Recreation & Health Education (Bachelor of Arts)
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Recreation and Health Education Program is an interdisciplinary degree that prepares you to enter the fields of recreation, wellness and health promotion, leadership and administration. You will study the impact recreation has on health, society and quality of life and learn how to plan and facilitate quality wellness experiences.
Career options
The Recreation and Health Education Program provides an excellent foundation for work in public and not-for-profit sectors because it supports social change.
Possible career pathways include:
- aquatic program assistant
- athletic coach
- camp leader/director
- community recreation coordinator
- facilities supervisor
- fitness and wellness coordinator
- occupational therapist
- personal trainer
- recreational therapist
Learn more about potential careers. Note: some careers may need additional education or certification.
Teach physical education
The Recreation and Health Education Program is 1 of 4 pathways that we offer towards a physical education career. Learn more about how to become a physical education teacher by majoring in recreation and health education.
Course information
Recreation and Health Education courses focus on the planning, implementation and evaluation of different health and wellness related programs, services and policies.
Course requirements are outlined in the UVic Academic Calendar. You can also refer to our program planning worksheet.
If you have any questions, please contact the EPHE academic adviser.
Honours program
Honours is an optional addition to an undergraduate major in recreation and health education, and is intended for motivated, self-directed students who wish to engage in research during their degree. You can apply to the honours program in the third or fourth year of your program.
Co-op education
Kailyn Smith's decision to pursue the Recreation and Health Education Program at UVic was motivated by her lifelong passion for athletics and her dedication to health and wellness.
Ready to apply?
There are two points of entry to the Recreation and Health Education major:
- directly from high school into Year 1 of the program
- as a post secondary transfer student into Year 2 or later of the program
If you have completed post-secondary courses (except for the UVic U-Start program), then you need to apply as a post-secondary applicant Year 2 entry.