The Lambton College Therapeutic Recreation, Ontario College Graduate Certificate program prepares graduates to work with people who have physical, mental, emotional, cognitive or social limitations that may affect their attitudes, ability and motivation
to participate in leisure and maintain healthy, balanced lifestyles. Recreation Therapists address patients’ barriers to independent, meaningful social contact, and community participation.
Graduates work in a variety of settings such as hospitals and related urgent and community care facilities, long term care and assisted living residences, rehabilitation hospitals and clinics, day programs and outpatient services, private community-based
agencies. The program is designed to enable graduates to work towards the Therapeutic Recreation Ontario’s (TRO) Registration Credential (R/TRO DIP).
Please Note: This program has specific placement requirements - review requirements before leaving your home country.
This Lambton College program is licensed to and delivered by Queen's College (PDF), a licensed private career college in Mississauga, Ontario. Students that are registered at Lambton in Mississauga are students of a public college and as such, will receive full
credit from Lambton College for all Lambton College courses completed at the Queen's College campus in Mississauga. Students who meet program graduation requirements will graduate with a credential from Lambton College. Students may be scheduled to have classes on Saturdays.
Fall 2023 Delivery Format
Term 1 classes will be delivered in person and students will be required to be on campus for the duration of the term. The 2023 Fall term begins on September 6. However, to allow for travel delays, classes will be remote until September 16. Students must be on campus to join in-person classes starting September 18, 2023.
See Course List
Admission Requirements
A university degree in a health-related or human services field.
The admissions process is competitive and meeting the minimum academic requirements does not guarantee admission.
Lambton College reserves the right to alter information including admission requirements and to cancel at any time a program or course; to change the location and/or term in which a program or course is offered; to change the program curriculum as necessary
to meet current competencies or changes in the job market; to change the pathways third-party certification bodies; or to withdraw an offer of admission both prior to and after its acceptance by an applicant or student because of insufficient applications
or registrations or over-acceptance of offers of admission. In the event Lambton College exercises such a right, Lambton College’s sole liability will be the return of monies paid by the applicant or student to Lambton College.
English Language Requirements
Applicants must demonstrate language proficiency by submitting one of the following scores:
- IELTS of 6.5
- TOEFL iBT 79
- Passed Lambton Institute of English placement test
Please Note: IELTS is the only proficiency score accepted by the Study Direct Stream (SDS) program. Additional country-specific requirements may also be applicable.
Meeting the minimum English requirements does not guarantee admission. Students with higher English proficiency scores will receive priority in the admission assessment process.
Technology Requirements
In order to keep pace with the requirements of each and every course in your program, it is mandatory to own a reliable laptop to complete tests and assignments.
Course List
COM-3013: Professional Communications
This course is designed for international students with diplomas or degrees. It focuses on polishing communications skills acquired through one's academic career and workplace experience. Through various business writing and speaking scenarios, students learn Canadian business practices and communication styles. Close attention is paid to proper incorporation of the intellectual property of others to ensure academic integrity. Students will practice organized and dynamic speaking and will strive for polished business documents.
HLT-1213: Introduction to Canadian Healthcare
In our increasingly complex world there is a growing awareness that health care delivery is in a crisis situation. In order to make the best decisions, health care professionals must be aware of how our health care system works, where it has come from, the future of health care, and where health professionals fit within the bigger picture. This course is designed to introduce the student to these concepts by examining the interrelationships between the interrelationships between the individual, community and international health care. Also covered in this course is, the role stress plays in health, alternative and complementary health care, as well as personal and professional ethics, attitudes, and values.
TRE-1033: Foundations of Therapeutic Recreation
This course provides an in-depth study of the scope of therapeutic recreation. Students study the historical and philosophical foundations of the professions. The role of therapeutic recreation professionals in the spectrum of health care and human service settings serving clients with a variety of disabilities is explored. A review of the various definitions used by each of the professional TR organizations, a variety of service models of practice as well as the Therapeutic Recreation process is introduced. Students develop an appreciation of the needs of people with different abilities and the barriers to recreation that they face. There is also a focus on approaches to integration within the community and the issues related to this profession. Students are introduced to ethics in the profession of Therapeutic Recreation.
