Specific Careers: Part Two, N-Z

Occupational Therapist

Job Description

Overview

Occupational therapists (OTs) work with people with physical, developmental, or emotional problems who need specialized care to live independent, productive, and satisfying lives. In contrast to talking therapies, interventions tend to be action-oriented. For example, for clients with physical disabilities, OTs might teach self-care skills, skills needed for employment, or skills necessary for caring for a home and family. With clients with psychological disorders, the OT program might involve assistance in time management, working productively with others, and leisure time. OTs can be found in a variety of medical settings, including general, rehabilitation, and psychiatric hospitals; nursing homes; community agencies and mental health centers; and home health care agencies.

Typical Job Duties

• Assessing of physical, mental, or emotional deficiencies, especially in patients who have lost function due to illness or injury
• Counseling patients about potential impact of their disabilities on occupational performance or emotional well-being
• Teaching physically disabled patients skills needed to perform the activities of daily life
• Helping patients with emotional disturbances develop coping skills
• Analyzing job task requirements for an injured worker
• Advising employers, family members, or teachers about adapting clients’ work, home, or school environments

Job Outlook

Much faster than average job growth is expected for several reasons: Medical advances have enabled seriously disabled patients in need of rehabilitative services to survive, the U.S. population is aging and many disabling conditions occur frequently in the elderly, and legislation that mandates greater attention to the needs of people with disabilities is now more strongly enforced.

OT is ranked 12th on the BLS list of the 30 fastest growing occupations. It was not studied by the MSU researchers.

Potential Earnings

The average starting salary for new graduates in 1995 was $38,000. The median salary of experienced occupational therapists is estimated to be $45,000.

Professional Degree Required

The entry-level degree for an OT is either a bachelor’s degree in OT or a professional master’s degree in OT. Students attending colleges or universities with no undergraduate OT program would likely opt for the latter route, as this approach allows students with degrees in fields other than OT to gain the knowledge and credentials necessary to enter the field. Master’s degree programs typically require two years of full-time study, including 2-3 summers. This time period includes at least six months of field work experience.

How to Find Programs

Education programs must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). AOTA maintains a list of these programs that it will send for free; the complete list can also be viewed via the AOTA web page.

Entrance Requirements/Admissions

Entrance requirements differ across programs, but programs typically require course work in biology, psychology, and sociology. Frequently-required prerequisite courses (i.e., courses that should be taken as an undergraduate) for master’s programs in OT include anatomy, physiology, life span human development, abnormal psychology, statistics, and family and society. However, schools vary considerably in their requirements, so obtain information from schools of interest as early as possible (e.g., your sophomore or junior year of school) in order to plan your schedule carefully. In addition, schools tend to strongly recommend or require volunteer, internship, or paid work experiences with persons with disabilities (physical or psychological). This experience requirement is not to be taken lightly; at one highly competitive program (UNC-Chapel Hill), admitted students had an average of 598 contact hours of experience with occupational therapy practice.

Admission to OT school is competitive. Master’s programs typically receive over 200 applications per year, while only admitting 20-30 students. Successful applicants tend to have undergraduate GPAs in the 3.2-4.0 range and combined GRE scores of 1100-1200. In addition to grades and GRE scores, other factors important taken into account when evaluating applicants include work or volunteer experiences, multi-cultural experience, recommendations, and knowledge about OT. Also note that state schools often give preference to in-state residents, so consider applying to public schools in your home state first.

Print Materials/Organizations

American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. 301/652-AOTA. Will send free packet of introductory materials, including directory of all accredited OT programs.

Internet Resources

American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) home page

American Occupational Therapy Foundation

AOTA state-by-state listing of accredited programs

Rehabilitation Counselor / Psychologist

Job Description

Overview

Rehabilitation counselors and psychologists (RCPs) assist people with physical, cognitive, emotional, and developmental disabilities. They conduct assessments, provide personal and vocational counseling, plan and implement rehabilitation programs, and provide support to families. A primary goal of rehabilitation counseling is to increase a client’s capacity to become independent or remain self-sufficient. In addition, RCPs attempt to change environmental or social barriers that create obstacles for people with disabilities. RCPs are employed by medical and rehabilitation hospitals, government agencies (especially departments of rehabilitation), publicly supported agencies working with disabled persons, drug and alcohol rehabilitation, and insurance companies.

