WSU RTTR Undergraduate Programs with Professor Roger Riley.

Bachelor of Science in Recreation, Tourism and Therapeutic Recreation

Defining Recreation, Tourism, and Therapeutic Recreation.

Recreation is the organization of leisure activities, in people’s free time, so that they may have fun, relax, or be amused.

Tourism means traveling to and staying in places outside a person’s usual environment for home leisure, business and other purposes. The tourism professionals organize travel, accommodations and leisure activities.

Recreational therapy, also known as therapeutic recreation, is a systematic process that uses recreation interventions to address the assessed needs of individuals with illnesses and/or disabling conditions, as a means to psychological and physical health, recovery and well-being.


Undergraduate Programs

Recreation and Tourism graduates are qualified to obtain entry-level positions in the following settings:

  • Nonprofit or voluntary agencies (e.g., YMCA-YWCA, Scouts)
  • Private settings that require memberships (e.g., golf or tennis clubs)
  • Military recreation - Commercial or "for-profit" agencies (e.g., theme parks, fitness centers)
  • Public, corporate, campus or correctional recreation
  • Adventure-based outdoor programs and adventure travel/outfitting companies
  • Federal programs (e.g., U.S. Forest Service, National Parks Service, Bureau of Land Management)

Course Catalog for Recreation and Tourism.

 

Students who graduate with the Therapeutic Recreation Major are qualified to sit for the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) examination.

This certification allows you to work in any state within the U.S.:

  • Special rehabilitation centers for persons with physical disabilities
  • Community recreation programs
  • Mental health facilities that treat a variety of psychological impairments
  • Nursing homes and retirement centers
  • Residential centers that care for persons with developmental disabilities
  • Schools, half-way houses, or correctional institutions

Review the courses and other requirements for Therapeutic Recreation in the course catalog.

We recommended the following minors to accompany your Therapeutic Recreation major:

This is an interdisciplinary program sponsored by the RTTR Department. While a minor is not required for the RTTR programs, many students elect to complete both tracks and/or add an additional minor such as adventure tourism.

Course Catalog for Adventure Tourism.

Undergraduate Program Admission Process

To be admitted to the RTTR program, a student must fulfill one of the following requirements:

  • Be admitted to WSU as an entering freshman or transfer student
  • Have a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA as a currently enrolled student

The following information complies with Regulation 34 CFR 668.43 (a) (5) (v) through the U.S. Department of Education:

WSU’s Therapeutic Recreation certificate and licensure meet the state educational requirements in the states/jurisdictions of: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and District of Columbia.

Last updated on July 1, 2021.