Recreational Therapy

The Recreational Therapy program prepares students to work as professionals in the field of Therapeutic Recreation/Recreational Therapy. Students in the SRU Recreational Therapy program will have an opportunity to:

work with a variety of clinical populations,
engage in experiential learning,
and study evidence-based research in the field of therapeutic recreation.

Recreational therapists work in a variety of settings, including long term care, addictions treatment, physical rehabilitation, behavioral health, serving at-risk youth, and with people with developmental disabilities.

The Recreational Therapy degree program is designed to prepare competent entry-level recreational therapists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. Successful completion of Recreational Therapy coursework and a 14 week internship results in student eligibility for the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) examination and entry-level employment in the Therapeutic Recreation profession.

The Recreational Therapy program is accredited by Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) and Committee on the Accreditation of Recreational Therapy Education (CARTE). You can learn more about the profession of Therapeutic Recreation at the American Therapeutic Recreation Association's website.

Commission on Accreditation of Recreational Therapy Education (CARTE)
c/o Tim Passmore, Ed.D., CTRS/L, FDRT, Chair
https://caahep-public-site-5be3d9.webflow.io/committees-on-accreditation/recreational-therapy
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
Phone: 405.744.1811
Email: cartecoa@gmail.com

Stay connected with Recreational Therapy by joining the RT Facebook group or by checking out our Instagram!

CARTE Program Outcome Results

NCTRC exam result: For the NCTRC exam results for the testing period 2023-2024 (all candidates), 42 students took the examination and the pass rate was above the national average. The SRU pass rate was 85.7% and the national pass rate was 79.6%.

Clinical Performance Appraisal Summary Result: In 2025, of the 24 students who completed the internship, 100% of the students were rated at above or achieves expectations for their overall clinical instructors' performance rating, 100% of the students were rated at intermediate or advanced in their ability to implement treatment, and 100% of students were rated at above or achieves expectations on all questions with an average of 4.63 on a 5-point scale for all questions.

Apply Now

Are you interested in majoring in Recreational Therapy? Are you interested in SRU? If so, you could be a "Recreational Therapy Major for a Day." Prospective students are invited to come to SRU to experience a day in the life of a Recreational Therapy major. The faculty members will pair you with a current students and you will attend classes just as if you are a RT major!

Sound like fun? Contact Dr. Betsy Kemeny to establish a date and time for your visit.

To apply for admission to the Recreational Therapy program, follow these steps:

Submit your application to SRU.
Set-up a campus visit. Contact the Recreational Therapy Department Chair, Dr. Betsy Kemeny.