Although rehabilitation counseling and rehabilitation psychology are technically different fields (the former is a division of the American Counseling Association and the latter is a division of the American Psychological Association), the work roles, responsibilities, and goals of the two professions overlap significantly. In terms of training, RC programs are likely to provide a broader introduction to different types of disabilities and a greater focus on vocational rehabilitation, whereas RP programs are more likely to emphasize psychological assessment as well as other areas of psychology (e.g., biopsychology, learning, social, and developmental). In terms of numbers, there are many more rehabilitation programs in counseling than in psychology and, consequently, more practicing RCs than RPs.

Typical Job Duties

• interviewing a disabled individual regarding personal or occupational adjustment
• evaluating a disabled individual’s strengths and limitations
• helping individuals and their families deal with the personal and social impact of disabilities
• conferring with allied health professionals (e.g., physicians, psychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists) about a disabled person’s progress
• advising clients about education and training opportunities, careers, and job-finding skills
• planning a client’s rehabilitation program and working individually with the client to help implement it
• providing outreach programs that attempt to educate the public regarding myths about disabilities prevalent in society

Job Outlook

Faster-than-average job growth is expected for many reasons: medical advances allowing seriously disabled individuals to survive, a growing elderly population, and legislation requiring equal employment rights for people with disabilities. Rehabilitation counselors were not among the top 30 fastest-growing occupations as ranked by the BLS, and rehabilitation counseling was not one of the fields examined by the MSU study.

Potential Earnings

The Occupational Outlook Handbook does not differentiate between community and rehabilitation counselors in reporting salary studies. Consequently, estimates here are the same for both professions: $25,000-$35,000, starting; $30,000-$40,000, median. A 1995 study of vocational rehabilitation counselors (most frequently employed by state departments of Vocational Rehabilitation) revealed an average starting salary of $26,000.

Professional Degree Required

A master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling or psychology is the entry-level degree. Graduate programs in both fields typically require two years of full-time study and field work but usually allow students to attend on a part-time basis.

How to Find Programs

RC programs are accredited by the Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE), which maintains a list of accredited programs on its Internet site or will send a print version free of charge (addresses below). CORE also has a copy of its accrediting standards on its web page, which is helpful when considering the differences in curricula of counseling vs. psychology programs.

RP programs are listed in APA’s Graduate Study in Psychology guide, but do not appear to be accredited by any central agency. You may find some useful information about RP through APA’s Division of Rehabilitation Psychology, Division 22 (address below).

Entrance Requirements/Admissions

A psychology major is excellent preparation for both RP and RC. RP programs are likely to place greater emphasis on adequate preparation in statistics and research methods and a well-rounded psychology major; RC programs are often satisfied with any helping-oriented social science major. Abnormal psychology (psychopathology) is a good preparatory elective for both fields, and field work or internship experience is important (perhaps more so for RC than RP).

Competitiveness is on a par with community counseling, with a 3.0 GPA and 1000 GRE- combined as typical minimum requirements (but grades above 3.0 could make up for sub-1000 test scores and vice versa). Programs do not appear to receive an abundance of applications, so numbers may favor applicants in this field.

Print Materials/Organizations

American Psychological Association (APA), Division 22 (Rehabilitation Psychology), 750 First Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20002-4242. 202/336-5500. For Division 22 membership information, contact Rochelle Balter, Ph.D., P.O. Box 20235, Cherokee Station, New York City, NY 10021.

Council on Rehabilitation Education (CORE), 1835 Rohlwing Road, Suite E, Rolling Meadows, IL 60008. 847/394-1785.

Leahy, M. J., & Szymanski, E. M. (1995). Rehabilitation counseling: Evolution and current status. Journal of Counseling and Development, 74, 163-166.

Internet Resources

APA, Division 22 home page

CORE home page

National Rehabilitation Counseling Association

School Psychologist

Job Description

Overview

Master’s-and specialist-level (a degree given only in school psychology that is mid-way between a master’s and a doctoral degree) school psychologists work primarily in school systems with students, their families, and teachers. A major portion of their work involves diagnostic assessment of students’ learning aptitudes, special needs, and personality, emotional, and social development. They consult with school personnel regarding academic or behavioral problems of students and recommend appropriate interventions or classroom placements.

