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Recreation and Leisure Services

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Program Code: 10301
Credential: Diploma
Start Dates: September
Program Length: 4 semesters

Program Overview

Humber’s Recreation and Leisure Services diploma program provides you with the skills needed to start your career in government, not-for-profit and commercial recreation organizations. You will learn about recreation programming, special event management, staff management, facility operations, marketing and other services within the industry.

The curriculum is designed with industry collaboration, ensuring it is current and relevant. Within the program, students use ActiveNet software and PerfectMind, the most widely used registration management software in the recreation industry.

Students apply their skills by planning and implementing events for local community and charity organizations. A one-day leadership camp at Pursuit OCR helps build communication and leadership skills while guest speakers, practical training and field trips provide added benefits in preparing you for the workplace.

Learning from professors, as well as managers and directors of recreation programs, centres and agencies will give you valuable exposure to the industry and training in current issues.

Courses Program Standards

Upon successful completion of the program, a graduate will:

  1. Develop, implement and evaluate inclusive* recreation*, leisure* and wellness* programs and events for individuals, groups and communities which respond to assessed needs, interests, abilities and that use available resources and incorporate best practices.
  2. Apply administrative and customer service skills to support the delivery of recreation*, leisure* and wellness* programs, events and services.
  3. Analyze, develop and implement marketing strategies to reach diverse individuals, groups and communities for programs, events, services and facilities using current communication technologies.
  4. Contribute to the development of fiscally sustainable and responsible recreation*, leisure and wellness* programs, events and services using current and relevant principles and practices of business, finance and social entrepreneurship*.
  5. Supervise, lead and support the development of staff and volunteers involved with recreation*, leisure* and wellness* programs, events and services.
  6. Apply safety and accessibility practices to the efficient operation and administration of recreation* and leisure* facilities and settings*.
  7. Promote the benefits and values of recreation*, leisure* and healthy active living* and recommend inclusive* programs, events and services to individuals and groups.
  8. Apply community development* strategies which engage citizens and community partners while advocating for healthy communities*.
  9. Develop strategies for ongoing personal and professional development as a recreation* and leisure* services professional.


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Work Placement

Qualified students will complete a work placement in Semester 4 – three days per week for 15 weeks (total of 250 hours). The faculty works with the student to find a placement with an industry partner. The placement occurs across industry sectors including municipal recreation facilities, professional sport associations, community and amateur sport governing bodies, and private sector recreation and/or sport organizations. These placements provide valuable experience and industry contacts.

Humber Advantages

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Industry Partnerships

Longo Faculty of Business has more than 500 industry partners. Partners provide funding for capital projects, offer internships for students, donate more than $60,000 in awards and scholarships and employ Humber graduates. Industry partners include municipal and commercial recreation facilities, sports organizations, not-for-profit service clubs, health centres, event management companies, seniors centres and long-term care facilities.

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Internship Partners

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Dovercourt Boys & Girls Club logo

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Tim Horton Children's Foundation logo

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Student Experience

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Watch the video to see the International Sports Fair held by our Recreation and Leisure students.

Go Abroad

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Summer Abroad

Students in this program may be eligible for a credit through Summer Abroad in Croatia, Denmark, Finland, India, Japan, New Zealand, Peru or Vietnam.

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Placement Abroad

Students have the opportunity to complete program work placements in Canada or abroad. Students may also be eligible to receive a bursary from Humber.

Study Abroad

Qualified students in this program may apply to participate in a ten day experiential learning trip including one week at IMG Sport Academy, Florida and an experience with the Dunedin Blue Jays. 

Qualified students in this program may also apply to a study abroad service learning trip to contribute to a global community. Past service learning trips were to Nunavut and Nicaragua. In addition, eligible students have the opportunity to apply for a study abroad experiential trip to Peru.

Each year, we offer a variety of experiential learning trip opportunities for students to study abroad. Our annual short duration experiential trips in May are approximately two weeks in length. 

These trips vary each year and are subject to availability and eligibility requirements. Additional fees apply.

Your Career

People and governments are focused on the benefits of having an active lifestyle. Current estimates place the health-care cost of physical inactivity in Canada at $6.8 billion annually. As a result, the need for dedicated professionals who can help Canadians live healthier, active lives is greater than ever.

