Occupational Therapy

Mission

The mission of the Occupational Therapy Department is to develop competent, compassionate occupational therapy practitioners and scholars through a dynamic, student-centered, occupation-based educational program.

Vision

Our vision is to lead the profession in the meeting society’s occupational needs by fostering excellence in occupational therapy teaching, scholarship and service.

Occupational therapy is a health profession whose practitioners work with clients of all abilities across the lifespan.  The goal of occupational therapy intervention is to increase the ability of the person to participate in everyday occupations that include activities we need and want to participate in such as, mealtimes, dressing, bathing, leisure, work, education, and social participation. 

Occupational therapy practitioners work in a variety of settings some of which include hospitals, clinics, schools, rehabilitation centers, home care programs, community health centers, psychiatric facilities, and skilled nursing facilities.  With experience, practitioners might function in private practice, as a university faculty member, in administration, as a researcher, or as a consultant.

The graduate occupational therapy (OT) curriculum is designed to facilitate occupation-based, client-centered practice, critical thinking and clinical reasoning. Courses emphasize life-long learning and professional responsibilities and help students become competent and compassionate practitioners. Workshops, lectures, intervention labs, small group classes, and fieldwork experiences help students apply and integrate practice grounded in theory.

The graduate OT program within the Westbrook College of Health Professions emphasizes inter-professional education among nursing, nurse anesthesia, athletic training, applied exercise science, physical therapy, social work, dental hygiene, physician assistant, pharmacy, public health, nutrition, health wellness and occupational studies,  dental, and osteopathic medical students.

The Occupational Therapy Program was first awarded accreditation in January 1985. The OT Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20824-3449. [(301) 652-AOTA]. www.acoteonline.org

Graduates of the program are eligible to take the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR).  NBCOT, Inc. 12 South Summit Avenue, Suite 100 Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877 Phone: 301-990-7979 Email: Info@nbcot.org web: www.nbcot.org

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
Most states require licensure to practice. (State licensure requires NBCOT Certification Examination results). Eligibility for the National Certification Examination requires:

• Master's degree, with a major in occupational therapy.
• Successful completion of an accredited occupational therapy curriculum; and
• Successful completion of a minimum of six months of supervised fieldwork (Level II).

Fieldwork Experiences

Level I Fieldwork Students complete Level I Fieldwork experiences as part of instructional courses in a variety of community and medical settings. This experience reinforces course concepts. Students are supervised by qualified personnel may include occupational therapists, teachers, social workers, public health nurses, and physical therapists.

Level II Fieldwork emphasizes the application of knowledge by providing the student with an in-depth experience in delivery of occupational therapy service to patients/clients. Students complete two full time level II fieldwork experiences, each is 3 months long.

The expenses incurred for room and board during these internships, and travel to and from the fieldwork sites, are the responsibility of each student. Students may complete fieldwork at any approved location.

The requirements for Level II fieldwork include:

• A minimum of six months (24 weeks, full time) of Level II Fieldwork experience, preferably with at least three months on a full-time sustained basis;
• Completion of all fieldwork experience no later than 18 months following completion of the didactic portion of the curriculum;
• Supervision provided by a licensed occupational therapist with at least one year of experience.

Graduation Requirements

Students must successfully complete all courses prior to graduation and fulfill all curriculum requirements.

WCHP Academic Policies

The Department of Occupational Therapy, the Westbrook College of Health Professions, and the University of New England are committed to offering a quality Occupational Therapy education program that complies with the evaluative criteria of the ACOTE (Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education). The program provides learning experiences to enable graduates to achieve the outcomes required for the practice of Occupational Therapy.  Please refer to the WCHP Graduate Program Progression Policies and Procedures for detailed description of academic standards.

MSOT Technical Standards

Technical Standards for Occupational Therapy Program  

The following abilities and skills are necessary to engage in the Occupational Therapy Department at the University of New England: 

• Cognitive abilities to analyze, synthesize, and integrate information related to anatomy, physiology, human development, psychology, sociology, kinesiology, and occupational studies in order to make clinical judgments for planning and implementing effective occupation-based interventions.
• Critical thinking and judgment that promotes safety, optimal occupational performance, remediation and adaptation.
• Time management and organizational skills to meet demands of classroom and practice environment.
• Interpersonal skills that include participating in classroom discussion, conducting interviews, observing body language, listening, responding, collaborative goal setting, and developing intentional relationships.
• Evaluation of performance of self and others and making adjustments in behavior or promoting behavioral change in others to enhance occupational performance.
• Communication skills to develop positive client relationships, complete written documentation consistent with OT practice, and participate as a health care team member.
• Physical abilities to perform physical examinations, such as balance, range of motion, and strength, and to accurately, safely, and efficiently use assessment tools, equipment, and other materials during occupational therapy intervention.
• Emotional stability to handle the demands of a practice environment.  This includes acting in a professional manner, being dependable, meeting commitments, and being forthcoming about one’s own needs.
• Ability to maintain personal appearance and hygiene conducive to working in clinical and community settings.

The OT Department’s goal is to develop competent, compassionate practitioners and scholars.

Upon completion of the Occupational Therapy curriculum, the student will be able to:

Foundations in Occupation

Recognize & value the essential contribution/composition of everyday occupations for health promotion, & well-being

Integrate knowledge from the liberal arts and sciences into occupational therapy practice.

Demonstrate understanding, awareness & appreciation of social, global, & cultural issues to meet the occupational needs of individuals, communities, & populations.

