Therapeutic Recreation (BS)
Why study Therapeutic Recreation?
Therapeutic Recreation helps people with disabilities improve their quality of life through participation in recreational activities. Therapeutic Recreation is recommended for students who enjoy helping others and are interested in activities such as sports, arts, music, outdoor adventure, camps, theater, animal-assisted therapy, or gardening.
Aurora University’s Therapeutic Recreation program will prepare you to use treatment, education, and recreation services to help people with illnesses, disabilities, and other conditions. These individuals will be able to develop and use their leisure in ways that enhance their health, functional abilities, independence, and quality of life. In the classroom, you will build a strong academic foundation through engaging coursework and explore intervention and treatment methods in areas such as animal-assisted therapy, adventure programming, and horticulture therapy. You will also develop the necessary leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills needed to be a successful practitioner.
The Chicagoland area has numerous therapeutic recreation opportunities in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, nursing homes and long-term care facilities, correctional centers, and park districts. Your coursework, practical experience, and internship will prepare you to enter a field filled with vast potential and possibility.
Studying Therapeutic Recreation at AU will prepare you to pass the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) examination, which is the benchmark for the field. In 2024, AU students earned a 92% pass rate, scoring significantly higher than the 80% national average.
In Our Own Words: Kris Johnson on why Aurora University is an ideal place to study this increasingly popular profession
The Chicagoland area is a really strong area for therapeutic recreation, not only because the number of hospitals and clinics, but because Illinois is the only state with special recreation associations. Students gain hands-on experience in the community and build skills they can transfer to their resumes.
The Therapeutic Recreation program at AU has many strengths, but I believe that one of the most important strengths comes from the camaraderie and sense of community among the students in the program.Avery Ideran '20
annual median salary for recreational therapists
2023-2033 projected job growth rate
- Administration
- Assessment and documentation
- Essentials of anatomy and physiology
- Facilitation techniques
- General psychology
- Lifespan development
- Psychological disorders
- Recreation as a therapeutic intervention
- Therapeutic recreation internship
- Therapeutic recreation for special populations
- Therapeutic recreation programming
- Aurora University Human Performance Club
- Circle K International
- Rec & Roll
- Unleashed
My coursework really prepared me to work in this field. Classes are challenging and packed with so much useful and important information. I worked hard in my classes because I found them so enjoyable.Megan Borgra '20
4 tips to become a certified therapeutic recreation specialist
Recreational therapy is an expanding field that uses activity-based interventions to help people with physical disabilities, sensory disorders, or mental-health needs fully participate in life.
Experiential learning
In the Therapeutic Recreation program, you will participate in curricular and co-curricular practical experiences that will enhance your professional knowledge and skills, including hands-on workshops with adaptive equipment, working with individuals with a variety of disability types, and designing programs. These activities will help you hone your skills and interest in the field and give you the opportunity to define your interests in therapeutic recreation services.
Career possibilities
- Adaptive sports coordinator
- Camp manager/director
- Certified therapeutic recreation specialist
- Community center director
- Inclusion specialist
- Program specialist
- Recreational therapist
Where our graduates work
- AllenForce
- Elgin Mental Health Center
- Fox Valley Special Recreation Association
- Little Friends: Krejci Academy
- Open Door Health Center
- School of Expressive Arts and Learning
- The Landings Senior Living
- Western DuPage Special Recreation Association