Program Overview

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Program Overview

Recreation therapy is a rewarding career providing meaningful and healthy leisure activities that improve the quality of life for people of all abilities and ages. Recreation therapists offer a range of services, including assessing client needs, developing programs, goal-setting, group facilitation, and evaluation of interventions. This program incorporates two field placements in the community so our students have the hands-on experience to launch their careers in the field with confidence.

Intakes and Availability

Date	Domestic Availability	International Availability
September 2025	Open	Open

Program Highlights

• Success Stories
• Resources

Admission Requirements

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or Mature Student Status
• Grade 12 English (C or U)

Are you missing admission requirements? We are here to help.

Durham College (DC) offers pre-admission assessment testing to mature domestic applicants to meet admission requirements in English and/or math. Domestic applicants that are 19 years of age or older as of the start date of their program, and who do not have the required program credit(s) i.e., Grade 12 English and/or Grade 12 math are eligible to take an admissions assessment test.

Learn more about how to book Pre-Admission Assessment Testing here.

DC also offers Academic Upgrading. Courses are FREE and designed to help you meet the admissions requirements for this program. Available to individuals 18+, these courses are offered on-campus at DC. Boost your qualifications with:

• Grade 12 Math (MAP4C equivalent)
• Grade 12 English (ENG4C equivalent)
• Grade 11 Biology (SBI3C equivalent)
• Grade 12 Chemistry (SCH4C equivalent)

Learn more about Academic Upgrading and connect with our team to get started.

Tuition

• Year one domestic: $2,722 (CAD)
• Year one international: $15,309 (CAD)

View full costs

Semester 1 Courses

• Communication Foundations (COMM 1100)
• General Education Elective (GNED 0000)
• Principles Of Health Conditions and Management 1 (HLTH 1107)
• Introduction to Person Centred Support (HLTH 1108)
• Developmental Psychology (PSYC 1104)
• Positive Psychology (PSYC 1105)
• Introduction to Recreation Therapy (RECL 1100)

View all courses

Career Options

WHAT YOU COULD BE:

• Recreation therapist
• Activity aide
• Exercise therapist
• Life enrichment manager
• Recreation program leader
• Recreational therapist
• Life enrichment coordinator
• Activity coordinator
• Recreation programmer

WHERE YOU COULD WORK:

• Acute or chronic care hospitals
• Addiction treatment centres
• Children’s treatment centres
• Community living organizations
• Community-based agencies
• Day programs
• Long-term care homes
• Mental health facilities
• Municipal recreation departments
• Palliative care
• Private practice
• Rehabilitation programs
• Retirement living

Field Placement

This program is strengthened by the integration of two mandatory field placements, one each in semesters three and four. Students access work environments and practitioner expertise to develop skills in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of recreational and leisure activities and programs.

PRE-PLACEMENT REQUIREMENTS

Please note: There are costs associated with Electronic Student Permit Checking (ESPC), immunizations, lab tests, and certifications. Be sure to keep all of your receipts for income tax purposes. These costs include:

• Service fees for Verified, our documentation collection and ESPC verification partner.
• Costs to complete mandatory immunizations, lab tests, and certifications.

It is required that students have completed the ESPC with Verified to be eligible for all field placement components of this program. Prior to each placement, you must (at your expense) provide:

• A clear and current Criminal Reference Check (CRC) with Vulnerable Sector Screening (VSS). If you cannot provide a clear CRC with VSS, you may not be accepted for placement by a field placement agency. CRCs with VSS must be obtained from your local police station. You may be required to obtain additional CRCs with VSS to meet field placement agency requirements.
• Current Level C CPR from a recognized provider.
• Current standard first aid certification from a recognized provider.
• Entry immunization form completed by a health care provider.
• Evidence of COVID-19 vaccination may be required by the field placement site.

Program Transfer, Degree Completion, and Additional Credentials

Please visit our pathways page to learn more about how you can transfer your credits towards a degree.

Looking for more pathway opportunities or to transfer to Durham College? Click here for more information.

Program Details

Graduates of the program develop and deliver recreation and leisure activities to people living with physical, mental, cognitive, emotional, or social limitations. They are skilled in their assessment techniques and ability to provide person-centred therapeutic interventions that improve quality of life.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Assess the interests, strengths, needs, and social, physical, and mental health challenges of individuals and groups utilizing a person-centred approach when designing healthy leisure opportunities and improving quality of life.
2. Collect, record, and report comprehensive client information, in verbal, written, and electronic formats in accordance with current ministry guidelines and professional standards.
3. Evaluate the design and delivery of recreational and educational programs in meeting client needs and improving quality of life.
4. Design and deliver therapeutic recreation programs, leisure education programs, and services by utilizing technology to promote personal, social, economic, and health-related benefits of recreation therapy services.
5. Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with clients, families, inter-professional teams, and community service providers in the development and delivery of safe and effective recreation therapy services.
6. Assist in the development of administrative, marketing, financial, and human resource strategies that enhance the delivery of services and promote small business objectives and goals.
7. Implement strategies for ongoing personal and professional development to support the growth of therapeutic recreation as a profession.

Course Delivery

In person

Students will come to campus to complete in-person learning requirements. Detailed schedules, with course-specific delivery information, will be available after registration. Courses, course descriptions, and delivery formats are subject to change.

In person:

• Course is delivered in person, on campus within a classroom, lab, shop, or studio. Hybrid:
• Part of the course is delivered online, remotely, and part is in-person on campus within a classroom, lab, shop, or studio. Online:
• Fully remote course delivery.

Costs

The fees below are estimates only based on information available at the time of publication and do not include the cost of textbooks. There may be additional costs; however, not all courses require textbooks.

Finances shouldn’t be a barrier to you achieving your educational goals.
DC’s Financial Aid and Awards office is here to help you navigate a number of financial aid programs to support your education.

Residency

Canadian Citizen or Permanent Resident | International

Started Academic Year In

Fall | Winter | Spring

Recreation Therapy Year 1 Costs

Semester 1 | | Tuition: | $1,361.02
---|---
Program Fee: | $5
Ancillary Fee: | $493.77
DCSA Ancillary Fee: | $430
Total: |$2,289.79

Semester 2 | | Tuition: | $1,361.02
---|---
Program Fee: | $0
Ancillary Fee: | $493.77
DCSA Ancillary Fee: | $120
Total: |$1,974.79

Recreation Therapy Year 2 Costs

Semester 3 | | Tuition: | $1,361.02
---|---
Program Fee: | $5
Ancillary Fee: | $474.19
DCSA Ancillary Fee: | $430
Total: |$2,270.21

Semester 4 | | Tuition: | $1,361.02
---|---
Program Fee: | $0
Ancillary Fee: | $474.19
DCSA Ancillary Fee: | $120
Total: |$1,955.21

Land Acknowledgement

Durham College is situated on the traditional lands of the First Peoples of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. These lands are covered under the Williams Treaties and rest within the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg. We offer our gratitude to the Indigenous Peoples who care for and, through the treaty process, share the lands on which we live, learn, teach, and prosper today.