Accelerated Graduate Program in Recreational Therapy (BS & MS)

The Accelerated Graduate Program in Recreational Therapy provides students with a more efficient path towards completion of a master’s degree. This accelerated graduate program allows students to complete a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in the recreational therapy program in five years (4 +1) and be eligible to become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist™.

Admission to the program

1. Students may declare the accelerated graduate program at any time. Declaring the accelerated graduate program does not guarantee admission into the graduate program.

2. Graduate courses cannot be taken until the student has completed 75 undergraduate credits.

3. Students must have and maintain a minimum UWL resident cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.85/4.00; and maintain a cumulative graduate GPA of 3.00/4.00.

Graduation requirements

Bachelor of Science

All courses required in the Recreational Therapy Program during the undergraduate portion of the accelerated graduate program must be passed with a minimum grade of "C" or better with a GPA of 2.50 or better on a scale of 4.00.
All program and university requirements must be met (120 credits total).

Master of Science

A total of at least 30 credits of graduate level courses that must be competed with a "B" or better (3.0/4.0) in each course. This includes the courses taken during the undergraduate period: RTH 556, RTH 570, and RTH 593. These credits will count towards both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.
A cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0 scale in all graduate courses is required for graduation from graduate school.

Curriculum

(College of Science and Health)

86-87 credits (excluding prerequisite credits)

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Prerequisite courses ¹
Select one of the following:		4
BIO 100	Biology for the Informed Citizen
BIO 105	General Biology
MIC 100	Microbes and Society
PSY 100	General Psychology	3
Total Credits		7

¹: May also count toward Core General Education Requirements (CGER).

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Interdisciplinary requirements
PSY 204	Abnormal Psychology	3
PSY 212	Lifespan Development	3
ESS 205	Human Anatomy and Physiology for Exercise and Sport Science I	3
or BIO 312	Human Anatomy and Physiology I
Professional core requirements
REC 150	Leisure, Quality of Life, and Well Being	3
RTH 229	Diagnostic Groups in Recreational Therapy	3
RTH 250	Introduction to Recreational Therapy	3
RTH 319	Recreational Therapy Management and Special Event Planning	3
RTH 352	Modality Preceptorship in Recreational Therapy I	3
RTH 355	Medical Language and Digital Competencies for Allied Health Professionals	3
RTH 376	Assessment and Treatment Planning in Recreational Therapy	3
RTH 452	Modality Preceptorship in Recreational Therapy II	3
RTH 492	Clinical Education Experience in Recreational Therapy	3
RTH 494	Research Methods and Program Evaluation in Recreational Therapy	3
RTH 496	Fieldwork Preparation in Recreational Therapy	3
RTH 498	Internship in Recreational Therapy	12
Elective courses
Select a minimum of two credits from the elective list: ²		2-3
RTH 333	Therapeutic Recreation and Corrections
RTH 412	Animal Assisted Therapy
RTH 414	Recreational Therapy and Adaptive Sports
RTH 416	Recreational Therapy for Youth and Adolescents
RTH 420	Nature and Forest Therapy
RTH 430	Recreational Therapy and Mental Health
RTH 432	Recreational Therapy for Physical Disabilities
RTH 445	Recreational Therapy for Older Adults
RTH 491	Workshops in Recreational Therapy
RTH 495	Independent Study in Recreational Therapy
RTH 497	Special Projects in Recreational Therapy
Courses taken after admission to accelerated graduate program: ^{3, 4}
RTH 556	Program Design and Administration of Recreational Therapy	3
RTH 570	Recreational Therapy Processes and Facilitation Techniques	3
RTH 593	Advancing the Recreational Therapy Profession	3
Required courses taken after admission to graduate program:
RTH 701	Philosophical Foundations of Leisure, Play, and Recreation	3
RTH 720	Research Methods for Recreation, Parks, and Leisure	3
RTH 730	Advanced Clinical Aspects in Recreational Therapy	3
RTH 740	Evidence-Based Practice in Recreational Therapy	3
RTH 750	Authentic Leadership and Clinical Supervision in Recreational Therapy	3
REC 761	Graduate Project in Recreation	3
RTH 770	Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Healthcare	3
Total Credits		86-87

