For additional information about Therapeutic Recreation and Leisure Services majors, contact: Dr. Linda Heyne, Department Chair at lheyne@ithaca.edu or Ms. Lana Morse, Administrative Assistant at morse@ithaca.edu

Majors

B.S. in Therapeutic Recreation

Therapeutic recreation offers career opportunities for those who are interested in working with individuals with disabling conditions and who enjoy involvement in recreation and leisure-based activities. Therapeutic recreation specialists assess physical, social, emotional, and cognitive functioning to determine the individual's needs, interests, and abilities. With this information, they develop individualized treatment plans and intervention strategies to address the person's functional deficits, maximize capabilities, and enhance quality of life.

Therapeutic recreation specialists utilize medically approved activities to rehabilitate or maintain functional abilities. These activities can include arts, crafts, music, dance, drama, horticulture, adventure programs, interaction with pets, sports, games, and community-based outings, and field trips. These activities help clients build their self-esteem, interact effectively with others, develop physical and cognitive abilities, and learn new skills.

Therapeutic recreation specialists work in a variety of settings. In clinical settings, such as hospitals and rehabilitation centers, they treat or rehabilitate individuals with specific medical problems in cooperation with an interdisciplinary team of physicians, social workers, occupational and physical therapists, etc. In nursing homes and residential facilities, they utilize activities to enhance general health and quality of life. In the community, therapeutic recreation specialists work with recreation departments, special education programs, correctional facilities, programs for youth at risk, and centers for older adults. In these settings, therapeutic recreation specialists develop programs and provide activities that include exercise, mental stimulation, creativity, and fun.

The B.S. in Therapeutic Recreation has been accredited by the NRPA/AALR Council on Accreditation since 1996.

Graduates are eligible to apply for professional level certification through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC).

Undergraduate Catalog
Listing of Recreation Courses

B.S. in Leisure Services

This program prepares students for diverse career opportunities within the recreation parks and leisure service field. Leisure service professionals work in a variety of settings. In commercial recreation and tourism, opportunities exist in theme parks, resorts, hotels, convention centers, and visitors bureaus. In outdoor recreation, opportunities exist in state and federal land management agencies and a variety of outdoor adventure companies. In community recreation, opportunities exist in nonprofit youth service organizations, public parks and recreation programs and a variety of governmental agencies.

The B.S. in Leisure Services has been accredited by the NRPA/AALR Council on Accreditation since 1981.

Graduates are eligible to apply for certification as a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP) through the National Recreation and Park Association.

Undergraduate Catalog
Listing of Recreation Courses

B.S. in Outdoor Adventure Leadership

Careers in outdoor recreation are an exciting, varied, and unique aspect of the leisure profession. The outdoor adventure leadership major is designed for individuals who are enthusiastic about outdoor activities such as backpacking, kayaking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, and wilderness travel, and who would like to work in the outdoors in leadership positions. The outdoor adventure leadership curriculum builds outdoor recreation knowledge and skills as well as develops leadership skills to teach outdoor skills to others and safely oversee outdoor recreation programs. Career opportunities exist in outdoor leadership, outdoor education, team building, camp management, natural resource management, environmental interpretation, programs that serve youth at risk, and the adventure travel industry.

The outdoor adventure leadership program is affiliated with the Wilderness Education Association (WEA). WEA's 18-point curriculum, which emphasizes sound judgment and decision making in the context of acquiring professional knowledge and outdoor skills, is infused within the outdoor adventure leadership curriculum. Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for WEA National Standards Program for Outdoor Leadership certification, which is recognized across the country for enhancing safety standards of adventure travel and for wilderness conservation.

Undergraduate Catalog
Listing of Recreation Courses

---

Maintained by rob porter (rporter@ithaca.edu)
Last updated 09/27/04