Doctoral-level school psychologists work in school systems as well as in other settings. Like clinical and counseling psychologists, doctoral-level school psychologists can be licensed. Consequently, they can work independently in a broad range of settings (e.g., community agencies, private practices, universities), typically with a focus on children or adolescents.

Typical Job Duties

Job duties for master’s- or specialist-level school psychologists (approximately 80% of the profession) include:

• administering and interpreting intelligence and personality tests and conducting classroom observations
• evaluating the effectiveness of academic programs or behavior management procedures
• providing educational programs to school personnel on such topics as classroom management or teaching and learning strategies
• conducting individual and group counseling or psychoeducational programming with students
• advising teachers and school administrators on methods to enhance student motivation
• referring students and their families to appropriate community agencies for medical, vocational, or social services

Job Outlook

Faster-than-average job growth is expected overall due to increasing concern about student behavioral and learning problems as well as improving public school systems. Although not among the top 30 fastest-growing occupations as ranked by the BLS, school psychology was in the most favorable category in the MSU study (i.e., high demand/limited supply).

Potential Earnings

The average starting salary for new school psychologists with a master’s or specialist degree in 1995 was $28,000. According to an APA study, the median salary of master’s/specialist degree holders in 1991 was $52,000.

Professional Degree Required

A master’s degree (usually two years of course work) is required for work in a school setting in most states. However, there is increasing emphasis in school psychology on obtaining the specialist degree, which adds another semester or even year of study; over 75% of non-doctoral school psychologists hold this more advanced degree. In addition, to obtain national certification as a school psychologist from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), one must hold either a specialist or a doctoral degree.

How to Find Programs

APA’s Graduate Study in Psychology guide lists all school psychology programs (master’s through doctoral) by state. You can also write the NASP for a list of programs approved by NASP (i.e., specialist and doctoral programs), or view UC-Berkeley’s web site for a list of all programs (addresses below).

Entrance Requirements/Admissions

Beyond the psychology major, no specific courses are necessary for graduate school in school psychology beyond statistics and research methods. Personality, abnormal psychology (psychopathology), and learning are frequently recommended courses for doctoral study. Educational psychology or courses in education might be useful electives. Research experience is more important for Ph.D. than M.A. programs.

The competitiveness of master’s level/specialist programs varies, but typically a minimum of 3.0 GPA and 950-1100 GRE-combined are required in order to be considered for admission. However, master’s programs (often called "terminal master’s" programs to distinguish them from the master’s degree received en route to a doctorate degree) do not appear inundated with applications. Although numbers vary region to region, a typical program might receive 25-35 applications and hope to enroll an entering class of 10 students.

Doctoral programs are more competitive, although not as competitive as clinical psychology doctoral programs. Median GPAs are in the 3.4-3.6 range and median GREs in the 1100-1200 range.

School psychology programs are more commonly found in departments of education (about 80%) than departments of psychology. National surveys of school psychology program directors (see Reschly & McMaster-Beyer, 1991) make it clear that program quality is unrelated to the college affiliation of a school psychology program.

Print Materials/Organizations

National Organization of School Psychologists (NASP), 4340 East West Highway, Suite 401, Bethesda, MD 20814. 301/657-0270. Free packet of introductory materials including list of approved programs.

Professional Psychology: Research and Practice (1996). Special section: Future of psychological practice in the schools, 27, 5-40. (Four articles that focus on the impact of recent social, health care, and educational reforms on the practice of school psychology.)

Reschly, D. J., & McMaster-Beyer, M. (1991). Influences of degree level, institutional orientation, college affiliation, and accreditation status on school psychology graduate education. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 22, 368-374. (A survey of school psychology programs in the U.S.; findings help clarify the differences among degree levels, types of doctoral degrees, and accrediting bodies in school psychology.)

Internet Resources

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) home page

School psychology graduate programs (list maintained by UC-Berkeley)

Social Worker

Job Description

Overview

Social workers strive to help people function to the best of their capabilities. One of the oldest helping professions, social work originally grew out of late 19th Century efforts to help neglected children and poor families. Modern social workers can be found helping individuals cope with a wide variety of problems, including unemployment, lack of job skills, financial management, physical and mental illnesses, criminal behavior, substance abuse, family and marital problems, developmental and educational problems, and aging.

