Therapeutic Recreation

Certificate

• You can become part of a growing field as the large baby-boom generation ages and needs RTs to help treat age-related injuries and illnesses.
• You can benefit from an interesting mix of students from across the nation and also a variety of backgrounds, including traditional UWM students seeking a bachelor’s degree, TR and other human service professionals and second career students new to the field.
• Recreation Therapist was cited as one of the “Top 10 Best Jobs to Save the World” by CNN Money and also as a “Best College Major for a Lucrative Career” by Kiplinger.

Related Programs

If you are interested in pursuing a career in Therapeutic Recreation, you may wish to examine the following UWM programs:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Biological Sciences
• Nursing
• Social Work

What can you do with a Certificate in Therapeutic Recreation?

There is much you may do with a TR Certificate. This program is designed to help build a pathway toward obtaining the credential in the field of TR. The content of the 6 required TR specific courses provide students with theoretical and practical backgrounds in recreation and activity-based interventions.

The content of the courses also has much carry over into other professional areas for employment. The topic of disability is explored heavily; this knowledge may be helpful when working in agencies serving persons living with a disability. Concepts of group process and facilitation are topics that may be useful in any professional job requiring small and large group undertakings.

The courses in the Certificate Program will prepare you to work in a variety of settings, including:

• Hospitals
• Ambulatory health care services
• Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)
• Residential care facilities
• Government institutions
• Community park and recreation agencies
• Disability agencies

Info on the TR Profession

• American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA)
• US Department of Labor Occupational Outlook Handbook
• National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC)

Employment Outlook

Earnings

The median annual wage for recreational therapists was $48,220 per year or approximately $23.18 per hour in 2019. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,880, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $77,970.

Expected Growth

Employment of recreational therapists is projected to grow 8 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than average for all occupations.

As the U.S. population ages, more people will need recreational therapists to help treat age-related injuries and illnesses. Older people are more likely to experience a stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and mobility-related injuries that may benefit from recreational therapy. Growth is expected in nursing care facilities, adult daycare programs, and other settings that care for geriatric patients.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Recreational Therapists.

This certificate program is subject to federal gainful employment regulations.

For more information regarding the UWM Certificate in Therapeutic Recreation, please review the gainful employment disclosure information (PDF).

Students need to be enrolled in a UWM undergraduate degree program or hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree to enter the Certificate Program. In addition, individuals who are certified with the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) may wish to complete one or more courses to comply with continuing education requirements.

The first step to declaring the Certificate in Therapeutic Recreation is to read the Gainful Employment Disclosure Information (PDF) and complete the form below. The second step is to submit an application for admission to UWM.

For further guidance, please contact the Therapeutic Recreation Certificate Coordinator or the College of Health Sciences Office of Student Affairs.

Effective Fall 2020, six Therapeutic Recreation (TR) specific courses (18 credits) are required to successfully complete the online Certificate in TR. If you were enrolled in the certificate program prior to Fall 2020, you may elect to meet old or new requirements. Note: The National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) requires six courses as of January 1, 2022. A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 must be maintained on all required coursework.

Completion of this certificate program allows you to meet one portion of the academic coursework required for the credential as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) with NCTRC. Additional requirements (degree, supportive courses and paid experience) are needed to fully qualify for the credential.

If you are interested in obtaining NCTRC certification, visit nctrc.org and review the Equivalency Path information.

Introductory Course (Select 1)

Intervention Courses (Select 4)

Capstone Course

*Required for students seeking the credential as a CTRS with NCTRC.

Please see the Schedule of Classes for the most up-to-date course offerings.

Supportive Courses

Supportive coursework is NOT part of the TR Certificate Program. Eighteen credits of supportive coursework is a requirement to become a CTRS. Nine of the credits are required in specific topic areas. Please see below. You may take UWM courses independent of the TR Certificate Program. If you are interested in becoming eligible to sit for the CTRS exam, there are many supportive on campus courses available to you including those listed below. Most of the courses are offered in the traditional face-to-face format though a growing number are offered online. Please see the Schedule of Classes for the most up-to-date listing and medium used.

Required Supportive Courses for NCTRC

Graduation

You are required to complete the Certificate Program within 5 years of the start of your first certificate course. Ideally, you complete the coursework in 3 consecutive semesters or 1–1.5 years.

A minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 must be maintained on all required coursework.