First-year courses and beyond
September to December
- REC 100 – Introduction to the Study of Recreation and Leisure
- REC 101 – Introduction to Recreation and Leisure Services
- REC 120 – Experience Design and Delivery
- Learn about the overnight REC 120 retreat
- PSYCH 101 – Introductory Psychology
- HEALTH 107 – Sociology of Activity, Health, and Well-being
January to April
- REC 151 – Foundations of Therapeutic Recreation Practice
- HEALTH 150 – Foundations of Human Anatomy and Physiology
- Three electives
This is a sample schedule. Courses or when a course is offered may change depending on availability.
After first year
About half of the classes you’ll take will be Recreation and Leisure Studies courses. With your remaining classes, you can choose electives from many of the 100 subject areas at Waterloo.
You'll take REC 450, a mandatory 560-hour internship, where you get to practice what you're learning in the real world.
View all the courses required for your degree.
Sample upper-year courses
REC 251 – Therapeutic Recreation: Developmental and Emotional DisabilitiesREC 252 – Therapeutic Recreation: Physical Disabilities
REC 253 – Practicum in Therapeutic Recreation
REC 405 – Leisure and Well-being
Advisors are here to help
Once you're a Waterloo student, you'll have access to academic advisors who can help you
- choose your courses,
- select minors and specializations,
- ensure that you're meeting the requirements for your degree, and more.
With so much flexibility, you might have a lot of questions. We're here to help! If you're applying for admission, contact our Faculty of Health recruitment co-ordinator.
Next steps
- Overview of Waterloo's Therapeutic Recreation degree program.
- Download a Faculty of Health brochure.