View programs
Ministry-approved title: Recreation Therapy
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.
Through our recreational therapy diploma program, students develop expertise in creating therapeutic interventions that address cognitive, physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs. 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. Graduates gain practical skills in adapting recreation activities for individuals with various limitations and learn evidence-based approaches to enhance recovery and rehabilitation in diverse settings, including hospitals, long-term care facilities, community centres, and rehabilitation programs.
Durham College (DC) offers pre-admission assessment testing to mature domestic applicants to meet admission requirements in English and/or Math. Domestic applicants who 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:
Learn more about Academic Upgrading and connect with our team to get started.
View full costs
View all courses
Recreation therapy opens doors to diverse career paths, helping individuals improve their quality of life through therapeutic leisure activities. Graduates of the recreation therapy diploma program find rewarding opportunities in various healthcare and community settings where they can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.
View all career options
Fill out the form to get more information on your program of interest, upcoming events, and how to become a Durham College student. By submitting your information below, you consent to Durham College contacting you via email and/or SMS with a minimum of 4 messages per month. You may withdraw consent at any time.
Please contact the international office.
The Recreation Therapy program at Durham College equips students with specialized knowledge in therapeutic recreation techniques that can be applied in healthcare facilities, community centers, and rehabilitation settings. Our recreation therapy diploma program provides comprehensive training in the five domains of health — physical, emotional, cognitive, social and spiritual — enabling graduates to design holistic therapeutic interventions. Students gain practical experience through supervised field placement, learning to assess client needs and create recreation therapy programs for various populations and settings.
In classroom settings, students engage with recreation therapy courses covering assessment methodologies, program planning, adaptive activities, and intervention strategies. Coursework includes specialized training in group facilitation techniques, documentation practices, and evaluation methods to measure client progress and program effectiveness.
Students learn to develop therapeutic relationships and communication skills for working with diverse populations, while also studying the theoretical foundations that inform evidence-based recreational therapy practice. The curriculum incorporates hands-on learning opportunities where students practice adapting leisure activities for individuals with various abilities and limitations, preparing them for real-world therapeutic recreation settings.
Graduates with recreation therapist schooling 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. They are prepared to work collaboratively with healthcare teams to improve clients’ quality of life through meaningful leisure activities and structured recreation therapy courses.
The courses listed below are for incoming students. If you are a current student, please refer to your program of study for the year you began your program. Your program of study can be found on MyDC.
Courses, course descriptions and delivery formats are subject to change.
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.
With a Recreation Therapy diploma from Durham College, students are prepared to enter the profession equipped with specialized skills in assessment, intervention planning, and therapeutic program delivery. Graduates with recreational therapist schooling can pursue diverse career paths that combine their passion for helping others with their expertise in therapeutic recreation techniques.
School is an investment in your future, and financial support is available to help you succeed.
DC's Financial Aid and Awards is here to help you access funding and opportunities that make pursuing your education easier and more achievable:
Visit Financial Aid and Awards to explore all the options to help finance your education.
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.
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:
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:
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.
App Store
Google Play