Skip to main site navigation Skip to main content

Thrive On: The Campaign for Utica University →

Utica University Logo
  • Academics
    • Programs
      • Utica at Florida
    • General Education
      • Current Offerings
      • Program Details
      • Themed Pathways
      • Planning Sheet
    • Honors Program
    • Utica at Florida
    • Online Study
    • Graduate Study
    • International Ed & Study Abroad
      • Study Abroad
    • Exceptional Faculty
    • Research & Experiential Learning
    • Student Support and Success
    • Schedules, Catalogs, and Resources
    • Institutes and Centers
  • Tuition and Financial Aid
    • Understanding Financial Aid
      • Value
      • Excelsior, Explained
      • University Scholarships
      • Endowed Scholarships
      • Annual Awards
      • Utica Enhanced Tuition Award
    • Applying For Financial Aid
    • Tuition and Fees
      • Tuition and Fees - Undergraduate Campus
      • Undergraduate Online Tuition and Fees
      • Florida Programs Tuition and Fees
      • ABSN Program Tuition
      • Graduate Tuition and Fees
    • Net Price Calculator
  • Admissions
    • First-Year Admissions
    • Transfer Admissions
      • Articulation Agreements
    • Florida Admissions
    • Graduate Admissions
    • International Applicants
      • International Inquiry Form
      • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Visit
      • Utica University Campus
      • Virtual Tour
    • Apply Now
    • Contact Us
    • Accepted Student Info
    • High School Counselors
    • High School Bridge Program
  • Community
    • Living on Campus
      • Student Living
      • Campus Engagement and Student Activities
      • Dining
      • Greek Life
      • Campus Safety
      • Utica University Campus
    • Satellite Locations
    • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
      • Bias Incident Reporting
      • Community Connections
      • DEI Collaborative
      • DEI Events
      • Dialogue on Race and Equity
      • LACRELA
      • Our Staff
      • Pronouns
      • DEI Reading Guides
      • Utica University Stance Statement
      • Wilcox Center
    • The Utica Area
      • Hotels and Restaurants in the Utica Area
    • Utica Stories
    • About Utica
  • Athletics
    • Intercollegiate Athletics
    • Esports
  • News & Events
  • Alumni
  • Giving
  • Apply Now
  • Directory
  • About
  • Library
  • Logins
  • COVID-19
Utica University
Students in Therapeutic Recreation Walker TR Lab 0305

Therapeutic Recreation

  1. Academics
  2. Our Programs
  3. Therapeutic Recreation

About This Program

You’re a people person. You’re energetic and feel happiest when you’re on the move. You thrive when you can help others achieve their goals. Therapeutic recreation may be the major for you.

Why Utica University

One of only a handful of programs in the discipline nationwide, the Therapeutic Recreation major at Utica University combines liberal arts learning with professional training and real-world experiences, helping students develop the in-depth technical and theoretical skills necessary for entry level competence in this growing profession.

Taught by an accomplished faculty with extensive experience in the field, the program prepares students to use recreation to improve or maintain physical, intellectual, emotional, and social functioning and to optimize independence for people with disabilities.

Contact Information

Office of Admissions

(315) 792-3006
admiss@utica.edu

Kirstin Walker

Department Chair
(315) 792-3250
kfwalker@utica.edu

General Information

Track

  • Major

Degree

  • B.S.

Location

  • Utica Campus
Utica Excellence, Utica Value

Therapeutic Recreation at Utica

Recreational therapists will increasingly be utilized in helping veterans manage service-related conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or injuries such as the loss of a limb.

Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Department of Labor

Hours of internship experience in a professional setting as part of this program

560+

Median annual pay for recreational therapists

$48,220

Estimated job growth

8%

Career Opportunities

Therapeutic Recreation graduates work in a variety of fields, including:
    • Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation, and Hospitals
    • Mental/Behavioral Health
    • Youth Programs and Aging Populations
    • Corrections
    • Residential Care for people with developmental disabilities
    • Community-based programs for people with and without disabilities
Rising Arrow Job Outlook 364x200

On the Rise

Employment of recreational therapists is projected to grow 8 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

What You'll Learn

Year 1

  • TRC 103 - Leadership and Facilitation of Outdoor Recreation Programs (3)
  • TRC 104 - Leisure, Health, and Wellness Across Cultures (3)
  • IPE 102 - Introduction to Interprofessional Education (1)
  • PSY 101 - Introduction to Psychology (3)

Year 2

  • TRC 203 - Introduction to Therapeutic Recreation (3)
  • TRC 204 - Leadership, Analysis and Modification of TR Interventions (0, 4)
  • HLS 245 - Human Development Across the Life Span (3)
  • PSY 211 - Statistics in the Behavioral Sciences (3)

Year 3

  • TRC 305 - Assessment and Documentation (3)
  • TRC 306 - Program Design & Evaluation (3)
  • TRC 323 - Therapeutic Recreation and Physical Health Conditions (3)
  • TRC 324 - Therapeutic Recreation and Mental Health Conditions (3)

Year 4

  • TRC 406 - Organization, Administration, and Advancement of the Therapeutic Recreation Profession (3)
  • TRC 413 - Advanced Therapeutic Recreation Processes and Techniques (3)
  • TRC 469 - Internship and Examination Preparation (1)
  • TRC 470 - Therapeutic Recreation - Internship (12)

**Four-Year Overview highlights some program-specific courses and does not include core curriculum & electives.**

Utica University offers one of the very few programs in the nation that issues a Bachelor of Science degree in Therapeutic Recreation (instead of a degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies with a specialization or concentration in Therapeutic Recreation) so students have greater preparation.

