Study the intersection of health and human behavior
Help others get on the path to wellness. At the intersection of health and human behavior, UNE’s Occupational Studies degree will teach you how to work with diverse individuals and populations to assess their wellness and guide them toward healthier lives. We offer a minor in Assistive Technology that will broaden your career horizons as you learn how to equip clients with tools that will enhance their independence. Combining health sciences, wellness promotion, and human occupation, this major is a perfect foundation to a health professions graduate degree or for careers in the health and wellness industry.
Why UNE for your Occupational Studies degree
You’ll earn your Occupational Studies degree in a uniquely interprofessional educational environment. With more than a dozen health professions programs and a robust Education Department, UNE situates this major within a web of innovative, interdisciplinary University partnerships.
- Meaningful service learning in the community
- Undergraduate research opportunities
- Assistive technology classes and option to add a minor
- Optional Mental Health Rehabilitation Technician Certification
- Flexibility to pursue a minor
- Optional accelerated M.S.O.T. 3+2 allows you to complete a bachelor’s and occupational therapy master's in five years
- GradVantage option for UNE’s Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy graduate programs
Kaleigh Walsh ’23
Why UNE
I truly love the location of UNE and it really feels like a community here. It's not too big of a school, but not too small. I feel like everyone sort of knows everyone, which I really appreciate. Because of the tight knit community, everyone here cares and looks out for each other. The professors take time to know you and create a nice learning environment. [UNE’s faculty and staff] are always pushing you to the best of your abilities.
I chose to attend UNE because of the Health, Wellness, and Occupational Studies program and the fact that I could go on the pre-Occupational Therapy (OT) track. [UNE] has a grad school, so I thought that was nice because I could just stay here and go to grad school.
We do a lot of hands-on [learning], like going out in the community and helping, which gives a different perspective than most schools, which I really love. We go out into the community and practice various assistive technology examples that we learn about in class.
Experiential Education
[The Assistive Technology specialization] is offered through UNE’s HWOS program. As an aspiring occupational therapist, I would definitely like to pursue assistive technology [in my studies].
Right now, I'm taking the course Assistive Technology in Schools. We have learned how assistive technology helps maximize the success of children in school and the importance of interprofessional collaboration in the school systems with related specialists in OT, physical therapy and speech language pathology. We have visited a classroom at an elementary school to observe how a student uses their assistive technology devices throughout the school day.
Through hands-on experience in the field, I’m able to understand a little bit deeper what certain clients will need in terms of assistive technology. I think it will help me be a better occupational therapist.
Through hands-on experience in the field, I’m able to understand a little bit deeper what certain clients will need in terms of assistive technology. I think it will help me be a better occupational therapist.
What will you study? B.S. in Occupational Studies Curriculum Overview
The following are some examples of the exciting courses that the Occupational Studies major offers:
- Holistic Health
- Stress Management
- Equine-Assisted Therapy and Wellness
- Foundations of Assistive Technology
- Substance Misuse and Prevention
- Disability Studies
- Occupational Science
- Introduction to Occupational Therapy
Curriculum
| WCHP Common Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| BIO 104/104L – General Biology w/Lab | 4 |
| BIO 208/208L – Anatomy & Physiology I w/Lab | 4 |
| BIO 209/209L – Anatomy & Physiology II w/Lab | 4 |
| BIO 309 – Pathophysiology | 3 |
| ENG 110 – English Composition | 4 |
| EXS 120 – Personal Health & Wellness | 3 |
| EXS 180 – Motor Learning & Performance | 3 |
| IHS 130 – Interprofessional Health Care First Year Experience | 3 |
| IHS 310 – Ethical Practice in Health Professions | 3 |
| MAT 120 – Statistics | 3 |
| PHY 125/125L – Introduction to Biomechanics w/Lab or PHY 110/110L – General Physics w/Lab | 4 |
| PSY 105 – Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 205 – Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 250 – Lifespan Development | 3 |
| SOC 150 – Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| One (1) Advanced Studies Course | 3 |
| One (1) Creative Arts Course (with prefix ARH, ART, or MUS) | 3 |
| One (1) Explorations Course | 3 |
| One (1) Social Global Awareness Course | 3 |
| Total Credits | 62 |
| Program Required Courses | Credits |
|---|---|
| OS 305 – Introduction to OT & Related Fields (formerly HWOS 305) or NUTR 220 – Nutrition | 3 |
| OS 313 – Occupational Media (formerly HWOS 313) | 3 |
| OS 315 – Assessment for Wellness Consultation (formerly HWOS 315) | 3 |
| OS 316 – Research Methods (formerly HWOS 316) | 3 |
| OS 341 – Health and Wellness in an Aging Society (formerly HWOS 341) | 3 |
| OS 405 – Occupational Science (formerly HWOS 405) | 3 |
| OS 414 – Stress Management (formerly HWOS 414) | 3 |
| OS 424 – Health Education: From Theory to Practice (formerly HWOS 424) | 4 |
| OS 432 – Disability Studies & Inclusive Communities (formerly HWOS 432) | 3 |
| OS 434 – Substance Misuse & Prevention (formerly HWOS 434) | 3 |
| PUB 200 – Foundations in Public Health | 3 |
| Total Credits | 34 |
| Open elective courses (as needed to reach 120 credits) | Variable |
| Minimum Total Required Credits | 120 |
|---|
To learn more about the program visit the Academic Catalog or read our Occupational Studies student handbook (PDF).
