2024-2025

Recreational Therapy, Graduate Certificate

Department of Geography, Planning, and Recreation

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

The Graduate Certificate in Recreational Therapy provides students with the foundational knowledge and skills needed to pursue a career in community and rehabilitative healthcare settings. The curriculum grounds students in the therapeutic use of recreational activities to improve physical, cognitive, social, and emotional functioning in patients and clients of all ages.

Coursework covers foundational concepts such as theories of recreation, leisure, play, and recreational therapy programming. Evidence-informed practice, assessment procedures, treatment plan development, documentation, and recreational therapy interventions for specific populations are explored. Class formats utilize lectures, discussions, case studies, and hands-on simulated practice to build clinical skills. Students gain an understanding of the psychological, physiological, and social benefits of recreational therapy across the lifespan.

The graduate certificate curriculum meets the “Therapeutic Recreation Content Courses” requirements to be eligible for certification as a therapeutic recreation specialist by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC, 2023). With this credential, recreational therapists can work in clinical and community settings such as hospitals, rehab centers, mental health clinics, adaptive sports programs, schools, senior centers, and more. They join an interprofessional team providing recreational therapy services aimed at improving health, rehabilitation, recovery, function, leisure participation, and quality of life.

Through a blend of academic coursework and practical application, a Graduate Certificate in Recreational Therapy supplies the specialized knowledge to begin a career optimizing well-being and independence through recreational activities tailored to clients' needs and interests. Graduates are prepared to fill the growing need for certified recreational therapists.

    • Graduate certificate programs require a minimum of 12 credit hours. Many graduate certificate programs require more than 12 credit hours.
    • No more than one 400-level NAU course (3 - 4 units) may be used on a graduate certificate program.
    • No more than twenty-five percent of the units required for the certificate program may be transferred from another university.
    • A 400-level course (undergraduate course) completed at another university is not eligible for transfer credit.
    • A minimum grade point average of 3.0 must be achieved to obtain a graduate certificate. No more than three units of coursework with a Grade of "C" may be used in a certificate program.
    • A graduate student may pursue a graduate certificate concurrently with a graduate degree. Each graduate degree program must decide which, if any, certificate courses can be counted toward the graduate degree.
    • Students who are admitted to a graduate certificate program will be eligible for the official posting of the graduate certificate to their transcripts when all applicable coursework has been successfully completed and approved by the academic unit and the Graduate College.

  • Please be aware that federal financial aid is not available for some certificates if the certificate is pursued and completed as a stand-alone certificate (i.e., not completed concurrently with a degree program).  See the “Details” tab for additional information.

Students may be able to use some courses to meet more than one requirement. Contact your advisor for details.

Minimum Units for Completion 18
Major GPA 3.0
Fieldwork Experience/Internship Fieldwork Experience/Internship is required.
Some online/blended coursework Required

Purpose Statement

The Graduate Certificate in Recreational Therapy (RT) is designed to meet the needs of the field of Therapeutic Recreation (TR) by preparing future Recreational Therapists (RT) to meet the qualifications of the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) exam. Therapeutic Recreation is a helping profession providing recreation services to people from all backgrounds and abilities to improve their quality of life. Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRS®) are the qualified providers and are also referred to as Recreational Therapists. Practitioners are found in communities working in not-for-profit, for-profit, and public agencies. This includes but is not limited to, schools, primary, acute, and tertiary hospitals, behavioral health facilities, juvenile halls and prisons, outdoor and adventure programs, independent and assisted living facilities, and long-term and skilled nursing centers.

The content of the program aligns with the ten job analysis task domains found on the NCTRC exam which include professional relationships and responsibilities, assessment, plan interventions and/or programs, implementation of interventions and/or programs, evaluation outcomes of the interventions and/or programs, document intervention services, treatment teams and/or service providers, develop and maintain programs, manage RT services, and awareness and advocacy. These ten categories are career-ready skills and knowledge areas common in RT higher education curricula across the United States and Canada.

