MS in Occupational Therapy

The purpose of occupational therapy is to help individuals achieve a maximum level of independent living. Occupational therapy is needed when an individual's ability to live independently, to care for personal needs, and to participate in work, school, family and community life is disrupted by illness or injury. Occupational therapists also provide support for wellness and prevention concerns. Program faculty have a keen interest to respond to the needs unique to rural practice and explore alternative service delivery models.

Program Description

This program is designed to provide entry-level, professional education in the field of occupational therapy at the graduate level. The first year of the professional program presents history, foundational concepts, contemporary practice models and occupational therapy intervention methods. The second year is designed to develop clinical reasoning, intervention strategies and critical inquiry skills. Working with program faculty, students complete a capstone project in the form of a quantitative or qualitative research study. Throughout the program, students are challenged to analyze and integrate clinical experiences with didactic material.

Format

The program is a 3 plus 2.5 year model for incoming freshmen. During the first three years students take the prerequisites for the Occupational Therapy program, complete the College's general education requirements, and courses that would contribute to a minor. During the next 2.5 years students complete the Occupational Therapy program, including six months of full-time fieldwork. Students receive a Bachelor's degree in Health Sciences at the end of the first year of the master's program.

Students holding a baccalaureate degree may take the 2.5 year entry-level master's degree program, which includes the required level II fieldwork for graduate credit. For transfer students who do not hold baccalaureate degrees, the program prerequisites must be completed in addition to the college's general education requirements prior to entering the program. The first year of the program may be applied toward an undergraduate degree in Health Sciences.

The program requires satisfactory completion of 34 credits in each of two years of the professional program and 13 fieldwork credits, for a total of 81 credits. Students may enroll on a full-time or part-time basis, however, all courses must be completed successfully in sequence. Following completion of the academic component of the program, the student completes fieldwork experiences, each typically 12 weeks in length. Fieldwork is arranged through the program at approved sites throughout the United States.