Recreation, B.S.: Recreation Therapy Concentration (Online)

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Recreation, B.S. Program (120 units)

Program Description

The Recreation degree prepares students for leadership positions in public recreation and leisure services agencies. Such work enhances the quality of life for millions of people each day across the nation. Specializations available in the degree include the Sustainability Concentration, Youth Development Programming Concentration, and a Recreation Therapy Concentration that prepares students to sit for the state RT licensing exam. 

Potential jobs in this rewarding field include program coordinators, supervisors and directors in a variety of areas including day camps, sports, youth, teen and older adult activities and classes and naturalist, park ranger positions. Many graduates from our program are leaders in leisure services organizations including Concord, Livermore, Oakland, Pleasanton, San Ramon, and the East Bay Regional Park District.

The Recreation Therapy Concentration is designed to prepare students to work as allied health professionals with people who have special needs in clinical, residential, and community-based agencies. This option is specifically designed to meet the standards developed by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) and the California Board of Recreation and Park Certification for Recreation Therapy. Successfully completing this curriculum will provide students with knowledge competencies necessary to qualify for both the National and State Therapeutic Recreation Certification Exams.

Many graduates of this option are leaders in Recreation Therapy in the San Francisco Bay Area. They work in varied locations such as rehabilitation hospitals, drug treatment programs, mental health clinics and inpatient programs, state hospitals, long term care facilities, prisons and schools.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who graduate with a B.S. in Recreation will be able to:

1. Explain effective and sustainable solutions based on evidence to address challenges faced in the provision of recreation programs and services, management of facilities and stewardship of natural resources.
2. Identify effective leadership and teamwork strategies, management skills, methods to evaluate service quality and meet consumer needs in recreation management.
3. Articulate clearly in both written and oral formats the ethical, philosophical, historical, and administrative foundations of the recreation profession.
4. Identify techniques that contribute to a culture of dignity and respect in the recreation management profession.

Students who graduate with a B.S. in Recreation Management with a Recreation Therapy Concentration will be able to:

1. Explain stages of human development, principles of behavioral change, and models for delivery of recreation therapy programs and services.
2. Identify effective leadership and teamwork strategies, standards of practice, assessment techniques and documentation requirements in recreation therapy.
3. Articulate clearly in both written and oral formats the ethical, philosophical, historical, and administrative foundations of the recreation therapy profession.
4. Identify techniques that contribute to a culture of dignity and respect in the recreation therapy profession, based on principles of access, inclusion, and independence.

Program Roadmaps

These program roadmaps represent recommended pathways through the program. Please see an advisor to create an education plan that is customized to meet your needs.

Degree Requirements Unit-Outline

• A baccalaureate of science degree requires a total of 120 units:
  • The major requirements consists of 60-74 units;
  • General Education (GE) & Graduation Requirements (GR) consists of 57 units;
  • Free Electives may consist of 0-3 units (actual number of free elective units may depend on GE/GR units). 

Note: It may be possible to double-count units within the graduation requirements or that a course may satisfy both a graduation requirement and a major requirement. Students should contact their program and AACE advisors for information.

Recreation Therapy Concentration

The Recreation Therapy concentration for 35 units is designed to prepare students to work as allied health professionals with people who have special needs in clinical, residential, and community-based agencies. This option is specifically designed to meet the standards developed by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) and the California Board of Recreation and Park Certification for Recreation Therapy.

Please Note: A grade of C- or better is required in all REC courses plus Bio 270, HDEV 380, and PSY 381 in order to count toward the licensing process.

• BIOL 270 - Human Anatomy & Physiology I Units: 4 ; G.E./G.R. Area: B2, B3
• HDEV 380 - Lifespan Human Development Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4
• PSYC 100 - General Psychology Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D1-3
• PSYC 200 - Methods of Investigation in Psychology Units: 3
• PSYC 381 - Psychopathology Units: 4
• REC 360 - Foundations in Recreation Therapy Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: E
• REC 361 - Recreation Therapy Diagnostic Groupings Units: 3
• REC 362 - Recreation Therapy Documentation & Assessment Units: 3
• REC 363 - Recreation Therapy Process & Techniques Units: 3
• REC 364 - Recreation Therapy Program Planning & Implementation Units: 3
• REC 365 - Advancement of Recreation Therapy Profession and Management Units: 3

Other Undergraduate Degree Requirements

In addition to major requirements, every student must also complete the University’s baccalaureate requirements for graduation, which are described in the Requirements, Exams & Testing  chapter of this catalog. 