Typical Job Duties

Job duties depend on a social worker’s area of specialization as well as the setting in which one works. Among the most common concentrations and their associated job responsibilities are:

• Clinical social work (also called mental health services specialization): providing psychotherapy and active problem-solving assistance to individuals, families, and groups
• Child welfare: investigating families suspected of child abuse or neglect; arranging protective services for abused or neglected children; providing home intervention counseling
• Medical social work: helping medically ill patients cope with their illnesses; planning and arranging follow-up health care; providing a link between doctor and patient
• Public welfare: arranging welfare services for unemployed, aged, or disabled persons or families with dependent children; planning and administering welfare programs
• Justice and corrections: developing prevention programs for at-risk youths; working with offenders post-release as probation or parole officers; working in youth correction centers and prisons with inmates and their families
• School social work: working with students who are having behavioral, attendance, or health problems; serving as a liaison between school, home, and community

Job Outlook

Faster-than-average job growth is expected overall due to the increased needs of several diverse populations (e.g., the elderly, disabled persons, persons with HIV/AIDS, families in crisis). Clinical social work positions are expected to expand as health insurance and public-sector contracts continue to increase funding for master’s level clinicians. Medical social work positions are also expected to increase as greater emphasis in hospitals is placed on discharge planning. Finally, employment of school social workers will likely grow due to expanded efforts to intervene in difficult family situations. Openings in government agencies may decline as funding for welfare programs decreases.

Although not among the top 30 fastest-growing occupations as ranked by the BLS, the MSU study placed school social work in the most favorable category (high demand/limited supply). Social work overall was listed in the near balance category.

Potential Earnings

The average starting salary for new graduates with the MSW degree is estimated to range from $25,000 to $35,000. A 1993 survey of social workers in federal government positions revealed an average salary of $41,400. Experienced social workers in supervisory positions tend to average $40,000-$45,000.

Professional Degree Required

Although some colleges and universities offer a Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) degree, most specialized social work positions require a Master of Social Work (MSW) degree. MSW programs generally require two years of full-time course and field work, although many universities offer part-time programs that take longer (3 or more years) but can be completed while working in the field.

How to Find Programs

MSW programs are accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). You can write to this organization for a directory of program names, addresses, and descriptions (address below), although it is not free. You can also obtain information about programs via the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) home page.

When researching programs, remember that they differ with regard to the concentrations they offer. Some schools offer only generalist programs, whereas others provide students with a choice among 3-5 specific concentrations. Concentrations might include mental health services (or clinical social work), aging (or gerontology), children and families (or children, youth, and families), health care (or medical care), management and planning (or administration and planning), and community organization/social planning. Obviously, you want to be sure a program offers the particular area in which you hope to specialize.

Entrance Requirements/Admissions

MSW programs do not specify particular undergraduate majors required for admission; psychology, especially in the context of a broad liberal arts background, is considered good preparation. A far more important consideration is a candidate’s experience in the human services field. The ideal candidate has both volunteer and paid work experience in diverse settings. Taking time off to gain both experience and maturity would be viewed positively by most MSW admission committees.

Competitiveness of MSW programs varies. Recent data from UNC-Chapel Hill, a program routinely rated among the top 15 in the country, indicate an acceptance rate of just over 10% (65 acceptances for 600 applications). At the University of South Carolina, the acceptance rate in the same year was 18%, and at the University of Kentucky, 30%. Typical minimum requirements for application are a GPA of 3.0 and GREs of 1000, although this, too, varies widely, with some schools not even requiring GRE scores and others willing to accept promising candidates who don’t meet the minimums on a probationary basis. Write to several programs in order to fairly assess your chances.

Print Materials/Organizations

Council on Social Work Education (CSWE), 1600 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-3421. 703/683-8080. Annual directory of accredited MSW programs.

National Association of Social Workers (NASW), 750 First Street, NE, Suite 700, Washington, D.C. 20002-4241. 1-800/638-8799. Free packet of introductory materials.

Internet Resources

Clinical Social Work Federation (CSWF) home page (for information on clinical social work).

National Association of Social Workers (NASW) home page (for list of MSW programs, go to state organizations; you will access not only each state’s programs but also links to the programs’ home pages, if available).

