The goal of the Therapeutic Recreation concentration is to prepare students to serve as competent practitioners in the role of a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. This concentration is nationally accredited by the Council of Accreditation and the National Recreation and Park Association  (N.R.P.A).

Students in this program develop skills necessary to work with an individuals with special needs in variety of health care settings. We are fortunate to offer 8 courses unique to therapeutic recreation practice. Samples of these content courses include:

• Recreation and Diverse Populations
• Therapeutic Recreation: Emotional Impairments
• Therapeutic Recreation: Physical Disabilities
• Therapeutic Recreation: Gerontology
• Therapeutic Recreation: Developmental Disabilities
• Therapeutic Recreation: Alcohol and Drugs
• Therapeutic Recreation: Programming
• Therapeutic Recreation: Issues and Trends

Within the majority of our classes you will receive instruction of individual assessment practices, treatment planning, program and intervention implementation, evaluation of progress and other clinical skills.

In addition to our structured content courses, a strong emphasis is place on practical training via volunteer placements and our internship program. Once your coursework is complete, students will complete a full-time clinical internship under a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist. Upon completion of the coursework and internship, the student is eligible to sit for the national certifying examination administered through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation certification.

Students are encouraged to meet with an advisor early in their academic career to assist I academic planning and assure pre-professional training experiences.

Degree Requirements

Requirements for a degree in RPL's Therapeutic Recreation concentration may differ depending on the year you enroll with our program. To get the latest requirements, please visit CMU's online academic bulletin. The online academic bulletin allows for full customization of your program, and includes the most current course descriptions.

CMU Online Academic Bulletin - https://bulletins.cmich.edu/

You will find that the therapeutic recreation program at Central Michigan University offers many opportunities for practical experience to support your classroom education. These opportunities include numerous volunteer experiences as well as an extensive professional internship affiliation under the direction of a nationally certified therapeutic recreation specialist.

Student Advising

Our department has designated faculty to assist you with your Therapeutic Recreation degree.

Therapeutic Recreation advisors : Robert Frost or Mary Lou Schilling