This program is not a degree program, but a set of courses offered to individuals who have a degree in a related field or who are presently working toward a degree in a related field. Please visit nctrc.org to learn about the additional requirements that must be met to be eligible to sit for the national certification exam.
All Recreational Therapy online courses have been temporarily suspended. Please check back regularly for updates.
Recreational Therapy (RT) services contribute to the broad spectrum of health care through treatment, education, and the provision of adapted recreational opportunities--all of which are instrumental to improving and maintaining physical, cognitive, emotional, and social functioning, preventing secondary health conditions, enhancing independent living skills and overall quality of life. RT is provided by professionals who are trained and certified, registered and/or licensed to provide RT services.
What We Offer
We offer eighteen credit RT courses required to sit for the national certification exam to become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). Supportive courses in anatomy and physiology, abnormal psychology, and human growth and development are also required for certification. Before the student will be eligible for certification he or she will need to work under a CTRS for one year. For more information on becoming a CTRS, visit the The National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) web site.
The Opportunities
With certification in RT, a practitioner can work in a variety of agencies and organizations. The possibilities include acute care hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, psychiatric hospitals, community recreation centers, pediatric hospitals, group homes, senior centers, community health centers, public and private schools, correctional facilities and private practice. Services are provided for individuals with a variety of disabilities, illnesses and chronic conditions. Individuals of all ages benefit from services provided by certified therapeutic recreation specialists (CTRS'). Florida International University offers Bachelor and Masters of Science degrees in Parks and Recreation Management with tracks in Recreational Therapy, and online courses in Recreational Therapy required to sit for the national certification exam to become a Certified Therapeutic Specialist (CTRS).
For more information on careers in Recreational Therapy, visit:
 The Recreational Therapy Professional
U.S. Department of Labor: Recreation Therapist
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The Recreational Therapy courses require you to only complete 18 of the credit hours of coursework in Recreational Therapy required to sit for the national certification exam to become a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). Also, after completion of all 6 courses (18 credit hours) you will receive an FIU document of completion.
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Please note that the 3 additional supportive courses in Anatomy, Abnormal Psychology, and Human Growth and Development are required only for the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification ( NCTRC ). Therefore, you may separately register for them. If interested, FIU Online offers all three online. For more information visit the FIU Online Course Catalog.
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Admissions Information (click to collapse)
The Recreational Therapy Online Courses admission requirements include:
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Please note that you do not have to be a non-degree seeking student to enroll in these courses. If you are already an FIU student you may enroll in any of the 6 Recreational Therapy courses for credit towards your major or as an elective.
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Application to the Florida International University Non-Degree Seeking Online Learning program, and satisfaction of all applicable University admission requirements (See Instructions Below).
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Graduation from a baccalaureate level program or a graduate degree program from an accredited college or university, documented by official transcripts.
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Minimum score of 550 on TOEFL for international students who speak English as a second language.
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Mail the form to the following address:
Office of The Registrar
Florida International University
Miami , FL 33199
The form may be FAX'ed to: (305) 348-2941
**Ensure copies of all required paperwork are mailed or FAX'ed along with the Application Form. Not submitting all of the required documents will delay processing time.
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Two weeks after you have FAX'ed or mailed in a completed Non-Degree Seeking Student Application Form, you may contact FIU's Office of the Registrar to obtain your pin number by using the Registrar's Live Chat, send them an email at register@fiu.edu, or call them at 305-348-2320. To obtain your Panther ID (student number) please click here to look it up.
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Once you have obtained your pin number, you may register for online courses through the PantherSoft website.
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Courses Plan
Eighteen (18) credits of coursework are required to complete the Recreational Therapy Online Courses.
Required Courses (18 Total Credits)
Course Number |
Course Title |
Credits |
Term |
LEI 3703 |
Introduction to Recreational Therapy |
3 |
TBA |
LEI 3707 |
Inclusive Recreation Services |
3 |
TBA |
LEI 3724 |
Recreational Therapy Facilitation Techniques |
3 |
TBA |
LEI 4705 |
Program Planning in Recreational Therapy |
3 |
TBA |
LEI 4711 |
Assessment, Planning and Documentation in Recreational Therapy |
3 |
TBA |
LEI 4720 |
Problems, Concepts, Issues and Trends in Recreational Therapy |
3 |
TBA |
Tuition and Fees
Please click here to view our current tuition and fees for this semester.
More Information
To learn more about the Recreational Therapy Online Courses or to get answers to any questions you might have, please email Dr. McKenney at mckenney@fiu.edu. |
