Therapeutic Recreation Diploma is a diploma in Tourism & Leisure programme offered by Douglas College in New Westminster, Canada. The programme runs for 2 years, delivered on campus. Teaching is in English. Tuition is CAD 3,600 per total for local students.
At a glance
Degree:Diploma
Field:Tourism & Leisure
Duration: 2 years
Delivery: On Campus
Language: English
Local tuition: CAD 3,600 / total
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
The Therapeutic Recreation Diploma prepares you to plan, implement and evaluate a wide range of programs for people with barriers to participation in leisure activities. Such programs could include individual or group fitness, cognitive activities, creative arts, gardening, cooking, adapted sports, nature and outdoor activities. You will have the opportunity to apply classroom theory in real-life situations through two semesters of practicum work in healthcare or social service settings.
As a diploma graduate, you can find work as a recreation assistant, recreation therapy assistant, program planner, recreation leader and activity worker in a variety of settings including hospitals, mental health centres, long-term care homes, rehabilitation centres, correctional facilities, youth centres, day programs and community recreation centres.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: The general college admission requirements, and admission then turns on suitability and readiness — Douglas assesses awareness of self and others, life and work experience, and overall personal readiness. Attending an information session is strongly recommended. YOU SUBMIT: a letter of intent giving your reasons for choosing the programme, your short- and long-term goals and your strengths and limitations as a candidate; a programme application form; a current resume; and at least two letters of reference, one of them from an employer, teacher or instructor you have had within the past year. A personal interview may be required. ONCE AN OFFER IS MADE: a criminal record check, with instructions from Enrolment Services, and a tuition deposit to hold the seat for full-time applicants. Douglas also warns that most practical placements will require a negative TB test or chest X-ray, a flu shot and proof of current vaccinations. This programme page shows no international application block, so international applicants should confirm with Douglas International Admissions that it is open to them before applying; where it is, the college's separately published international academic and English standards apply on top of anything listed here.
Application Details
Start Date:Douglas runs three fifteen-week semesters a year: Fall from September to December, Winter from January to April and Summer from May to August. The programme page lists intakes in Fall (September). The Fall 2026 semester began on 8 September 2026 and Winter 2027 classes begin on 4 January 2027.
Application Deadline:Douglas publishes college-wide application windows rather than a single date for every programme, and the domestic and international timetables are different. DOMESTIC APPLICANTS apply on EducationPlannerBC. Applications for a semester open about eleven months ahead, at 9:00 a.m. on the first business day of the opening month: 1 October for the following Fall. Douglas labels this a limited-enrolment programme, so it sets no single fixed closing date: the round shuts when the intake fills, and the college’s own test is whether the programme still appears in the EducationPlannerBC drop-down list. Applicants are acknowledged in writing about two to three weeks after applying, and qualified applicants are then ranked against the programme’s published criteria. Fall 2026 applications are closed for both the on-campus and the online option; Winter 2027 was open when this was checked. INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS: this programme page carries no international application block, so confirm with Douglas International Admissions that the programme is open to you before applying. The college-wide international dates are 30 September 2026 for Winter (January) 2027 and 31 January 2027 for Summer (May) 2027; the Fall (September) 2026 intake closed on 31 May 2026. Read from the programme page and the college deadline pages on 6 September 2026; Douglas had not yet published Summer 2027 domestic closing dates.
