | Assessment, Documentation, and Evaluation in Recreational Therapy ** | 3 |
RT 450 | Diagnostic Groups in Recreational Therapy ** | 3 |
RT 460 | Administration of Recreational Therapy Services ** | 3 |
RT 470 | Recreational Therapy Program Design and Implementation ** | 3 |
RT 480W | Evidence-Based Practice and Trends in Recreational Therapy * | 3 |
NMED 300 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
PSYC 405 | Psychopathology | 3 |
| Sign Language and Deaf Culture I | |
| The Psychology of Adulthood and Aging | |
| Junior Internship ** | |
Total Credit Hours | 120-126 |
Electives
Additional elective credit may be needed to meet the minimum of 120 credit hours required for the degree.
Degree Program Guide
The Degree Program Guide is a suggested curriculum to complete this degree program in four years. It is just one of several plans that will work and is presented only as broad guidance to students. Each student is strongly encouraged to develop a customized plan in consultation with their academic advisor. Additional information can also be found in Degree Works.
Plan of Study Grid
Freshman |
Fall |
ENGL 110C |
English Composition * |
3 |
|
3 |
|
3 |
|
4 |
| Credit Hours | 13 |
Spring |
ENGL 211C
|
Writing, Rhetoric, and Research *
or Writing, Rhetoric, and Research: Special Topics |
3 |
STAT 130M |
Elementary Statistics ** |
3 |
RT 261 |
Foundations of Recreational Therapy Practice ** |
3 |
|
4 |
|
3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 |
Summer |
|
0-3 |
| Credit Hours | 0-3 |
Sophomore |
Fall |
|
3 |
BIOL 240
|
Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology I
or Human Anatomy and Physiology I |
4 |
HLSC 320 |
Health Equity and Disability Culture ** |
3 |
PSYC 203S |
Lifespan Development |
3 |
RT 290 |
Professional Preparation in Recreational Therapy ** |
3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 |
Spring |
HLTH 120G |
Information Literacy for Health Professions () |
3 |
BIOL 241
|
Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology II
or Human Anatomy and Physiology II |
4 |
PSYC 201S |
Introduction to Psychology * |
3 |
PHIL 345E |
Bioethics () |
3 |
RT 210 |
Leisure, Health, and Wellness ** |
3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 |
Summer |
|
0-3 |
| Credit Hours | 0-3 |
Junior |
Fall |
HMSV 339
|
Interpersonal Relations **
or Population Health |
3 |
NMED 300 |
Medical Terminology |
3 |
PSYC 405 |
Psychopathology |
3 |
RT 420 |
Intervention Techniques in Recreational Therapy ** |
4 |
|
3 |
| Credit Hours | 16 |
Spring |
HLSC 390 |
The U.S. Healthcare Delivery System ** |
3 |
RT 430 |
Assessment, Documentation, and Evaluation in Recreational Therapy ** |
3 |
RT 450 |
Diagnostic Groups in Recreational Therapy ** |
3 |
RT 460 |
Administration of Recreational Therapy Services ** |
3 |
|
3 |
| Credit Hours | 15 |
Summer |
RT 368 |
Junior Internship () ** |
3 |
| Credit Hours | 3 |
Senior |
Fall |
HLSC 485 |
Health Informatics ** |
3 |
RT 366 |
Internship Preparation ** |
1 |
RT 470 |
Recreational Therapy Program Design and Implementation ** |
3 |
RT 480W |
Evidence-Based Practice and Trends in Recreational Therapy * |
3 |
CSD 465
|
Sign Language and Deaf Culture I ()
or The Psychology of Adulthood and Aging |
3 |
| Credit Hours | 13 |
Spring |
RT 468 |
Senior Internship * |
12 |
| Credit Hours | 12 |
| Total Credit Hours | 120-126 |