Occupational Therapy

Faculty

Carol Coté, Ph.D., OTR/L, Chair and Program Director
Michael Bermudez, Ed.D., OTR/L
Deborah E. Budash, Ph.D., OTR/L
Karen L. Brady, D.Ed., OTR/L
Lisa A. Kozden, MOT, OTR/L, CHT, COMT
William Lambert, M.S., OTR/L
Marlene J. Morgan, Ed.D., OTR/L
Julie Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, FAOTA
Chandra A. Nealon, M.S., DPT
Patricia A. Wisniewski, Ed.D., OTR/L, CPRP

Overview

The University offers a five-year, entry-level Master of Science (MS) degree program in Occupational Therapy (OT) and a six-year, entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD). Students enter these programs as first-year students and proceed through four years of undergraduate study to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences. Students enter the program undifferentiated for the MS or OTD track; at the end of the third year of study students can either apply to enter the OTD track or remain in the MS track. Both tracks lead to ability to sit for the national certification exam and qualify for licensing in all states. Following the awarding of the BS in Health Sciences, the students complete either the MS track or the OTD track and are awarded either the MS or OTD degree upon completion of graduate requirements.

The course work is sequenced in a planned progression in order to build upon and develop knowledge and skills at increasing levels of complexity, competence and integration. Therefore, all required courses are to be completed in sequence. A minimum grade of C (2.00) must be attained in every undergraduate cognate and OT course.

A minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.00 is required in order to advance into graduate study; a minimum, overall GPA of 3.00 must be achieved and maintained throughout the graduate year.

The normal length of time for completion of the program is five and one- half years for the MS track and six and one-half years for the OTD track. All OT students must complete Level II Fieldwork within 24 months following completion of the academic portion of the program. Required OT Level II Fieldwork are graded on a Credit/No Credit basis.

Admission to the program is normally open to incoming first-year students; transfer students are considered for admission on an individual basis when program capacity allows. Applicants are selected on a competitive basis, with emphasis placed on high school record, standardized test scores, extracurricular activities, and letters of recommendation. It is suggested that prospective students observe and/or volunteer in an occupational therapy setting. Since the majority of course work is at the undergraduate level, the OT program is described in detail in both the undergraduate and graduate catalogs.

Capstone Experience

MS track: Each student is required to complete a faculty-mentored scholarly experience. The foundation for this is experience is OT 350 - (EPW) Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods . In the spring semester of senior year students begin their project-based scholarly experience, which will develop in coursework over three semesters: OT 492 - Research and Scholarship I , OT 592 - Research and Scholarship II , and OT 593 - Research and Scholarship III . The experience involves active group participation in a faculty-mentored research project. Students are required to present the outcome of their research experience in a public forum during the graduate year.

OTD track: The research and scholarship experience for the doctoral students will culminate in the development of a Doctoral Capstone Project to be implemented at community site during a 14-week Doctoral Capstone Experience. Students are required to present the outcome of this project to interested professionals, faculty and students.

Accreditation

The Entry Level MS in Occupational Therapy Program is fully accredited, and the OTD Program is granted candidacy status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) c/o Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s phone number is c/o AOTA (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program who have completed all academic and fieldwork requirements are able to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the individual is an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). Candidates will need to provide documentation of all graduation and credentialing requirements, including certification/licensure. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the certification examination or attain state licensure. Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.

Course Information

Courses for Occupational Therapy are listed under the prefix OT. For more information on these courses, visit the Occupational Therapy Department Courses page. For more information on all courses, visit our Course Descriptions page.

For more information about the Occupational Therapy department, visit its website.