Critical Thinking in the Occupational Therapy Process

Select interventions for facilitating a client-centered plan throughout the OT process across the lifespan for individuals with a range of abilities

Utilize multi-modal types of clinical reasoning to implement interventions for client-centered service provision.

Integrate innovative, technological & creative resources and strategies into assessment, intervention, & outcomes across populations and contexts.

Occupation Across the Lifespan

Articulate and apply evidence that supports entry-level competence in person-centered and occupation-based practice for people of all ages.

Utilize assessments and intervention strategies that prioritize client-centered participation in occupations.

Communication, Advocacy, and Leadership

Perform as a competent and compassionate inter-professional practitioner and as an advocate and leader in OT for individuals, communities, & populations.

Advocate for occupational therapy services for/with recipients of those services.

Demonstrate leadership that upholds the Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics, OT standards of practice, & relevant policies.

Scholarship and Research

Formulate & implement a lifelong learning plan through the development of professional goals and aspirations.

Prioritize the utilization & promotion of evidence-based practice to promote professional and/or inter-professional growth.

Demonstrate an investment in and ability to utilize research to guide assessment, intervention, and outcomes across populations and contexts.

Synthesize & assimilate information from all levels of evidence to support practice.

Transfer Credit

• Transfer credits are rarely awarded to students who transfer from another occupational therapy program
• Transfer credits will be reviewed and awarded on a case-by-case basis

Advanced STANDING

No advanced standing available

Experiential Learning

No credit awarded for experiential learning

Coursework requirements

• Science​​
  • Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II (with labs, 8 semester or 12 quarter credits) OR
    • Human Anatomy, 4 semester or 6 quarter credits, and
    • Physiology, 4 semester or 6 quarter credits (Animal or Exercise Physiology not acceptable)
  • Neuroscience (3-4 semester or 5-6 quarter credits); lab component not required but is highly recommended​
• Other (3 semester credits or 5 quarter credits)
  • Statistics (Bio, Math, Psych)
  • Intro to Psychology
  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Human Development (lifespan)
  • Social Science (Sociology/Anthropology)
  • English Composition
  • Courses in Medical Terminology, college Chemistry or Physics, and Introduction to Occupational Therapy are highly recommended​
• Maximum of 3 AP credits may be applied toward the English prerequisite only
• All prerequisite courses must be successfully completed with a grade of “C” or better (“C-“grades, not acceptable) and completed at a U.S. regionally accredited college or university
• Prerequisite courses may be in-progress or planned at the time of application, but completed before enrollment in May; include any in-progress or planned coursework in your OTCAS application
  • Transcripts for coursework and/or degrees completed in the Fall term prior to the MSOT program start to be submitted to OTCAS for verification during the Academic Update period
  • Transcripts for coursework and/or degrees completed in the Spring term to be submitted directly to UNE's Office of Graduate and Professional Admissions as soon as available
• MSOT program will also accept courses offered through UNE’s Online Science Prerequisites, other online, and community college coursework to satisfy prerequisites, if successfully completed at any U.S. regionally accredited institution with approval of program

ACADEMIC/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• Completion of Bachelor’s Degree from a U.S. regionally accredited institution, or international equivalent, prior to matriculation
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, as calculated by OTCAS (inclusive of all coursework taken with no forgiveness for retakes)
• Minimum cumulative prerequisite GPA of 3.0 as calculated by UNE using the best grade received for repeated course
• Completion of volunteer or work experience in a health or human service related setting is highly recommended
• Two (2) letters of reference from writers who know you and can speak to your ability to be successful academically and to practice professionally (letters from friends or family members are not acceptable)
• Only those applicants who meet minimum requirements will be considered for admission
  • Just meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee an interview or acceptance
  • Average GPAs for students accepted into the program are well above published minimums
• Before or upon matriculation, accepted/deposited students will be expected to
  • Meet all health immunization requirements (Student Health Care)
  • Obtain a physical examination with proof of up-to-date immunization status 
• Accepted/deposited students will be subject to passing a criminal  background check and/or drug screening periodically throughout the program as required by clinical affiliations
• All candidates must be able to meet all academic and technical standards of the profession

PROCEDURES AND POLICIES

• Applications for admission are accepted through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS)
  • Applications must be electronically submitted to OTCAS by the posted deadline
  • It is highly recommended that students apply as early as possible in the admissions cycle
  • OTCAS application portal opens annually in mid-July
    • Priority application deadline:
      • Applications electronically submitted to OTCAS on or before posted priority application deadline will be considered for invitation to campus interview session from October - December
      • Decisions for priority applicants will be made and letters will be mailed after all priority applicants have interviewed
    • General application deadline:
      • General applicants who electronically submit the OTCAS application after the priority deadline will be considered for invite to interview December-March based on space availability
      • Decisions for general applicants will be made after each interview session on a space available basis until the program starts
• On-campus interviews are required for admission and are by invitation only
• International applicants and applicants with international degrees
  • Must have transcripts evaluated for degree and grade equivalency to that of a regionally accredited US institution (International Admissions)
  • Must be able to understand and communicate in English to be admitted to the university
    • UNE accepts several methods of English Language Proficiency
    • If an applicant cannot prove English Proficiency in another way, scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is required and must be submitted as a part of the completed application

Policy exceptions

• Policies have been established to ensure fair and consistent admissions practice for all applicants
• Exceptions to existing admission policies are rare and made on a case by case basis, only, when it is deemed necessary and appropriate to maintain fair and consistent practice for all can
• All academic (coursework and degree) and experience requirements presented in this summary are subject to change per accreditation mandates or clinical affiliation requirements

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more information regarding tuition and fees, please consult the Financial Information section of this catalog.