As society increasingly embraces a holistic approach to health, recreation has emerged at the critical intersection of personal wellness and community well-being.
To meet the growing demand for skilled professionals in recreation fields, Brock University and Mohawk College have signed two transfer pathway agreements to deliver flexible options for students to pursue either a Bachelor of Therapeutic Recreation or Bachelor of Recreation and Leisure Studies.
The articulation agreements set students on a direct track from Mohawk College's two-year Recreation Therapy and 16-month Accelerated stream programs to either Brock program. Eligible students will receive a block of seven transfer credits, fast tracking them toward their 20-credit degree.
By embedding courses such as Leisure Education in Therapeutic Recreation in a broader recreation and leisure studies framework, Brock's programs equip graduates with in-demand skills, professional experience and industry-recognized credentials. Career paths range from clinical practice in hospitals and long-term care facilities to community-based roles where recreation and leisure contribute to physical, social and emotional well-being.
"The pathways are a game-changer for students," says Tim O'Connell, Professor and Chair of Recreation and Leisure Studies at Brock. "They not only gain advanced standing in their degree but increase their career readiness by graduating with an essential credential employers are looking for in hospitals, long-term care facilities and treatment centres."
In addition to clinical practice, students complete a 560-hour supervised internship, benefit from access to an extensive alumni network and have options to pursue an honours thesis.
The Therapeutic Recreation program also qualifies students to participate in the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification (NCTRC) exam, a credential increasingly sought by employers across Canada and the United States.
These unique features of Brock's undergraduate degree programs prepare students for diverse, impactful roles in the health and social services sector and position them for graduate studies in fields such as counselling and social work.
"The pathways facilitate greater access to education in Therapeutic Recreation and Recreation and Leisure Studies as well as training and industry networks, helping to increase student employability and meet labour market needs," says Panagiota (Nota) Klentrou, Dean of Brock's Faculty of Applied Health Sciences and Professor of Kinesiology.
Janet Shuh, Dean Academic Development, Quality and Excellence at Mohawk, says the new agreements complement others already established between Brock and Mohawk College, further enhancing student mobility and strengthening collaboration between the institutions.
"These new agreements offer significant benefits to students by enabling them to acquire practical, diploma-level competencies in Recreation Therapy and Physical Therapy. Through clearly defined pathways, students earn transfer credits and seamlessly continue their degree-level studies in the closely related fields of recreation and leisure and recreational therapy," Shuh says. "It's a win-win partnership that makes graduates more employable with an expanded skill set."
Anne-Marie DePape, Associate Dean, Allied Health at Mohawk College, emphasizes the importance of collaboration in keeping pace with learning and workforce needs.
"With our rapidly aging population and increasing interest in health promotion, there has never been a better time for students to learn about recreation therapy and ways to use leisure as a tool to help people of all ability levels," DePape says. "I am thrilled to share this partnership opportunity that will allow more learning pathways from our diploma in Recreation Therapy to undergraduate degrees in Recreation and Leisure Studies, and Therapeutic Recreation at Brock University."