TRE-1203: Ethics and Values for the Recreational Therapist
This course is an introduction to the study of philosophy and ethics, and their application to the profession of recreation therapy. Students will evaluate a variety of ethical theories and concepts, as well as the competing ways in which these can be employed to resolve moral issues, in order to develop an ethical foundation for professional practice. Students will learn about ethical theories, including deontology and consequentialism, virtue theory, rights theory and ethical relativism. Finally, the application of such theories to ethical problems specific to professional practice. Issues such as client autonomy, rights and obligations, informed consent, notions of well-being, sexuality, conflict of values, truthfulness and fairness will be examined. Students will have the opportunity to develop decision making, judgment, and personal value positions that form the basis for the examination of professional conduct and personal accountability.
PSY-1053: Human Relations
This course provides a forum for enhancing students' abilities and understanding of the value to human social interaction through communication and connection. This course places a strong emphasis on applied learning in the context of communicating with others, recognizing that personal development evolves from social interaction. Course topics include the study of emotion-focused brain functionality, self-understanding and awareness, understanding the importance of perception skills in relationships, developing strong verbal and nonverbal communication skills, recognizing prosocial leadership skills, understanding and establishing healthy team dynamics, and addressing conflicts in relationships.
HGD-1053: Introduction to Community Mental Health
Effective practitioners begin their work with an understanding of how individuals think, feel, and behave. Included in this knowledge must be the contextual factors that impact wellness, including the following: personal challenges, relationships, environmental stressors, and diversity needs. The goal of this course is to provide future front-line workers with practical examples of how a mental health concern might develop and how they might respond. Examination of the biological and sociocultural determinants of addictions and mental illness, treatment options, and community resources that can be leveraged to enhance wellbeing are the key components of this course. Students will not only apply theory and diagnostic criteria to a presenting problem, but they will also become responsive to the grey areas that are unique to a person's situation.
TRE-1003: Therapeutic Recreation Support Networks and Community Resources
This course will define formal and informal support networks essential to client adjustment and successful social recreation participation. Students will become familiar with community resources and learn how Therapeutic Recreation professionals facilitate education and guided transition to increase access.
TRE-2053: Therapeutic Recreation Practice and Professional Portfolio
This course will provide students with a sound understanding of professional and ethical considerations related to therapeutic recreation practice in the province of Ontario. Students will examine current trends and critical issues in the field of therapeutic recreation including the role of various professional organizations, professional standards and the process of professionalization. Students will acquire the foundational knowledge and skills required to pursue internship opportunities in the field of therapeutic recreation, and will begin the process of developing a professional portfolio of learning and experiences which demonstrates essential abilities of a competent practitioner. Students will examine their role in advancing the profession and identify goals and objectives for their ongoing professional development.
LHC-1074: Patient & Family Centered Care
Patient and Family-Centered Care (PFCC) is an approach to the planning, delivery and evaluation of healthcare based on mutually beneficial partnerships among patients, families and health care professionals. These partnerships occur at the clinical, program, organizational and policy levels to assure the quality and safety of health care delivery. This course focuses on effective leadership strategies to advance the practice of patient and family-centred care within healthcare organizations.
LHC-1083: Patient Safety
Ensuring patient safety and healthcare quality is critical to everyone in healthcare practice. This course provides healthcare professionals with the knowledge, skill and systems thinking needed to lead the implementation of effective quality and patient safety programs. Learners will examine evidence informed, best practices and elements needed to create a culture of safety and one that engages patients in patient safety. Topics also focus on concepts of human factors, technology, medical errors and the standards and organizational practices which govern quality, safety and risk management in health care today.
TRE-2043: Research in Therapeutic Recreation
This course will introduce the student to the research process with a focus on types of research, data collection, and analysis. Needs and issues surrounding research in the field of therapeutic recreation will be explored and consideration will be given to the reasoning underlying the research process. Students will gain an understanding of the importance of a self-reflective practice and the importance of conducting basic research in their professional careers.
TRE-2113: Current Concepts in Health and Wellness
This course deals with health promotion strategies needed to make healthy, rational, lifestyle choices, to maintain or improve health and how to approach personal change. Students require an understanding of the bio - psycho -social processes to keep well and knowledge of the interventions that will encourage wellness, promote activity, energy and life, even empowerment. Students will also explore the philosophy of holistic health.
