PGCert in Therapeutic Recreation is a postgraduate certificate in Sports Management programme taught at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Canada. The programme runs for 1 year, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English.
At a glance
Degree:Postgraduate Certificate
Field:Sports Management
Duration: 1 year
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
We have no tuition fees on record for this programme yet — see the official programme page.
— it helps other students.
Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
Overview Turn your passion for wellness into a career helping people. This Ontario College Graduate Certificate program prepares you for a career in the field of Therapeutic Recreation. Therapeutic Recreation Specialists work with individuals who, due to illness, disability or other life circumstances require assistance to meet their individual goals and dreams. In this program, you develop a strong foundation of skills and knowledge to facilitate purposeful, quality leisure experiences. You use the tools of recreation and leisure to provide client centred, strengths-based therapeutic recreation services, which lead to happiness, well-being and quality of life. Develop advanced knowledge of how to complete participant assessments, create individualized and group programs and document participant outcomes. Apply a variety of facilitative techniques to promote inclusive and meaningful recreation and leisure experiences, and advocate for participants across a variety of service settings to maximize environmental resources that are essential for well-being. Through collaboration, teamwork, research and professional involvement, you learn to adapt, implement and evaluate recreation activities to meet the needs of people in a wide range of settings. Develop your professional identity and goals to prepare you for placement and employment, which may include private practice. Your placement consolidates the skills and learning that you have attained throughout your coursework. Graduates may work with people of all abilities that may include physical or developmental disabilities, seniors, children with diverse learning needs, youth at risk, as well as individuals with addictions, mental illness or head injuries. Specifically, you may find work in recreation, health or social service organizations such as: long term care facilities adult day programs hospitals and health care agencies rehabilitation centres senior residential facilities centres for independent living mental health agencies addiction services municipal community-based programs group homes outreach community health and wellness agencies private family care forensic and youth services
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Admission is post-credential entry: Algonquin requires an Ontario College Diploma, Ontario College Advanced Diploma, or Degree, or equivalent credential, in a health-related or human-services field. International or non-Canadian transcripts must be assessed through ICAS or WES. The program's own published English-proficiency requirement is IELTS Academic overall 6.5 (no per-band minimum stated), OR TOEFL iBT overall 88 with a minimum of 22 in Reading, Listening and Writing and 22 in Speaking for tests before 21 January 2026 (a rescaled overall 4.5, with Reading/Listening/Writing at 4.5 and Speaking at 4, applies to tests from that date), OR Duolingo English Test overall 120 with at least 120 in Literacy and no score below 105.
Application Details
Start Date:September
Application Deadline:Domestic applicants apply through ontariocolleges.ca: for September 2027 entry the application portal opens 26 September 2026, the equal consideration date is 1 February 2027, and offers must be accepted by 1 May 2027, while later applications are still assessed as space allows; Algonquin publishes no separate equal-consideration date for the January 2027 intake. International applicants apply directly via Algonquin's own International Application Portal, not ontariocolleges.ca; instead of one fixed date the college posts a program-by-program closing-date list shortly before each term starts - for Fall 2026 most programs closed 16 September 2026, technology programs by 9-10 September; no Winter 2027 or Fall 2027 international list has been posted yet, so admission remains effectively rolling until each list is published and fills. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