The major is unique in its focus on the clinical-medical aspects of the discipline as well as the philosophical foundation of recreation. Students participate in fieldwork through area agencies, conduct projects, and are involved in organizing interventions for various populations.

The curriculum includes a 560+ hour internship experience that may be completed in professional settings across the United States.

Full Therapeutic Recreation Curriculum and Learning Objectives
Kayaking Paddling Canoeing generic

Therapeutic Recreation Faculty

Kirstin Walker in TR Lab 0389
Kirstin Walker, M.S.Ed., CTRS
  • Associate Professor of Therapeutic Recreation
Jae Sung Park
Jae Sung Park, Ph.D., CTRS
  • Assistant Professor of Therapeutic Recreation

Therapeutic Recreation Adjunct Faculty

A Degree That Works

Graduates of this program meet the requirements of the National Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) and are eligible to take the certification examination and become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). Therapeutic Recreation graduates work in physical medicine and rehabilitation, mental/behavioral health, nursing homes and other programs serving older adults, residential care for people with developmental disabilities, youth programs, as well as community based programs for people with and without disabilities.

Utica University therapeutic recreation alumni have taken leadership positions at:

  • The Root Farm (Sauquoit, NY)
  • St. Luke's Home (Utica, NY)
  • Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center
  • Masonic Care Community (Utica, NY)
  • Upstate Cerebral Palsy
  • St. Lawrence NYSARC
  • MaineHealth
  • Beckwith Health Care (Philadelphia, PA)
  • Bergen Regional Medical Center (Paramus, NJ)
Utica College - DePerno Hall
Seal for National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification.

Meets requirements for CTRS certification through NCTRC

The National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) is the premier credentialing organization for the profession of Therapeutic Recreation. Established in 1981, NCTRC is a non-profit, international organization dedicated to professional excellence for the protection of consumers through the certification of recreational therapists.

Learn More About NCTRC
Loretta Plescia 06 - Recreational Therapy

Essential Care

During the COVID-19 pandemic, recreational therapists such as Loretta Plescia '06, are among the many essential workers helping those who struggle with mental health issues like anxiety and depression. 

Read More
Student Voices Olivia CunninghamPlay Video

Student Voices: Olivia Cunningham

A visit with therapeutic recreation major Olivia Cunningham and how the opportunity to help others drew her to the program.

Jessica Leclerc

Official Success

In February 2018, Jessica Leclerc ’09 was one of only four American women (19 women total) to officiate the women’s ice hockey tournament during the Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. The Maine native, former Utica University hockey captain, and graduate of Utica’s Therapeutic Recreation program has been officiating since she was 12.

READ MORE
Physical Therapy lab

Dive Deeper

The Interprofessional Education (IPE) program at Utica University helps you develop a deeper understanding of a broad range of roles in the health professions so that you can effectively team up with practitioners in other disciplines to deliver outstanding patient care.

Learn More

At Utica University

Graphic featuring individuals talking with and consoling each other, with details of November 30 event.
On Campus

Utica University Mental Health Open Forum with Christian Beck

Utica University will hold a student-run mental health open forum with Colgate University mental health counselor, Christian Beck. The event...
Nationally-recognized speaker, author, and entrepreneur, Jaime Spencer, stands on front porch and smiles.
Alumni

Nationally-Recognized Entrepreneur, Author and Advocate Jaime Spencer '99 interviewed on hit digital series, OT Miri

Before Jaime Spencer '99 was an AOTA Approved Provider, a national speaker and author, making webinars and creating and self-publishing...
Headshot of Maryanne Lazore '21, smiling at camera in hallway.
Student

Finding Her Place: Maryanne Lazore ‘21

Ever since her first year of high school, Maryanne Lazore ‘21 knew she wanted to be a physical therapist, but...
All Stories

Related Programs

Professor of Biology Sara Scanga
Undergraduate
Biology
John Schwoebel - Psychology 0145
Undergraduate
Psychology
Students in Aaron_Mallace Health Studies Class 0059
Undergraduate
Health Sciences
Visit Campus Apply Contact Us
Academic Quad at Utica College

I would like to see logins and resources for:

For a general list of frequently used logins, you can also visit our logins page.

Utica University Logo
FacebookTwitterInstagramYouTube
  • Academics
  • Tuition and Financial Aid
  • Admissions
  • Community
  • Athletics
1600 Burrstone Road, Utica, NY 13502
Map & Directions
(315) 792-3006
Contact Us
  • Institutional Effectiveness
  • Bookstore
  • Disability Learning Support
  • Student Right to Know
2022-2023 College of Distinction2022-2023 New York College of Distinction2022-2023 Business College of Distinction2022-2023 Education College of Distinction2022-2023 Nursing College of Distinction2022-2023 Career Development College of Distinction2022-2023 Equity & Inclusion College of Distinction2021-2022 Military Friendly School

US News Award for Social Mobility