Meet our faculty and professional staff
Experience an Assistive Technology Community Mobility Course
Career Paths for Occupational Studies Majors
Through training in occupational science, motivational interviewing, assistive technology, wellness assessment, stress management, and health education, you will develop the technical and analytical skills needed for a rewarding career helping others reach their health goals.
- Occupational Therapist
- Physical Therapist
- Assistive Technology Professional
- Health Educator
- Wellness Coordinator/Director
- Guidance Counselor
- Special Educator
- Benefits Coordinator
- Disability Advocate
- Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor
- Health Care Administrator
- Case Manager
Growing Fast
The health care and social assistance industry is one of the largest industries in the country and jobs in the field are increasing at more than double the national average. Nearly 22 million jobs are projected by 2022 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Career Advising in the Occupational Studies Program
Whether you have a specific career goal in mind or a vague idea of the field that interests you, Career Advising is here to help you plan your next step.
Occupational Studies Facilities
Campus Center
The 55,000-square foot Campus Center houses a sports complex that includes a 25-yard/six-lane handicapped-accessible swimming pool, an eight-person hot tub, and a fully-equipped fitness center with two racquetball courts and a free weight area. It also contains a 12,100-square-foot gym with a 1/12-mile balcony track, showers, a sauna, and locker rooms.
Center to Advance Interprofessional Education and Practice
UNE is one of a handful of private universities with a comprehensive health education mission that includes medicine, pharmacy, dental medicine, nursing, and an array of allied health profession programs.
In UNE’s HWOS program, you will take part in interprofessional education initiatives that prepare you to work with other aspiring health professionals to practice comprehensive and collaborative team-based care. Through service-learning and field experiences, you benefit from exercises that also include students from other UNE health discipline programs.
Interprofessional Simulation and Innovation Center
As a HWOS student, you utilize our Interprofessional Simulation and Innovation Center to apply the knowledge you gain in the classroom to realistic clinical situations before putting actual patients at risk.
Guided by skilled instructors, you participate in simulations specifically designed to enhance your clinical aptitudes. Rather than just hearing about and reading about difficult or unusual cases, you experience them by treating our high-fidelity patient simulators and patient actors in scenarios that mimic real life.
Occupational Studies/M.S.O.T 3+2
Now you can begin earning your Master of Science in Occupational Therapy during your undergraduate studies. This accelerated program will allow you to earn a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Studies and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in as little as five years.
Experiential Learning in Occupational Studies
With a focus on skills development, the Occupational Studies major provides opportunities for hands-on learning through collaborative projects, undergraduate research, service learning, internships, and extra-curricular activities that complement coursework.
Occupational Studies Activities and Opportunities
- Run a summer camp for children with autism spectrum disorder
- Research adaptive sports, holistic health methods, and stress management
- Earn certification as a Peer Health Educator
- Organize Boys and Girls Club festivals
- Mentor youth in empowerment programs
- Implement community-based health interventions
- Engage older adult cognition through creative arts
- Design disability advocacy programs
Finding the Pieces Camp
The University of New England, City of Biddeford, and Autism Society of Maine partnered to develop the Finding the Pieces Camp. The camp, designed for children in York County who have autism, is staffed by undergraduate UNE students from the Occupational Studies program and the Education program, all of whom have studied autism. Campers attend free of charge thanks to the support of generous sponsors.
Internships for B.S. in Occupational Studies Students
Occupational Studies internship sites are focused on community-based, health and wellness promotion. A wide array of enriching internship opportunities exist at sites including:
- Maine Adaptive Sports and Recreation
- Maine Medical Center Research Institute
- Carlisle Academy Integrative Therapy and Sports
- My Place Teen Center
- St. Louis Child Development Center
- St. Joseph's Rehabilitation & Residence
The Occupational Studies Internship Coordinator connects you with community sites and supports you throughout the internship experience. A site supervisor provides direct supervision and guidance while on site. Through your internship, you make significant, positive impacts in the community, while gaining invaluable experience, skills, and mentorship.
You earn credit for the experience through the Occupational Studies 490 Internship course, offered every Fall and Spring Semester. You can tailor the experience to fit with existing academic and extracurricular commitments, pursuing between one to three credit hours. Coursework includes weekly reflective journals and meetings, a foundational paper, an internship project, and a summative portfolio.
To learn more about your internship experience, contact Caryn Husman at chusman@une.edu or (207) 602-2065.
Service Learning
As part of the Occupational Studies curriculum, you complete Service Learning Projects. These projects bring you out into the field to perform important work with local organizations while gaining invaluable experience and community connections — UNE’s Department of Service Learning offers additional opportunities. At the annual Occupational Studies Day of Scholarship, student-led research projects are showcased to the UNE and the surrounding community at an interactive, professional poster session, where you practice skills in effective presentation and communication.
Service-learning initiatives connect students, faculty, and professional staff with opportunities to engage in meaningful and mutually beneficial service activities within a variety of community settings. Service-learning instills a lifelong commitment toward helping others, while positively impacting individual, family, and community health outcomes among populations served. Examples include working with the homeless population, implementing health fairs, and developing age-appropriate recreational activities at a local Boys and Girls Club.
Apply Today
Ready to begin your future in UNE’s Bachelor of Science in Occupational Studies? Get started today.
