Faculty of Applied Health Sciences

Students interested in the Therapeutic Recreation Major will declare this after completing at least 5 units (i.e., after the completion of Year One) by submitting a Plan Modification/Internal Transfer Form (www.registrar.uwaterloo.ca/forms/PlanModification.pdf) to the Undergraduate Office for approval. Admission decisions are normally made in May after Winter term grades are available. To be considered for the Therapeutic Recreation Major, students must have completed a minimum of five units including REC 100, 101, 252, and one of REC 200, 215, 230, or 280. Criteria for admission will normally include an overall average of at least 65% and major average of at least 70% in Recreation courses.

Degree Requirements

1. Recreation courses (minimum of 10 units):
   • Required Recreation (3.5 units): REC 100, 101, 205, 220, 270, 371, and one 400 level REC course.
   • Required Therapeutic Recreation (3.5 units): REC 251, 252, 253, 350, 354, 356, and 455.
   • Recreation Electives (minimum of 3.0 units):
     Each student must complete additional Recreation Electives to meet the required minimum of 10 Recreation units.
   • Please note that MU 380e (WLU) "Creative Arts for Children with Special Needs" is accepted as a UW Recreation Elective.
   • All cross-listed courses with REC are counted as Recreation Electives and are included in the major average.
2. Courses outside the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies (maximum of 10 units):
   • Required (1.5 units): 
     PSYCH 101
     SOC 101
     Select one course from: BIOL 273, 301, KIN 100
     
   • Select one course from four of the following seven categories (2 units Restricted Electives):
     • An English Course
       An English writing course (one of ENGL 109, 129R, 140R, 209, any 210 course, or 240R) is strongly recommended.
     • A Fine or Performing Arts Course or Language Course (other than English or ESL)
       DRAMA, FINE, MUSIC, SPCOM or any language course other than ENGL
     • A Humanities Course
       CLAS, EASIA, HIST, JS, NATST, PACS, PHIL, RS, SPD
     • A Social Science Course other than Psychology or Sociology
       ANTH, ECON, ISS, PSCI, SMF, SOCWK, STV, WS
     • An Applied Health Sciences Faculty Course (other than Recreation)
       GERON, HLTH, KIN
     • An Environmental Studies Faculty Course
       ENVS, ERS, GEOG, PLAN
     • A Course offered by the School of Computer Science 
       Note: The course subjects listed may not be comprehensive. For a complete list, or approval of a specific course subject, please see the undergraduate advisor or the department website.
   • Therapeutic Recreation Electives
     Select 3 units from:
     • BIOL 273
     • BIOL 301
     • GERON 220/HLTH 220
     • GERON 255
     • HLTH 102
     • ISS 150R
     • KIN 100
     • KIN 242
     • MU 380e (WLU)
     • PHIL 226
     • PSYCH 211
     • PSYCH 212
     • PSYCH 213
     • PSYCH 257/PSYCH 323R
     • PSYCH 317
     • PSYCH 334
     • REC 361
     • REC 405
     • REC 450
     • SOC 222
     • SOC 223
     • SOC 248
     • SOC 249
     • SPCOM 225
     • SPCOM 324
       Note: Only the second completed course of BIOL 273, 301, or KIN 100 may be counted as a Therapeutic Recreation Elective.
   • Students must take an additional 3.5 units of Open Electives.
3. Total number of units to complete degree is 20.

Course Sequence

Notes:

1. The elective courses are used to fill the Recreation Electives, Non-Department Restricted Electives, Therapeutic Recreation Electives, and Open Electives.
2. Students are permitted to pursue a double major Honours Recreation and Business & Therapeutic Recreation by meeting the requirements of each plan.
3. Students are required to complete REC 253 by the end of their third year. However, students are strongly encouraged to complete it within their first year.