Inclusive Recreation program

Undergrad minor

Recreation is for everyone — make sure everyone is included.

UWL offers an inclusive recreation minor for those who want to be invested in making sure that recreation is inclusive for individuals of all abilities by reducing structural barriers, as well as interpersonal barriers that may exist.

UWL’s Inclusive recreation minor is an excellent complement to fields such as Recreation, Sports Management, Social and Human Services, Psychology, Business and other majors. It provides academic preparation to help professionals who are who are not therapeutic recreation specialists provide inclusive recreation programs.

The inclusive recreation minor is not a comprehensive recreational therapy curriculum and does not lead toward national certification.

What is inclusive recreation?

Those involved in the inclusive recreation field help a community or space adapt so everyone has an equal opportunity to feel welcome, comfortable and develop to their fullest potential. This way the responsibility of adapting is placed on the space or community instead of people with disabilities.

Recreation and leisure is one way people can express who they are. If people encounter barriers in the process of recreating, it is much harder to find their authentic self in that space. If we truly value diversity within a community and everyone’s contributions, then inclusion in these activities needs to be fully embraced.

Careers in inclusive recreation

Studying inclusive recreation is a proactive way to approach your future career, knowing that you will work with a diverse group of people.

Those who say they don’t plan on working with individuals with disabilities in their career will find that they will. One in six adults has a disability. And nearly everyone is likely to experience some form of disability – temporary or permanent – at some point in life, according to the World Health Organization. And to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, public agencies offering recreation programs must accommodate people with disabilities.

By having an inclusion philosophy, students can learn how to develop adaptations to better serve everyone in the community and follow the law.

What distinguishes UWL’s Inclusive Recreation minor?

Curriculum offers strong foundation + flexibility

The minor is housed within UWL's Recreational Therapy program, one of the few programs in the country of this type. The robust program allows students to choose from a wide variety of elective courses to apply to their Inclusive recreation degree from forest therapy to mental health to physical education. Students also receive a strong core foundation in areas of inclusion, recreation, facilitation and design.

Strong program

Recreational Therapy Program has been nationally accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Parks, Recreation, Tourism, and Related Professions (COAPRT) since 1988. It has also earned national recreation from The American Therapeutic Recreation Association and the Academy for Gerontology in Higher Education.

Community volunteer connection

The program has close connections to community volunteer opportunities throughout the year that provide a variety of opportunities for students to engage in adapted sports and leisure activities with community members such as accessible and inclusive camps for youth, adaptive fitness programs, and organizations that exist to enrich the lives of people with and without disabilities.

Conduct research

Many faculty conduct research and provide opportunities for students to join them. Courses have also been established with research and/or community engagement projects.

Join a club

Students can choose from several student organizations related to the minor including The R.E.C. Club, Best Buddies and Therapeutic Recreation Club.

Sample courses

RTH 250 Introduction to Recreational Therapy The course introduces the history, service models, theory/philosophy, social implications, and potentials of recreational therapy practice. Basic skills of a recreational therapist are described and practiced. The need for, use of, and employment opportunities in recreational therapy are examined. Prerequisite: REC 150 or taken concurrently. Offered Fall, Spring.

REC 325 Leisure in a Diverse Society This course explores the increasingly diversified nature of society and its impact on individuals' experiences of leisure. A focus will be placed on the experiences of members of minority populations including issues related to race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, social status, age, and disability. Students will be introduced to factors that influence the experience of leisure and leisure service delivery. Prerequisite: REC major/minor, inclusive recreation minor, or social justice minor. Offered Spring.

RTH 414 Recreational Therapy and Adaptive Sports This course introduces recreational therapists' use of adaptive sports, recreation, and leisure activities for individuals with disabilities to meet treatment goals and improve quality of life. Emphasis is given to the history and rules of a variety of sports, and possible settings where these take place. The examination of each sport includes a focus on its connection to the recreational therapy profession and professional processes used in the field. Hands on experience with a variety of sports are included. This course is taught largely at an undergraduate level. Graduate students will have additional course requirements/expectations. Prerequisite: RTH 319, RTH 352, RTH 376; RTH major; junior standing. Offered Occasionally.