¹: The elective course will be determined jointly by the student and the program director.
²: Typically, RTH 556 and RTH 570 are taken concurrently in a student's second to last semester on campus, and RTH 592 is taken in a student's last semester on campus. These nine credits apply to both the undergraduate and graduate degrees.
³: Students must have special non-degree graduate student status before registering for their graduate courses.

Internship in senior year

RTH 498 Internship in Recreational Therapy will be taken for 12 credits while the student is an undergraduate. To be admitted to RTH 498, students must achieve a 2.5 cumulative and major GPA and have successfully completed all program course work. The internship will be in either the Spring or Summer term of the student's senior year.

After RTH 498 Internship in Recreational Therapy is completed, the student will graduate with their Bachelor of Science with a major in recreational therapy.

Master of Science curriculum

Fall semester: RTH 701, RTH 740, RTH 750
Spring semester: RTH 730, RTH 720, RTH 770
Summer or Fall 2: graduate capstone (three credits)

Total for Master of Science = 30 credits, including the nine credits of graduate courses (RTH 556, RTH 593, and RTH 570) taken during the undergraduate years

For complete details regarding application procedures, contact the Recreational Therapy Program Director in the Department of Recreation Management and Recreational Therapy.

All students must complete the general education, college core, major/minor, and university degree requirements to qualify for a degree. All enrolled students have access to a degree audit to track all of these requirements.

Baccalaureate degree requirements

Candidates for the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degrees must accomplish the following:

Fulfill the Core General Education Requirements (CGER).
Complete the courses prescribed by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee for the degree desired in the respective school or college.
Earn a minimum of 120 semester credits with at least a 2.00 cumulative GPA.^{1, 2}
At least 40 credits must be earned in 300/400 level courses. Transfer courses earned or transferred at the 300/400 level apply to this requirement.
Complete major and minor requirements with at least a 2.00 GPA^{1, 2} in each major and minor (and concentration or emphasis, if selected).
A minimum of 30 semester credits in residence at UWL is required for graduation. (See undergraduate resident requirement.)
Submit an application for graduation via the "Submit Intent to Graduate" link in the WINGS Student Center as soon as the student has registered for his or her final semester or summer term in residence. December and winter intersession graduates should apply by May 1. May and summer graduates should apply by December 1.

¹: Grade point average requirements for some programs will be considerably higher than 2.00. Re-entering students may be required to earn credits in excess of the 120 needed for graduation in any curriculum to replace credits earned in courses in which the content has changed substantially in recent years. Each case will be judged on its own merit.
²: The grade point average recorded at the time the degree is awarded will not be affected by future enrollment.

No degree will be awarded unless all requirements are fulfilled and recorded within 30 days after the official ending date of each term.

Below is a sample degree plan that can be used as a guide to identify courses required to fulfill the major and other requirements needed for degree completion. A student's actual degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). Also, this sample plan assumes readiness for each course and/or major plan, and some courses may not be offered every term. Review the course descriptions or the class timetable for course offering information.

The sample degree plans represented in this catalog are intended for first-year students entering UWL in the fall term. Students should use their degree audit and work closely with their advisor(s) and college dean's office to ensure declaration and completion of all requirements in a timely manner.

Core General Education Program

The Core General Education Requirement (CGER) is the common educational experience for all undergraduates at UWL. Sample degree plans include CGER placeholders to ensure completion of the core general education requirements. The CGER category listed in parentheses indicated the recommended course to help complete CGER and the program requirements. Transferred courses may alter the plan. Courses may be rearranged to fit the needs or recommendations of the student’s program of study. CGER courses may be taken during winter term (January between the semesters) and summer to reduce the course load during regular terms (fall and spring). Students should consult with their advisor and/or the college academic services director in their college/school for assistance with course and schedule planning. Refer to the Core General Education Requirements for more specific details.