Special Education Teacher

Job Description

Overview

Special education (SE) teachers instruct public school students (K-12) with physical, cognitive, and emotional/behavioral disabilities. They adapt and develop educational materials to meet the unique needs of their students, striving to ensure that disabled students reach their full learning potential. SE teachers tend to emphasize a particular type of disability in their training; the specific categories of disability differ across states (categories are defined by state departments of education), but generally include mental retardation/mental handicaps, learning disabilities, emotional/behavioral disorders, and physical disabilities. SE classes are usually designed for students at a given grade level who have the same type of disability.

Special education resource teachers function as consultants within a school system. They advise general education teachers about means of modifying teaching methods for work with disabled children in their classrooms. They may lead a school "resource room" where disabled general education students come for specialized instruction.

Early childhood special educators work with disabled or slowly developing preschool children and their families. They devise activities that encourage the growth of a child’s abilities, teaching these to children as well as helping parents implement them at home. Early childhood special educators are employed by preschool programs, community centers, hospital-based outreach programs, and specialized day care centers.

Typical Job Duties

• teaching children and adolescents with cognitive, physical, or emotional/behavioral disabilities, usually in a small classroom of 8-10 students
• assessing how each child learns best and then adapting teaching methods to fit unique learning styles (e.g., improving a learning disabled child’s reading by encouraging reading aloud; designing a behavior management program for a student with a poor attention span)
• working closely with parents and school professionals planning services to be provided to children (i.e., writing IEPs, or individualized education programs)
• consulting with general education teachers about working with children with disabilities in their classrooms
• planning and developing creative teaching and learning activities
• administering diagnostic tests and evaluating outcomes of teaching methods

Job Outlook

The need for SE teachers is expected to grow much faster than average due to legislation mandating educational opportunities for individuals with disabilities, greater numbers of survivors of accidents and illnesses who have disabilities, and growing public interest in individuals with special needs. SE teaching was ranked 13th on the BLS list of the fastest growing occupations, and an October, 1997, article in U.S. News & World Report described SE teaching as a "runner-up hot track" career. In the MSU study, two special education areas were listed in the high demand/limited supply category (learning disabilities and emotional disturbance), three were described as good demand/possible shortage (mental handicaps, visual handicaps, and hearing-impairment), and physical handicap specialization was rated as near balance/supply equals demand.

Early childhood special educators are also expected to be much in demand in the future. Federal legislation has led to a push for early intervention and preschool education for all preschoolers with disabilities.

Potential Earnings

The average starting salary for new special education teachers with a master’s degree is $29,000. Median salaries are estimated to be $38,000-$40,000. Remember that these estimates are averages across all states; remember also that these are annual salaries for a 10-month year.

Professional Degree Required

A bachelor’s degree in special education is the usual entry-level degree. However, teacher certification requirements differ greatly from state to state, with master’s degrees necessary for permanent certification in some states. Master’s degrees also lead to higher salaries in most states.

Students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree in another field can complete a second bachelor’s degree in SE (i.e., only those courses necessary for teacher certification). It may also be possible for such students to enter a master’s program in SE directly, taking extra courses at the graduate level to make up for the lack of an undergraduate degree in education. Policies in this regard differ from state to state.

How to Find Programs

The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) maintains a database with a list of colleges and universities offering both undergraduate and graduate programs in special education (addresses below). However, the CEC makes no claim that their database is 100% complete or accurate, so you would be wise to check a Peterson’s Guide as well, available in university career centers and libraries. Begin by looking under education; then find the special education subheading.

For programs within a particular state, write to a state’s department of education for a list of approved programs in SE. Many state departments of education (sometimes called different things, e.g., department of public instruction) provide such a list on their Internet home pages.

Entrance Requirements/Admissions

Programs are not highly competitive. For students pursuing a second bachelor’s degree, no courses are technically prerequired, although some psychology and education courses may fulfill state certification requirements. Check with specific programs in which you are interested. Master’s programs most often prerequire an undergraduate teaching certificate but, again, requirements vary from state to state.

Print Materials/Organizations

Council of Exceptional Children (CEC), 1920 Association Drive, Reston, VA 20191-1589. 888/CEC-SPED.

National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education, address same as CEC. 800/641-7824. Free fact sheets about professions.

Internet Resources

CEC home page.

CEC National Clearinghouse home page (for list of programs).