TRE-2023: Adapted Recreation and Program Planning in Therapeutic Recreation
The focus of this course will be on understanding the importance of developing inclusive recreation programs and assisting clients to access activities through adaptive strategies and resources. Students will learn how to conduct activity and task analyses using a systematic approach and will source equipment and opportunities for individuals with a diverse array of interests and needs. Students will have the opportunity to facilitate, participate in, and evaluate a diverse range of adapted activities.
TRE-3013: Diverse Abilities in Therapeutic Recreation
This course examines a diverse range of conditions that may result in limitations with varying degrees of severity that have the potential to impact many different areas of life. There will be a focus on the abilities, limitations and characteristics of conditions and their relationship to the five domains of therapeutic recreation and quality of life. Person First language will be introduced to promote a positive attitude toward people with disabilities which will foster an individual, not a categorical, approach to understanding and working with people with disabilities. Legislation supporting persons living with diverse abilities will also be discussed.
TRE-3303: Leisure and Aging
Students will develop their knowledge of various issues related to aging including the aging process, theories on aging, ageism, implications of an aging Canadian society, and the role of recreational and leisure activity in the successful aging process. Included in this will be an exploration of various physical and cognitive ailments and disease processes commonly found in the elderly. With this knowledge, students will develop a variety of recreational and leisure programs that focus on physical, cognitive, and psychosocial elements.
TRE-2003: Leisure Education and Counselling in Therapeutic Recreation
This course will explore the role of leisure education in assisting individuals and groups in leading a fulfilling leisure lifestyle. This course will also introduce students to counselling tools, techniques and strategies common to leisure education. Students will gain an understanding of the practical and theoretical aspects of lifespan development while studying barriers that impact leisure participation. Students will be given the opportunity to apply this theory by developing leisure awareness activities and interventions for individuals and groups in a variety of settings with a focus on therapeutic recreation.
TRE-2013: Therapeutic Recreation Assessment
This course focuses on the role of assessment in the design, delivery and evaluation of therapeutic recreation services for diverse populations. Students will have the opportunity to examine, evaluate and apply a variety of therapeutic recreation assessment tools and techniques. This course provides the student with the knowledge and skills necessary to write therapeutic goals and objectives and to develop individual and group programming based on research. This course will also provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to demonstrate empathic interpersonal communication skills and to recognize professional and ethical considerations associated with the administration and documentation of assessments.
TRE-2033: Therapeutic Recreation Leadership
This course will provide the student with an in-depth introduction to recreation leadership theory and techniques. Students will examine the diverse leadership roles and responsibilities of therapeutic recreation professionals as group leaders, supervisors and administrators. This course will also emphasize the understanding of group dynamics, motivation, and managing conflict. This highly interactive course will enable students to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to be effective leaders in diverse settings.
FPP-3011: Field Placement Seminar
This course prepares students for CPL-4008 or FPP 1008 Field Placement in Term 4. Students will examine the importance of a positive attitude, and identify their strengths and areas for growth in preparation for field placement hours. They will reflect on previous experiences and begin identifying potential career opportunities in the field of recreation therapy. The seminar integrates the program's academic content with the practical experiences of the student. Students will have the opportunity to reflect on professional practice and discuss the application of theory and knowledge in the field of recreation therapy.
CPL-4008: Post Graduate Field Placement
This field placement is designed to consolidate all of the academic learning presented during the course of the program. Students will demonstrate competence in all of the Standards of Practice associated with the field of recreation therapy. Students will have the opportunity to integrate theory and philosophy with professional practice. During placement, students will demonstrate knowledge of the therapeutic recreation process. This will include performing an activity analysis and adaptation as required. Students will establish effective working relationships with other disciplines as they work within agencies which offer recreation therapy services.
Please Note: Field Placements are unpaid opportunities for students to gain valuable work experiences.
Program Maps
Current Students
Current students can view program maps from previous years on the mylambton website.
You will need to login with your C# and password in order to access your program map.
Employment Opportunities
Recreation Therapists may work in health care settings, private homes, community facilities or outdoor environments. In some settings, they work shifts that include evenings and weekends.
Career positions may include, but are not limited to: recreation therapists, movement therapists, and rehabilitation services practitioners.