Overview

Grand Valley offers a combined degree program in Recreational Therapy (B.S.) and Recreational Therapy (M.S.), designed to help students achieve both undergraduate and graduate degrees in an accelerated timeframe. This program prepares students to meet the increasingly complex needs for research and evidence-based practice in recreational therapy, supporting the work of clinicians and advancing recognition of the field. Qualified undergraduates can apply during their first year of undergraduate coursework and complete both degrees, reducing the overall cost and time required.

The course topics in this program cover essential subjects for recreational therapy professionals. Students will study trends and issues in recreational therapy, management in recreational therapy, and research and evaluation in recreational therapy. The curriculum includes hands-on learning in state-of-the-art facilities, collaboration with faculty on research projects, and courses that count towards both the B.S. and M.S. degrees. This comprehensive approach ensures students are well-equipped to handle current and future challenges in recreational therapy.

The program is the only recreational therapy master's program in Michigan and the first in the United States designed as an advanced-practice program. Located in the state-of-the-art Raleigh J. Finkelstein Hall, the program provides unique classroom and lab spaces, including adventure therapy courses and adaptive sports courts. Graduates enter a satisfying helping profession that assists people with disabilities to be more independent and achieve a higher quality of life, changing lives through transformative and innovative application of recreation and leisure.

Admission Information

To be admitted to the combined program, students must have junior or senior status and already be accepted into the GVSU recreational therapy undergraduate program. Visit the online catalog for information about the admission requirements for the combined bachelor of science and master of science in recreational therapy.