The Recreation Therapy Practicum program offers three distinct practicum experiences over two years of study. Each student will graduate with 500 hours of practical experience in the recreation therapy field. The Recreation Therapy practicum program offers the highest number of practical hours compared to all other College recreation therapy programs in Ontario.
| Practicum | Semester | Days a Week | Hours per Week | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Winter (January to April) | Mondays |
8 hours x 10 weeks |
80 |
| 2 | Fall (September to December) | Thursdays and Fridays | 14 hours x 10 weeks or 35 hours x 4 weeks |
140 |
| 3 | Winter (January to April) | Thursdays and Fridays | 16 hours x 10 weeks plus Fulltime x 3 weeks |
280 |
Community Partners
The Recreation Therapy program has partnerships with over 400 community agencies, locally, throughout Ontario, and across Canada.
Recreation Therapy is practiced in diverse settings, including Hospitals, Long Term Care, Retirement, Day Programs (Seniors and Persons with Disabilities), Children’s Health Centres, and Residential and Community Programs.
Students will participate in an Agency Selection process to select their top three choices for placement. Students will complete an agency interview which determines the successful candidate. All students must complete the preplacement immunization and coursework listed below under practicum requirements.
Practicum Requirements
Vulnerable Sector Check (VSC)
Students must complete a vulnerable sector police clearance check to meet agency screening guidelines. Students must complete the VSC for each new agency experience through the 2-year program.
Immunization Requirements
Students must submit documentation of MMR, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, Varicella (Chicken Pox), Hepatitis B, and Tuberculin Skin Tests before participating in the first practicum experience. We encourage students to begin this process early (upon the student’s acceptance of the recreation therapy program). The field placement specialist, Naritta Divjak, will email all new students with directions on how to find the immunization forms. It is best to have the immunizations complete before starting the program. For more information or questions on this process, please email naritta.divjak [at] mohawkcollege.ca (naritta[dot]divjak[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca)
Pre-placement Course Work
All placement students must complete pre-placement courses, including Fire, WHIMIS, AODA, Workplace Harassment and Workplace Violence, and Worker Health and Safety.
Covid-19 Vaccine
Healthcare and community agencies require complete Covid-19 vaccination. Please note all recreation therapy placements are in healthcare and community settings.
Contact Us
If you have any questions at all, feel free to contact us.
Tracy Hopkins
Practicum Co-ordinator
905 575-1212 ext. 3518
tracy.hopkins [at] mohawkcollege.ca (tracy[dot]hopkins[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca)
Naritta Divjak
Field Placement Specialist
905-575-1212 ext. 4240
naritta.divjak [at] mohawkcollege.ca (naritta[dot]divjak[at]mohawkcollege[dot]ca)