Therapeutic Recreation Management

The Therapeutic Recreation Management program is based on the philosophy that recreation and leisure experiences are essential to the physical, emotional, psychological, and social development of all individuals. The program’s purpose is based on the definition of therapeutic recreation by the National Therapeutic Recreation Society (NTRS). Springfield College offers a Therapeutic Recreation Management program at the bachelor’s and master’s degree levels. The programs are designed to prepare entry-level, supervisory, and administrative personnel for the field of therapeutic recreation management. The program is competency-based in design and follows the guidelines published by the National Recreation and Parks Association (NRPA) and the NTRS. The program embraces the current NTRS vision statement and the curriculum educates students who will ensure that individuals with disabilities or limitations are afforded leisure experiences that enhance their physical, social, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual abilities.

The Therapeutic Recreation Management program emphasizes and provides a variety of skills in clinical and nonclinical settings. Such settings include medical/surgical/psychiatric hospitals, senior centers, child-life programs, mental health agencies, shelter workshops, vocational training centers, correctional facilities and long-term care facilities and nursing homes serving persons with a variety of biopsychosocial disabilities. In addition to the clinical settings in Therapeutic Recreation, the Springfield College program is a leader in Community Based Therapeutic Recreation.

Graduates of Springfield College’s Therapeutic Recreation Management program have completed the educational requirements to be certified by the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS). A Therapeutic Recreation/Child-Life Specialist concentration is available in the department of Sport Management and Recreation.

A child-life specialist works in health care settings focusing on the emotional and developmental needs of children. Through the use of play and other forms of communication, the specialist seeks to reduce the stress of health care and enable children and families to cope with these experiences. The child-life specialist is a member of the interdisciplinary team for assessment, treatment, and evaluation working generally in hospital settings.

Students who complete the Therapeutic Recreation Management requirements have completed the educational requirement for certification by the NCTRC. Students who complete the Child-Life Specialist concentration are eligible for certification through the Association for Care of Children in Hospitals (ACCH). Students should be aware that in order to follow the child-life specialist concentration they must complete requirements of the Therapeutic Recreation Management program. The Child-Life Specialist concentration is not available as a separate program.

Sport Management and Recreation

Springfield College’s philosophy of humanics has been the impetus behind the development of the philosophy, art, and skill in the recreative use of leisure and management of sport for over a century. At the turn of the century, a pioneer in the American sport and recreation movement named Luther Gulick envisioned a world in which sport and recreational activities are available to everyone.

Today, career opportunities abound in the fields of sport management and recreation. The Gross National Sports & Recreation Product represents a multi billion dollar industry. Opportunities for college graduates with sport management education and experience abound. Likewise, the recreation industry recognizes the need for well-prepared, knowledgeable individuals to create and manage high quality youth and community agencies, resorts, health clubs, private recreation businesses, armed forces, school, college and government recreation and fitness programs. One of the twenty faster-growing occupations in the United States is recreation management.

The graduate programs in the Department of Sports Management and Recreation provides preparation for sports management and recreation professionals in leadership, supervisory, and management positions.

Springfield College offers graduate programs in:

Outdoor Recreation Management
Recreation Management
Sport Management
Therapeutic Recreation Management

Contact Person(s):
Dr. Matthew Pantera, III, CPRP
Associate Professor and Chair
E-Mail: mpantera@spfldcol.edu

Dr. Donald R. Snyder, CTRS
Professor and Graduate Coordinator
E-Mail: dsnyder@spfldcol.edu

Sport Management and Recreation Department
Tel. (413) 748-3693, (413) 748-3749, (413) 748-3272
Fax: (413) 748-3685

Therapeutic Recreation Management

Prerequisite Requirements

BIOL 130: Anatomy and Physiology I Credits: 3 s.h.
BIOL 132: Anatomy and Physiology I Lab Credits: 1 s.h.
SMRT 253: Processes and Techniques in Therapeutic Recreation Credits: 3 s.h.
SMRT 272: Introduction to Therapeutic Recreation Credits: 3 s.h.
PSYC 109: Human Development Credits: 3 s.h.
PSYC 221: Abnormal Psychology Credits: 3 s.h.
SMRT 405: History and Philosophy of Leisure and Recreation Credits: 3 s.h.
(if not Recreation UG)

Child Life Specialist Certification

* Successful completion of the Master’s Comprehensive Examination is required with this option. This is to be taken after all courses above are completed and the student has a GPA of 3.0 at the beginning of the semester in which the Comprehensive Exam is given. No academic credit is given for the examination. A minimum of 38 graduate credit hours is required for a master of education degree for students who choose the Comprehensive Examination option. A minimum of 45 graduate credit is required for students who chose to write a thesis.

** Developmental Psychology is required or Psychology of Human Development Across the Life Span is required for the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC).

Candidates are eligible for the M.Ed., or M.S. Degree in accordance with Plans A or B (p.14).

Any exception to this program must be documented by a program change form and signed by the Sport Management and Recreation Graduate Coordinator.