Graduates plan, deliver and manage leisure, recreation and wellness operations in a variety of roles and responsibilities for:

  • commercial recreation organizations
  • leisure centres
  • municipal governments
  • not-for-profit agencies
  • outdoor education centres
  • sport organizations

Potential employment opportunities include:

  • active living co-ordinator
  • aquatics supervisor
  • camp supervisor
  • program supervisor
  • recreation programmer/co-ordinator
  • special events co-ordinator

Professional Accreditations & Recognition

Certification Opportunities

Qualified students have the opportunity to earn certification in Parks and Recreation Ontario’s HIGH FIVE Principles of Healthy Child Development program, QUEST Training for supervisory staff as well as a certificate in Inclusive Recreation Programming – Level 1. All full-time students receive a student membership with Parks and Recreation Ontario.

Additional requirements may apply.

Note: The requirements for the additional credential(s) are determined by the granting body, which is independent from the College. Students are encouraged to obtain the specific requirements directly from the granting body before enrolling.

Program Availability

Start dates between Sept 2023 - Aug 2024
START DATE LOCATION STATUS
September 2023 North Open
Start dates between Sept 2023 - Aug 2024
START DATE LOCATION STATUS
September 2023 North Open

Humber Students Benefit from Five Centres of Innovation (COIs)

The Humber Centres of Innovation Network demonstrates our strong commitment to providing an experiential learning environment for students. Students and faculty work with industry partners on real-world challenges to prepare them to become the innovative and strategic problem-solvers of tomorrow. Come to Humber and experience interdisciplinary learning across five COIs.

About the COIs  

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Every attempt is made to ensure that information contained on this website is current and accurate. Humber reserves the right to correct any error or omission, modify or cancel any course, program, fee, timetable or campus location at any time without prior notice or liability to users or any other Person.

On October 21, 2019, the Provincial Government of Ontario announced the renaming of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (MTCU) to the Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU). Both names may appear on this website.

Contact Us

Admissions Questions

General Enquiries

Call 416-675-3111 or email enquiry@humber.ca. If you have already applied, be sure to check your application status on myhumber.ca.

Domestic Applicants Enquiries

Domestic applicants can book a one-on-one advising appointment with an admissions representative.

International Applicants Enquiries

Contact the International Centre for information about full-time programs (including the International Graduate School), how to apply and to follow up on your submitted application.

Program-Specific Questions

Speak to the Program Co-ordinator about the course curriculum, projects and career options.

Ashwin Patel, program co-ordinator
416.675.6622 ext. 5726
ashwin.patel@humber.ca

Campus Information

Book a campus tour to take a closer look at what it's like to be a student at Humber.

Want More Info?

Find out more about the student experience and everything that Humber has to offer Future Students.

for more info on Humber, including programs, special events and more!

How To Become An Apprentice

Becoming an Apprentice

Find an employer willing to sponsor you as an apprentice.

Contact the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development to register as an apprentice.

Work with your employer approximately one year before attending Humber.

View Instructions 

Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP)

If you’re in high school – grade 11 or 12 – you can earn co-op education credits through work placements in some skilled trades.

Visit OYAP 

How to Apply

Domestic Students

Applications to Humber are made through ontariocolleges.ca. Be sure to submit your application by the equal consideration deadline of February 1. You may apply after February 1, however, post-February 1 applications will be considered on a first-come, first-served basis depending on the availability of the space in the program.

To check program availability refer to the Campus/Availability listing on Humber’s program pages, search by availability, or ontariocolleges.ca.

To see where you are in the admissions process, visit the Admissions Road Map.

International Students

If you’re an international student, you can apply directly to Humber via our International Centre.

Need Advice?

Program Advising Appointments

Get help narrowing down your program options or book a one-on-one pre-enrolment advising appointment with one of our Recruitment Officers.

Transfer & Pathway Advising

Book a virtual appointment with a Student Mobility Advisor learn more about getting Transfer Credit(s) for previous post-secondary experience, Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition (PLAR), and Pathways options.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must meet all the requirements below in order to meet minimum program eligibility. Meeting minimum eligibility requirements does not guarantee an offer of admission. Admission decisions will be available via MyHumber, or by email and mail. Admission decisions will not be released by phone.