At least 40 credits of the 120 credits required must be earned at the 300/400-level.

Note: New students and transfer students with less than 12 credits earned are required to take The Eagle Advantage for College Success (UWL 100, 2 cr.) or FYS 100 First-Year Seminar (3 cr.) during one of their first two semesters at UWL.

This sample degree plan does not establish a contractual agreement. It identifies the minimum requirements a student must successfully complete, to qualify for a degree, in a format intended to assist the student in planning their academic career. Actual degree plans may differ.

This major is exempt from the CSH College Core requirement.

Year 1
Fall	Credits	Spring	Credits
REC 150 (CGER NSW-MBP Natural Science & Wellness: Mind, Body, & Planet)	3	CST 110 (CGER CL-SL Communication & Literacy: Spoken Literacy)	3
ENG 110 (CGER CL-WL Communication & Literacy: Written Literacy)	3	PSY 212	3
PSY 100 (CGER SBS-BS Social & Behavioral Science: Social & Behavioral Studies)	3	ESS 205	3
BIO 100, 105, or MIC 100 (CGER NSWL-ES Natural Science & Wellness: Experiential Science)	4	CGER HA-AA Humanities & Arts: Arts & Aesthetics	3
UWL 100 or FYS 100 (CGER SBS-FS Social & Behavioral Science: Social Foundation for Success)	2	CGER MQR-QR Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning: Quantitative Reasoning	3
	15		15
Year 2
Fall	Credits	Spring	Credits
RTH 250	3	RTH 319	3
RTH 229	3	RTH 355	3
PSY 204	3	CGER CP-CW Civics & Perspective: Cultures of Our World	3
CGER CP-CU Civics & Perspective: Communities of the United States	3	CGER CL-SWT Communication & Literacy: Stories We Tell	3
University Elective	3	CGER HA-PDU Humanities & Arts: Pasts that Define Us	3
University Elective	2	University Elective	1
	17		16
Year 3
Fall	Credits	Spring	Credits
RTH 376	3	RTH 570	3
RTH 352	3	RTH 452	3
University Elective	3	RTH 556	3
University Elective	3	RTH 496	3
University Elective	3	University Elective	3
Apply to RT Dual Degree Program²
Apply for "special non-degree graduate student status" for spring semester
	15		15
Year 4
Fall	Credits	Spring	Credits
RTH 493	3	RTH 498	12-16
RTH 494	3
RTH 592	3
RTH Elective	3
University Elective	3
Apply for "full graduate status" for next fall
	15		12
Additional year
Fall	Credits	Spring	Credits	Summer	Credits
RTH 701	3	RTH 720	3	REC 761	3
RTH 740	3	RTH 730	3
RTH 750	3	RTH 770	3
	9		9		3
Total Credits: 141

¹

PSY 212 Lifespan Development, PSY 204 Abnormal Psychology, and ESS 205/BIO 312 Human Anatomy and Physiology I fulfill, in part, criteria for becoming a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). For any PSY 212, PSY 204, or ESS 205/BIO 312 course substitutes/transfers, students are advised to verify satisfactory content with the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certifications (NCTRC). See the Therapeutic Recreation Program Director for more information.

²

To be considered for admission to the dual degree program, the student must:

Be a current recreational therapy student who has completed at least 75 undergraduate credits.
Have completed or is concurrently taking RTH 229, RTH 319, RTH 352, PSY 204, ESS 205 (or BIO 312).
Have a minimum cumulative UWL GPA of 2.85 to apply.

For complete details regarding application procedures, contact the Therapeutic Recreation Program Director in the Department of Recreation Management and Therapeutic Recreation.