Speech Pathologist

Job Description

Overview

Speech pathologists (technically called speech-language pathologists, and sometimes, less appropriately, called speech therapists) assess, diagnose, and treat persons with communication disabilities (e.g., stuttering, impaired language, articulation problems). They often work in medical settings in which they serve as members of a team of allied health professionals, e.g., with physicians, psychologists, social workers, physical therapists, and audiologists. Speech pathologists also can be found in schools, nursing homes, community mental health/health centers, and private practices.

Some speech pathologists are also certified to practice audiology, which involves the identification, assessment, and rehabilitation of hearing disorders. Audiologists may prescribe and fit hearing aids, provide training in speech reading, or serve as consultants in business/industry regarding environmentally-induced hearing loss.

Typical Job Duties

• helping individuals who stutter increase their fluency
• assisting people who have had strokes or brain injuries to regain lost language and speech
• designing and implementing training programs for children and adolescents with speech/language disorders
• counseling individuals and families to better understand and deal with speech/language disorders
• serving as a consultant to educators of persons with speech/language problems
• assessing the relationship between psychological and social factors and speech/language problems

Job Outlook

Much-faster-than-average job growth is expected because of a growing elderly population (prone to hearing loss problems), medical advances that improve the survival rate of premature infants and trauma victims (prone to speech/language problems), and increased emphasis on early detection and prevention of speech/language disorders.

Speech/language pathologists and audiologists are ranked 17th on the BLS list of the 30 fastest-growing occupations. The professions appeared in two categories in the MSU study: good demand with possible shortage and near balance.

Potential Earnings

The average starting salary range for new graduates in speech/language pathology in 1995 was $30,000. According to a survey conducted by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), the median salary in 1997 for certified speech-language pathologists was $44,000; for audiologists, $55,000; and for professionals certified in both, $53,000.

Professional Degree Required

Although some universities offer an undergraduate major in communication disorders, a master’s degree is necessary for certification as a speech pathologist and is generally considered the entry level professional degree. Typically, this degree requires two years of full-time study.

How to Find Programs

Graduate programs are accredited by ASHA. You can write to this organization or view its home page for a complete list of programs (addresses below).

Entrance Requirements/Admissions

Some graduate programs prefer applicants with an academic background in communication disorders (i.e., either the undergraduate major or selected course work); other graduate programs neither require nor prefer this (i.e., any undergraduate liberal arts major is acceptable). However, students who have no prior course work in communication disorders will likely need to take extra courses in graduate school, often adding 1-2 semesters to the time required for the master’s degree. Among schools requesting undergraduate exposure to communication disorders, typical prerequisites include one or more courses in linguistic and psycholinguistic bases (e.g., psychology of language), one or more courses in physical and psychological bases (e.g., applied phonetics, sound patterns in language, linguistic phonetics), one or more courses in anatomic and physiologic bases for the normal development of speech and hearing, and one course in statistics.

The competitiveness of speech pathology programs varies. Many schools do not provide minimum GPA/GRE standards nor data on the qualifications of incoming classes, making comparisons across programs difficult to assess. When minimums are reported, they tend to be in the 3.0 GPA and 1000 combined-GRE range. ASHA has surveyed program directors about this information and maintains summary statistics of programs that supply it on its home page.

Print Materials/Organizations

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). 10801 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852. 301/897-5700. Free brochures, fact sheets, and list of accredited programs.

Funding Sources: A guide for future audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and speech, language, and hearing scientists (1996). Available from ASHA for $20.

Internet Resources

ASHA home page.

ASHA list of accredited graduate programs.

Therapeutic Recreation Specialist / Recreation Therapist

Job Description

Overview

Therapeutic recreation specialists (TRSs) use recreation and leisure activities to help people with illnesses or disabilities. Recreational activities include sports, games, art, music, dance, outdoor experiences, field trips, structured social events, and relaxation exercises. The goals of recreational intervention include helping individuals acquire specific behavioral skills or cognitive abilities; improving physical, cognitive, and social/emotional functioning; facilitating an optimal level of personal independence; and enhancing psychological growth and development.

TRSs provide services to individuals of all ages. They are frequently employed in clinical settings, such as medical, psychiatric, and rehabilitation hospitals; nursing homes and residential centers; and group homes and correctional facilities. They might also be employed in community settings, for example, in park and recreation departments; community recreation centers and non-profit recreational facilities; public and private schools; and special education programs.