In 2018, the Academic Action Task Force of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) determined to maintain a bachelor’s entry to the field rather than shift to a master’s level entry like other Allied Health industries. With this decision, people can continue to apply for the NCTRC exam based on two eligibility pathways: Academic and Professional. This graduate certificate would help individuals who are seeking either A) the academic pathway requirements to be eligible for the NCTRC exam, or B) the professional pathway requirements to be eligible for the NCTRC exam. Both entry pathways to credentialing require the same six-course RT curriculum. The only difference is that the academic pathway requires internship experience, and the professional pathway requires experience hours.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Demonstrate entry-level knowledge of the therapeutic recreation profession in history, theory, philosophy, and sciences and the scope and practices of recreation therapy/therapeutic recreation across diverse delivery systems.
  • Demonstrate the ability to assess, plan, implement, document, and evaluate therapeutic recreation services that facilitate targeted outcomes, and that embrace personal and cultural dimensions of diversity (including international application of recreational therapy).
  • Demonstrate entry-level knowledge and competence of the theories, principles, and practices of management/administration of therapeutic recreation services.

Academic Pathway Students

  • Demonstrate, through an internship consistent with NCTRC requirements for completed hours and weeks (or state requirements if more stringent), the sustained ability to apply the therapeutic recreation process, engage in advocacy, stimulate innovation, and use diverse and structured ways of thinking to solve problems related to different facets of professional practice.


The proposed certificate will meet established international competencies including Assessment, Intervention and Program Planning, Implementation, Documentation, Evaluation, Communication, Ethics, Professionalism, and Client-centered care.

Competencies further align with the 2023 NCTRC Certification standards:
Knowledge Domain 1: Professionalism
Job Task 1.01: Develop professional relationships.
Job Task 1.02: Maintain professional competencies.
Knowledge Domain 2: Assessment
Job Task 2.01: Conduct the assessment process.
Job Task 2.02: Apply assessment data to plan care.
Knowledge Domain 3: Planning
Job Task 3.01: Develop individualized plan of care.
Job Task 3.02: Design Program Services
Knowledge Domain 4: Implementation
Job Task 4.01: Deliver Program Services
Job Task 4.02: Adhere to risk management protocols.
Knowledge Domain 5: Evaluation and Documentation
Job Task 5.01: Document client progress
Job Task 5.02: Document program and client incident
Knowledge Domain 6: Administration
Job Task 6.01: Maintain department documentation.
Job Task 6.02: Assign and monitor personnel.

Graduate Admission Information

  • The NAU graduate online application is required for all programs. Admission to many graduate programs is on a competitive basis, and programs may have higher standards than those established by the Graduate College.

    Admission requirements include the following:

    • Transcripts.
    • Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale ("A" = 4.0), or the equivalent.


    Visit the NAU Graduate Admissions website for additional information about graduate school application deadlines, eligibility for study, and admissions policies.

    Ready to apply? Begin your application now.

    International applicants have additional admission requirements. Please see the International Graduate Admissions Policy.

Certificate Requirements

  • Take the following 18 - 21 units:

    • PRM 502, PRM 503, PRM 504, PRM 505, PRM 506, PRM 507 (18 units)
    • Students are required to complete 40 hours of fieldwork, with consultation of the advisor. This may be through paid or unpaid work experiences, through additional field experiences in courses, or by completing one of the following courses (0-3 units):

    • *Students who are pursuing the academic pathway to the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) are required to complete the PRM 608 course with a minimum of 14 weeks, 560 hours of internship.

    • Students pursuing certification with the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) are strongly encouraged to complete the following courses prior to enrollment or during the completion of the Graduate Certificate in Recreational Therapy. Consult with the PRM Program Coordinator for details.

      • Anatomy and Physiology (BIO 201)
      • Abnormal Psychology (PSY 215)
      • A course covering human growth and development across the lifespan. (PSY 240/EPS 580)
      • Additionally, 9 units in Social Sciences and Humanities are required and have likely been completed through the student’s general education through their baccalaureate degree.

    • This certificate may be pursued and completed concurrently with a degree program or as a stand-alone certificate. Federal financial aid cannot be used if the certificate is completed as a stand-alone certificate.

    • Be aware that some courses may have prerequisites that you must also successfully complete. For prerequisite information, click on the course or see your advisor.