Assistant Professor – Recreation Therapy

University of North Carolina at Wilmington; Wilmington (NC); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

University of North Carolina Wilmington seeks a 9-month, tenure-track Assistant Professor in Recreation Therapy beginning August 2027. The successful candidate will teach a variety of undergraduate RT courses, conduct research, publish, secure grants, recruit and mentor students, and provide community engagement and professional service.

The position requires residency in southeastern North Carolina or the Wilmington area and campus presence in a collaborative, interdisciplinary environment.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree in recreation therapy/therapeutic recreation or closely related field with at least 18 hours of graduate coursework in recreation therapy/therapeutic recreation.
• CTRS credential through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification.
• LRT credential through the North Carolina Board of Recreational Therapy Licensure (or eligible for LRT credential).
• Evidence of successful college teaching in recreation therapy/therapeutic recreation.
• Emerging research success and potential for future scholarship with peer-reviewed publications.

Responsibilities

• Teach undergraduate courses in the Recreation Therapy program.
• Conduct research, publish, and write grants.
• Recruit and mentor students.
• Provide community engagement and professional service.
• Collaborate across SHAHS, CHHS and UNCW in an interdisciplinary setting.

Skills

Grant activity

Community engagement

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Doctoral degree in recreation therapy / related field

CTRS credential

LRT credential or eligible

Tools

Canvas LMS

Job description

Assistant Professor – Recreation Therapy

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

Prior to the official appointment to the university, the candidate(s) selected for hire must be able to demonstrate eligibility to teach assigned courses by successfully meeting the credentialing requirements based on official transcripts and other documentation as required.

Position Title

Position Title Assistant Professor – Recreation Therapy

College College of Health and Human Services - 315 College

Dept/School

Dept/School School of Health & Applied Human Sciences - 31530

Vacancy Number

Vacancy Number 16F-826

Position Number

Position Number 6102

Location of Workplace

Location of Workplace Main UNCW Campus

Brief Summary of Work for this Position

The School of Health and Applied Human Sciences ( SHAHS ) within the College Health and Human Services ( CHHS ) at the University of North Carolina Wilmington ( UNCW ), seeks an outstanding faculty member for a 9-month tenure track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the Recreation Therapy program beginning August 2027.
The successful candidate will be capable of teaching a variety of undergraduate courses in the program’s curriculum. Further, the successful candidate will conduct research, publish, write grants, recruit and mentor students, and provide community engagement and professional service. This is a non-remote position, therefore, the successful candidate will be expected to reside in southeastern North Carolina or the Wilmington area and maintain a campus presence to work in a collaborative interdisciplinary academic setting.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

• Doctoral degree in recreation therapy/therapeutic recreation, or a closely related field with at least 18 hours of graduate coursework in recreation therapy/therapeutic recreation.
• CTRS credential through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification
• LRT credential through the North Carolina Board of Recreational Therapy Licensure (or eligible for LRT credential)
• Evidence of successful college teaching in recreation therapy/therapeutic recreation.
• Emerging research success and strong potential for future scholarship evidenced through peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and other scholarly products.
• Substantial experience working in recreation therapy/therapeutic recreation or closely related area of practice with diverse populations.

Note: Applicants who are ABD at the time of application will be considered. To be appointed to a tenure-track position, all degree requirements must be completed and the terminal degree officially conferred prior to the start of the appointment. Candidates who have not met these requirements by the appointment start date may be appointed to a Practice Track or lecturer position and may be considered for transition to the tenure-track rank upon successful completion and official conferral of the terminal degree.

Preferred Education, Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Capability for grant activity in recreation therapy/therapeutic recreation or a closely related area of scholarship.
• Ability to form successful community engagement relationships including partnerships with relevant healthcare and other community agencies.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with constituents across the School, College and University.
• Previous experience with program accreditation, particularly with CAAHEP / CARTE .
• Evidence of successful technology integration in course delivery including the Canvas course management system.
• Previous successful experience serving on state, regional, and/or national committees or boards specific to recreation therapy/therapeutic recreation, or a closely related field.
• Experience with AI use in educational and professional settings.

Required Certifications or Licensure

• CTRS credential through the National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification
• LRT credential through the North Carolina Board of Recreational Therapy Licensure (or eligible for LRT credential)

Primary Function of Organizational Unit

The Recreation Therapy Program at UNCW has existed for over 40 years and became accredited by CAAHEP / CARTE in 2020. The program has four full-time and a mix of part‑time faculty. The curriculum includes 15 required RT content courses and two field placements; electives in aquatic therapy, adapted sports, cognitive retraining, stress and pain management, child life, and assistance dog training, among others; as well as a 4+1 combined BA in RT and MS in Applied Gerontology.

The Recreation Therapy program is housed within the School of Health and Applied Human Sciences ( SHAHS ), which is a large and growing academic unit with over 1,900 students and 60 full‑time faculty. See: https://uncw.edu/academics/colleges/chhs/schools/health-applied-human-sciences/
The SHAHS has six undergraduate degree programs:

• Public Health
• Healthful Living and Fitness Education
• Tourism, Recreation, & Sport
• Recreation Therapy
• Respiratory Therapy (Face-to-face and fully online option)

• Athletic Training
• Gerontology with 4+1 options:
  • (Bachelors / Masters) with Public Health / Gerontology
  • Recreation Therapy / Gerontology
  • Exercise Science / Gerontology
  • Physical Therapy (in preparation)

• Master of Arts in Teaching ( MAT ) through the Watson College of Education
• Master of Education concentration in Physical Education and Health through the Watson College of Education

• Gerontology
• Health & Wellness Coaching
• Whole Health & Wellness Studies
• Tourism, Recreation, & Sport
• Assistance Dog Training

The SHAHS is also home to the Physical Activity and Wellness ( WPA /L) program which delivers courses that fulfill University Studies requirements. The SHAHS is located in Veterans Hall which includes many state‑of‑the‑art instructional and lab spaces utilized by the Exercise Science program.

College/School Information

The College of Health and Human Services was created in July 2010 to provide UNCW with a new mechanism to link and focus its health‑related research, professional continuing education, and health knowledge dissemination and application. In the formative stage of development, the CHHS is currently home to three professional schools: School of Health and Applied Human Sciences, School of Nursing, and School of Social Work. This is an outstanding opportunity to join a dynamic College that seeks to be nationally recognized for its inter‑professional collaboration, community engagement and impact, and implementation science. The faculty, staff and students of the CHHS are committed to the pursuit of excellence and enhancing health and quality of life across the lifespan for individuals, families and communities in southeastern North Carolina and beyond.

University Information

The University of North Carolina Wilmington, the state’s coastal university, is dedicated to the integration of teaching, mentoring, research and service. Widely acknowledged for its world‑class faculty and staff and continuously recognized at a national level for scholarly excellence and affordability, UNCW offers a powerful academic experience that stimulates creative inquiry and critical thinking.

A public institution with nearly