Recreational Therapy

Highlights

Occupational Therapy Option

Occupational therapists (OT) help people of all ages who have physical, sensory or cognitive challenges. In the recreational therapy: occupational therapy option, students complete the required prerequisite courses to apply for occupational therapy graduate programs while also preparing to work directly with patients in health care settings.

Warm Water Therapy

Each semester, students gain practical experience by participating in OSU’s Warm Water Therapy Lab at Stillwater Medical Center. Student therapists provide therapy to children with behavior, physical and psychiatric diagnoses and disabilities through assessment, development of a treatment plan, delivery of interventions as part of the treatment plan and evaluation of progress. This is the first of three clinical rotations required for the recreational therapy program.

Internship Experiences

Our students complete two internships totaling 1,000 hours under the direction of a nationally credentialed and state licensed recreational therapist. During their junior and senior year, students work closely with site recreational therapists to conduct assessments, develop treatment plans, deliver interventions and report during treatment team meetings. Internship sites may include behavioral health or psychiatric treatment facilities, physical rehabilitation facilities, home-health settings, public schools, private practice or community-based facilities.

Student Perspective

“My internship allowed me to practice recreational therapy in a variety of leisure activities. Treating patients through activities like painting, pottery and aquatics let me apply classroom knowledge to real care.”

- Taylor Church
Recreational Therapy student

College of Education and Human Sciences

Student support

Scholarships