Admission selection is based on the following three requirements:

  • Academic

    To be eligible for admission, you must possess the following:

    • Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) or equivalent including these required courses: 
      • Grade 12 English (ENG4C or ENG4U or equivalent) 
      • Three Grade 11 or Grade 12 C, M or U courses in addition to those listed above

    or

    or

    Mature Applicants

    Diplomas and Certificates

    An applicant is considered a mature applicant if they have not completed secondary school or other postsecondary school, and will be 19 or older as of the first day of classes. Humber will invite you for testing to demonstrate that you meet all listed course requirements.

    Degrees

    An applicant is considered a mature applicant if they have not completed secondary school or attended postsecondary studies, and will be 21 or older as of the first day of classes. Mature applicants for degree programs will be required to meet course requirements at the U/M level or equivalent.

    College Transfer Applicants

    Diplomas and Certificates

    An applicant is considered a college transfer applicant if they have completed some or all of a college-level credential. Humber may use a combination of secondary school and/or college courses and grades to determine program eligibility.

    Degrees

    An applicant is considered a college transfer applicant if they have completed some or all of a college-level credential. Humber may use a combination of secondary school and/or college courses and grades to determine program eligibility. Applicants must have an overall minimum grade point average (GPA) of 65 per cent in the program. Applicants are required to disclose and provide academic transcripts for all course work completed at the postsecondary level.

    University Transfer Applicants

    Diplomas and Certificates

    An applicant is considered a university transfer applicant if they have completed some or all of a university-level credential. Humber may use a combination of secondary school and/or university courses and grades to determine program eligibility.

    Degrees

    An applicant is considered a university transfer applicant if they have completed some or all of a university-level credential. Humber may use a combination of secondary school and/or university courses and grades to determine program eligibility. Applicants are required to disclose and provide academic transcripts for all course work completed at the postsecondary level.

  • English Language Proficiency

    All applicants whose first language is not English must meet Humber’s English Language Proficiency Policy.

  • International Credit Evaluation

    Canadian citizens or permanent residents with international education are required to provide a credential evaluation. Note, for international High school education course by course evaluations, ICAS must be used. For international post-secondary education, a WES evaluation must be provided. In situations where you expect to apply for transfer credit, it is recommended that a course by course WES evaluation is completed.

International Academic Equivalency

Admission equivalencies for Humber depend on your country of study. Please enter your location or choose detect my location to see the requirements for your country below.

Post-Admission Requirements

Once you have been accepted, and have confirmed your offer, you may need to complete a further set of requirements related to your program (Post-Admission Requirements).

Applicants are strongly recommended to develop the following skillsets: computer knowledge/word processing, communication/interpersonal skills, related volunteer work and introductory background in recreation/leisure. First aid/CPR training is an asset.

Equipment & Device Requirements

Fees & Financial Aid

The 2022-2023 fee for two semesters was:

  • domestic: $3,760.06
  • international: $16,394.00

Fees are subject to change.

Fees by Semester

Domestic Fees International Fees

Additional Costs

$450 – textbooks; $240 – leadership camp experience (for one semester); fees for specific industry certifications.

Financial Aid, Scholarships and Bursaries

Understand the costs associated with coming to Humber and explore resources available from first year to your final year on Student Fees and Financial Resources.

Scholarships

Humber Scholarships

Find out more about scholarships and bursaries that you may be eligible for, visit Student Scholarships. International students can visit International Student Scholarships.

Humber Bursaries

Bursaries are available for Certificate, Diploma and Degree programs primarily based on financial need, visit Humber Bursaries.

External Awards, Bursaries & Scholarships

Find out more information about external scholarships and bursaries, visit External Awards.

Indigenous Student Awards, Bursaries & Scholarships

Humber offers a variety of bursaries and scholarships for Indigenous students, visit Indigenous Student Awards.

Explore Opportunities through Humber Pathways

Humber Pathways include:

  • Opportunities to build on your college education and complete your diploma or degree at Humber.
  • Degree and graduate study opportunities at other institutions in Ontario, Canada and abroad.
View Transfer Out Opportunities From This Program  
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