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Online Recreation Therapy

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

The University of Toledo is the only institution in Ohio where you can earn a bachelor’s degree in recreation therapy.

The University of Toledo is the only institution in Ohio where you can earn a bachelor’s degree in recreation therapy.

Online Recreation Therapy Bachelor's Degree Overview

The University of Toledo offers the only accredited recreation therapy program in Ohio.

Complete your bachelor’s degree entirely online.

Graduate job-ready, with more than 800 hours of real-world experience. You can complete those hours wherever you live. Clinical experiences are available all over the country.

Our job placement rate is well above 90%. Our passage rate on the national certification exam is well above the national average. 

Recreation therapists design and implement treatment programs and recreation services to help people with illnesses or disabling conditions live healthier, more satisfying and independent lives. They assess and work with people who have mental, physical and emotional disabilities. 

Recreation therapy majors in our bachelor’s degree program:

  • Explore the therapeutic value of recreation and leisure activities to assist individuals with disabilities and enhance the quality of their lives.
  • Learn a variety of techniques (such as adapting sports equipment or activities) and modalities (such as therapeutic arts) to help patients lead active lives.
  • Assist individuals through remediation and rehabilitation to improve functional abilities.
  • Have opportunities to work with patients who have a wide variety of disabilities. They complete patient assessments, plan and implement programs, and evaluate patient progress and program effectiveness.

Recreation therapy is a four-year program. In your first two years, you complete prerequisites and introductory recreation therapy courses.

In your sophomore year, you apply for admittance into the two-year “professional sequence” of the program. Admission is competitive. In this portion of the program, you complete upper-level recreation therapy classes and gain professional clinical experience through internships.

University of Toledo undergraduates must complete one or more of the following tracks:

  1. Pre-occupational therapy
  2. Therapeutic arts
  3. Geriatric
  4. Pediatric
  5. Communication
  6. General (created with faculty or student services advisor)

If you’ve already begun course work for a bachelor’s degree or have an associate’s degree in a related field, you also may be able to complete your degree in our recreation therapy program.

To discuss this option, contact 419.530.8888 or OnlineAdmissions@utoledo.edu.

Online Recreation Therapy Bachelor's Degree Highlights

  • Flexibility and convenience. Learn from the same world-class faculty members who teach on campus.
  • Online resources and support. We are there for you, offering support via live chat, email or phone. UT Online offers tech support, as well as access to eLibrary and eTutoring
  • The only accredited recreation therapy program in Ohio. Our program has been accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Park, Recreation, Tourism and Related Professions since 1990.
  • Unique undergrad clinical experiences. Not many schools require recreation therapy majors to work in the field. Our students complete 810 hours of professional experience — including five 50-hour clinical rotations with various populations — at premier healthcare or community facilities around the country.
  • Job placement rate as high as 98%. Our graduates are job-ready.
  • Above-average pass rate for certification exam. UToledo students are well-prepared for the Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists exam. Some agencies and facilities require this certification for employment. 

Career Opportunities

Our recreation therapy program has a 98% job placement rate. Graduates find rewarding opportunities in the growing field of home healthcare and in:

Physical rehabilitation Pediatric services
Psychiatric rehabilitation Community recreation/camps for individuals with disabilities
Geriatric services Centers for developmental disabilities 


Many UToledo students also go on to graduate school. They have been admitted to:

University of North Carolina Clemson University
George Washington University Indiana University
The University of Toledo University of Wisconsin
University of Maryland School of Medicine Cleveland State University
The Ohio State University  Chicago State University

Professional Licensure Information

Our Alumni

“After applying to UToledo, I couldn’t believe that I could combine all my interests for the outdoors, sports, music, cooking, journaling and reading into a career of helping others achieve their holistic well-being. From my freshmen year through my senior year, I was able to see connections between my courses each semester and grew increasingly confident in my skills. With clinical experiences in every population, I was able to transfer the skills I was gaining in class to work with people of all ages and ability levels. In my final internship, I designed and facilitated programming to combat the depression and anxiety my residents experienced during the pandemic.”
Kortny Overhiser, CTRS , '20


"The University of Toledo Recreation Therapy program is an outstanding program to prepare you to become a recreation therapist. The professors’ passion for the field radiates in classes. When I was in my internship, I felt like I was ahead of most internship students because of the education I received."
Logan Ross, CTRS,  '18,  '19


Online Recreation Therapy Bachelor's Degree Plan of Study

Recreation Therapy Bachelor’s Degree Sample Courses

Programming in Recreation Therapy Outdoor Leadership in RT
Intervention: Animal Assisted Therapy Clinical: Intellectual Deficit/Development Disability
Intervention: Relaxation and Stress Management Medical and Clinical Aspects of RT
Intervention: Aquatic Therapy  

View Plan of Study

Want More Information?


Online Recreation Therapy Bachelor's Degree

4-year program

Program Availability

 100% Online
On Campus

Program Quick Links

View Admission Requirements
Recreation Therapy
College of Health and Human Services
Apply Now

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Transfer Students

Military Personnel


Scholarship Opportunities

The University of Toledo is on a mission to make college affordable for everyone. Use our search tool to find scholarships you qualify for.

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OUT-OF-STATE TUITION DISCOUNT RATE

This 100% online degree program qualifies non-Ohio residents to pay in-state tuition rates with a $5 per credit hour surcharge.

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Last Updated: 3/21/2023