Department Courses Listed by Course Type

Hospitality, Recreation, and Tourism Courses

Department of Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism

Courses

Hospitality and Tourism

• •  HOS 100 - Professional Preparation Units: 2
• •  HOS 200 - Lodging Management Units: 3
• •  HOS 205 - Tourism Management Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D1-3
• •  HOS 210 - Meetings, Conventions, & Special Events Units: 3
• •  HOS 215 - Food and Beverage Management Units: 3
• •  HOS 225 - Technology in Hospitality and Tourism Units: 3
• •  HOS 230 - Sustainable Global Tourism Development Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D1-3; Sustainability
• •  HOS 235 - Introduction to Community Engagement Units: 3
• •  HOS 297 - Food & Culture Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D1-3; Social Justice
• •  HOS 298 - Customer Service for Professions Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D1-3
• •  HOS 299 - Professionalism & Etiquette Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: Diversity
• •  HOS 300 - Marketing in Hospitality, Recreation, Recreation Therapy, and Tourism Units: 3
• •  HOS 310 - Design & Management of Special Events in Hospitality and Tourism Units: 3
• •  HOS 315 - Wedding Planning Units: 3
• •  HOS 320 - Event Leadership Units: 3
• •  HOS 335 - Introduction to Wine, Beer and Spirits Units: 3
• •  HOS 340 - Menu Planning, Cost Control, and Purchasing Units: 3
• •  HOS 350 - Resort and Club Management Units: 3
• •  HOS 355 - Advanced Lodging Management Units: 3
• •  HOS 360 - Lodging Alternatives Units: 3
• •  HOS 398 - Internship Units: 1-3
• •  HOS 400 - Introduction to Finance in Hospitality, Recreation, Recreation Therapy, and Tourism Units: 3
• •  HOS 410 - Revenue Management in Hospitality and Tourism Units: 3
• •  HOS 435 - Advanced Community Engagement Units: 3
• •  HOS 450 - Data-Driven Decision Making in Hospitality, Recreation, Recreation Therapy, and Tourism Units: 3
• •  HOS 475 - Internship Placement Units: 1
• •  HOS 490 - Independent Study Units: 1-3
• •  HOS 497 - Issues in Hospitality & Tourism Units: 1-3
• •  HOS 498 - Internship Units: 3-6

Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism: Graduate

• •  HOS 698 - Internship Units: 1-3
• •  REC 600 - Foundations of Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Units: 3
• •  REC 610 - Strategic Leadership and Ethics in Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Units: 3
• •  REC 620 - Organizational Development in Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Units: 3
• •  REC 630 - Advanced Data-Driven Decision in Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Units: 3
• •  REC 640 - Law and Risk in Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Units: 3
• •  REC 650 - Fiscal Management in Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Units: 3
• •  REC 660 - Sustainable Solutions in Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Units: 3
• •  REC 670 - Advanced Marketing in Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Units: 3
• •  REC 693A - Applied Research Project I Units: 3
• •  REC 693B - Applied Research Project II Units: 3
• •  REC 697 - Special Issues in Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Units: 1-3

Recreation

• •  REC 100 - Introduction to Hospitality and Tourism, Recreation, and Recreation Therapy Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D1-3
• •  REC 110 - Foundations of Sustainability in Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: Sustainability
• •  REC 200 - Serving Diverse Populations in Hospitality, Recreation, Rec Therapy and Tourism Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D1-3; Social Justice
• •  REC 210 - Programming in Community Recreation, Sport and Camp Units: 3
• •  REC 215 - Special Events in Recreation Units: 3
• •  REC 230 - Introduction to Youth Development Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D1-3
• •  REC 235 - Leisure, Self, and Society Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D1-3
• •  REC 300 - Wellness Through Leisure Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4
• •  REC 310 - Women and Leisure Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: D4; Social Justice
• •  REC 320 - Aquatic Management Units: 3
• •  REC 321 - Resident and Day Camp Administration Units: 3
• •  REC 325 - Leadership, Management and Ethics in Hospitality, Recreation, Rec Therapy, and Tourism Units: 3
• •  REC 330 - Leadership in Small Groups Units: 3
• •  REC 340 - Sustainable Facilities, Parks and Open Space Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: Sustainability
• •  REC 355 - Community Sustainability in Hospitality, Recreation and Tourism Units: 3
• •  REC 359 - Therapeutic Environmental Recreation Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R Area: E
• •  REC 360 - Foundations in Recreation Therapy Units: 3 ; G.E./G.R. Area: E
• •  REC 361 - Recreation Therapy Diagnostic Groupings Units: 3
• •  REC 362 - Recreation Therapy Documentation & Assessment Units: 3
• •  REC 363 - Recreation Therapy Process & Techniques Units: 3
• •  REC 364 - Recreation Therapy Program Planning & Implementation Units: 3
• •  REC 365 - Advancement of Recreation Therapy Profession and Management Units: 3
• •  REC 400 - Law, Risk and Regulation in Hospitality, Recreation, Rec Therapy, and Tourism Units: 3
• •  REC 425 - Strategic Positioning in Recreation Units: 3
• •  REC 430 - Youth Development: Current Issues for Youth 5-17 Units: 3
• •  REC 475 - Internship Placement Units: 1
• •  REC 476 - Recreation Therapy Internship Placement Units: 1
• •  REC 480 - Internship Units: 3-6
• •  REC 481 - Recreation Therapy Internship Units: 6
• •  REC 481A - Recreation Therapy Internship A Units: 6
• •  REC 490 - Independent Study Units: 1-3
• •  REC 497 - Issues in Recreation Units: 1-3