Typical Job Duties: Clinical Setting

• assessing clients’ physical and psychological needs and interests
• developing an individualized treatment plan, e.g., using tennis to help an individual with right side paralysis learn to use the left side; devising activity-based group experiences for an individual with poor social skills
• working with clients individually and in groups, teaching specific recreational skills and leading group recreational activities (e.g., high ropes course, community outing, exercise group)
• conferring with allied health professionals (e.g., psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, physical therapists) about client goals, progress, and discharge plans

Typical Job Duties: Community Setting

• planning creative and stimulating recreational activities to meet participants’ needs
• adapting activities as needed to enable individuals with disabilities to participate (e.g., adapted aquatics, wheelchair basketball, social groups for developmentally disabled individuals)
• leading group recreational activities (e.g., leisure skills classes, a swimming program, hiking and camping, summer camps activities)
• providing training and workshops to educate other staff about people with disabilities

Job Outlook

Faster-than-average job growth is expected for TRSs in clinical settings due to anticipated expansions in long-term care, physical and psychiatric rehabilitation, and services for the disabled. Therapeutic recreation specialists were not among the top 30 fastest-growing occupations as ranked by the BLS; TR was ranked in the adequate supply/some oversupply in the MSU study.

Potential Earnings

The average starting salary for recreational therapists (bachelor’s-degree level) is estimated to range from $22,000-$28,000. A 1991 survey conducted by the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA) revealed an average salary for ATRA members of $31,000. In 1995, average earnings for positions in the Federal government were $36,000.

Professional Degree Required

A bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation/recreational therapy or in leisure studies with an emphasis in therapeutic recreation (TR) is the usual entry-level degree. Students who have already earned a bachelor’s degree in another field can complete a second bachelor’s degree (i.e., only those courses in TR), or, depending on the university, a master’s degree in TR.

How to Find Programs

TR programs are accredited by the National Recreation and Park Association/American Association for Leisure and Recreation Council (NRPA/AALR). Undergraduate programs earn general accreditation in Recreation, Park, and Leisure Studies and then specific accreditation in one or more specialty areas: leisure services management, natural resources recreation management, leisure/recreation program delivery, and therapeutic recreation. The directory of all accredited programs is available from the National Therapeutic Recreation Society (NTRS), a branch of the NRPA, in print form or on the Internet (addresses below). Students interested primarily in TR would want to be sure the TR specialization is noted (i.e., a program may have overall accreditation but no specialization in TR).

The importance of attending an accredited program in this field is unclear. Students in accredited programs may have an easier time earning certification as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) upon graduation, but students in non-accredited programs (depending on the program’s quality) are by no means prevented from gaining certification. Accredited and non-accredited programs differ primarily in educational philosophy. In accredited programs, students get training not only in TR but also in other areas of leisure studies; this broader education equips students to work not only in clinical TR but also in community settings. Non-accredited programs in TR are typically more narrowly focused on TR.

The bottom line: To obtain a directory of all therapeutic recreation programs, write the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA, address below). Note that this agency is not affiliated with the National Recreation and Park Association.

Entrance Requirements/Admissions

When pursuing TR as a second bachelor’s degree, no courses are technically prerequired. A course in anatomy and physiology may save on course work, since most programs will require this class.

A student with a bachelor’s degree in another field may wish to pursue a master’s program in TR. Again, such programs may or may not require background preparation or undergraduate degrees in TR. Among those which do not, students without such preparation are asked to complete additional graduate level coursework. Schools do not appear to be highly competitive: Minimum requirements are in the 3.0 GPA and "satisfactory" GRE score range.

Print Materials/Organizations

American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA), P.O. Box 15215, Hattiesburg, MS 39404-5215. 800/553-0304. Directory of colleges and universities with TR costs $5.

National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification, P.O. Box 479, Thiells, NY 10984-0479. 914/639-1439.

National Therapeutic Recreation Society (NTRS), 22377 Belmont Ridge Road, Ashburn, VA 20148. 703/858-0784. Free list of accredited programs.

Preparing for a Career in Therapeutic Recreation (1996). Available for $7.50 from the Publications Center, National Recreation and Park Association, 22377 Belmont Ridge Road, Ashburn, VA 20148.

Internet Resources

ATRA home page.

NTRS home page (for list of accredited programs, click on "Career Information").

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