Recreational Therapy ,Certificate
Adaptive Recreation, Adaptive Recreation Specialist, Disability, Health, INCLUSION, Therapist, children
Do you want to build healthier communities? You can develop the dynamic professional competencies needed to make a positive impact on individuals with diverse needs. This certificate can be paired with any undergraduate program.
Students enrolled in the recreational therapy certificate program gain knowledge and requisite competencies to lead recreation-based therapeutic programs as a strategy to improve individual and community health. Through curriculum foundational to the field, students learn the systematic process of conducting assessments, developing service plans, implementing therapeutic interventions, and evaluating and documenting outcomes of care. Students examine the holistic benefits of recreational therapy through exposure to creative and expressive arts, adapted exercise and sport, aquatic therapy, therapeutic riding, horticulture therapy, community integration, leisure education and structured play.
The certificate program is an ideal choice for individuals who value the importance of a healthy leisure lifestyle for all, want to advocate for accessible recreation opportunities, and are dedicated to the use of recreation-based interventions to improve well-being.
The certificate is a valuable supplement to degrees in related fields. It helps students develop a unique set of competencies and also serves as a pathway to credentialing as a qualified provider of recreational therapy.
Students seeking professional certification in recreational therapy have the option to select specific recreational therapy content courses to contribute a portion of the requirements necessary for eligibility with the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification. Further information is available on its website. https://www.nctrc.org/about-certification/ctrs-the-qualified-provider
- College/school:
Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut
- Location: Downtown Phoenix or Online
2025-2026 Catalog Year
| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
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| Requirement | Minimum Grade | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
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The recreational therapy certificate requires completion of 18 credit hours: six credit hours of required courses and 12 credit hours of electives. Students seeking the national credential in therapeutic recreation should select electives from that list.
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| Required Courses | ||
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RTH 364 Foundations in Recreational Therapy
(SOBE)
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
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C | 3 |
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RTH 413 Leadership and Professional Development in Recreational Therapy
3 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
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C | 3 |
| Elective Courses | ||
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Choose four courses from Blocks A and B if interested in the ASU certificate, but not seeking the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation (NCTRC) credential. Choose four courses from only Block B if interested in taking support courses for NCTRC credential: https://www.nctrc.org/about-certification/ctrs-the-qualified-provider/
Minimum
Grade:
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Elective Courses
6 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
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C | 6 |
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Upper Division
Elective Courses
6 Credit Hours
Minimum
Grade:C
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C | 6 |
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Choose 4 courses from Block A and B if interested in only ASU certificate. Please note that Block A classes do not meet NCTRC credential requirements.
Minimum
Grade:
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Students seeking the national credentialing through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation (NCTRC) should select four courses from this list.
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Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this certificate.
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A student pursuing an undergraduate certificate must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student at ASU. Undergraduate certificates are not awarded before the completion of an undergraduate degree. A student who already holds an undergraduate degree may pursue an undergraduate certificate as a nondegree-seeking graduate student.
ASU offers this program in an online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. Applicants may view the program’s ASU Online page for program descriptions and to request more information.
Recreational therapists practice in settings such as inpatient and outpatient physical rehabilitation, inpatient and outpatient mental health, and skilled nursing facilities, as well as in assisted living and adult day programs, parks and recreation and adapted sports programs, acute care hospitals, pediatric hospitals and programs, and school systems.
ASU programs that may lead to professional licensure or certification are intended to prepare students for potential licensure or certification in Arizona. Completion of an ASU program may not meet educational requirements for licensure or certification in another state. For more information, students should visit the ASU professional licensure webpage.
Students should review requirements for licensure on the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification website: https://www.nctrc.org/.
School of Community Resources and Development
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UCENT 550
scrdvising@asu.edu
602-496-1658
3 year programs
These programs allow students to fast-track their studies after admission and earn a bachelor's degree in three years or fewer while participating in the same high-quality educational experience of a 4-year option. Students should talk to their academic advisor to get started.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Acceptance to the graduate program requires a separate application. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master’s during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
