Occupational Therapy (MS)

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (MS) 1 Occupational Therapy (MS) Degree Requirements Requirements For The Master Of Science Degree In Occupational Therapy Credit Hours The Master of Science degree program consists of the following courses: OT 500 Occupation in Context OT 502 Occupational Development I OT 50 History and Philosophy of OT OT 504 Neuroscientific Basis of Occup Perf OT 505 Scientific Inquiry I 2 OT 506 Research Design I 1 OT 510 Theoretical Foundations of OT - W OT 512 Occupational Development II - W OT 517 Occupational Evaluation I OT 519 Professional Dev Seminar I 2 OT 520 Occupational Intervention I 5 OT 521 Practicum I 1 OT 524 Biomed & Phenomenol Persp on Disability I OT 525 Practicum I OT 527 Occupational Evaluation II OT 50 Occupational Intervention II 5 OT 51 Occupational Intervention II 1 OT 54 Biomed & Phenomenol Persp on Disability II OT 56 Management OT 58 Group Dynamics 2 OT 59 Professional Dev Seminar III 2 OT 540 Occupational Intervention III 5 OT 541 Practicum III 1 OT 544 Musculoskeletal Assessment 2 OT 545 Scientific Inquiry II 2 OT 546 Supervision 2 OT 547 Research Implementation 1 OT 550 Level II Fieldwork (A) 6

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (MS) 2 OT 555 Level II Fieldwork (B) 6 OT 558 Technology & Environ Interventions in OT Expenses OT 559 Professional Leadership OT 570 Community-Based Intervention OT 575 Advanced Professional Writing 2 OT 576 Research Publication 1 During the Summer and Fall semesters of the last year students participate in fieldwork education at special fieldwork sites affiliated with the program. Students should be prepared to relocate to two different out-of-town fieldwork centers during these two semesters. Students admitted in the Occupational Therapy program will be charged a matriculation deposit of $200 required to secure a seat in the entering class. This amount is not refundable but will be applied towards tuition expenses after registration. Students should be prepared for extra expenses associated with professional studies including books, local travel to and from fieldwork sites and out-of-town travel and living expenses during Level II Fieldwork assignments. Special lab fees are assessed for the following courses: OT 500 Occupation in Context $0.00 OT 504 Neuroscientific Basis of Occupational Performance $70.00 OT 510 Theoretical Foundations of OT $0.00 OT 517 Occupational Evaluation I $50.00 OT 520 Occupational Intervention I $50.00 OT 527 Occupational Evaluation II $50.00 OT 50 Occupational Intervention II $50.00 OT 540 Occupational Intervention III $50.00 OT 544 Musculosketletal Assessment $0.00 OT 545 Scientific Inquiry II $25.00 OT 550 Level II Fieldwork (A) $ 5.00 OT 555 Level II Fieldwork (B) $ 5.00 OT 558 Technology and Environmental Intervention in OT $50.00 Retention Policies In accordance with the Policies of the University of South Alabama Graduate S School: 1. A minimum overall.0 GPA on all work attempted in the student's specific program of study is required. A maximum of two courses with the grade of "C" may be counted toward a degree program. 2. Any term in which a graduate student drops below a.0 GPA, the student is placed on probationary status and has a period of two terms to attain a.0 GPA or be dismissed from the Graduate School. In addition, the following Departmental Retention Policies apply: 1. Students in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy degree program are required to achieve a minimum grade of "C" in each course in the occupational therapy curriculum. This minimum grade of "C" reflects only the letter grade since many courses will require an 80% or 90% competency in order to be considered passing level. 2. A student who receives a "D" or "F" will be academically dismissed.. Any combination of nine (9) semester hours of grades of "C" in OT courses will result in academic dismissal. 4. If for any reason a student must withdraw from the occupational therapy program, re-admission will require approval of the department chairperson and the Dean of the Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions. 5. All occupational therapy coursework taken prior to Level II Fieldwork must be successfully completed with a grade of "C" or better and a minimum GPA of.0 in order for a student to be eligible to proceed with Level II Fieldwork. 6. Level II Fieldwork will be graded as Pass/Fail using the criterion scores developed by the American Occupational Therapy Association. A student will be allowed to withdraw from fieldwork, without penalty, under special circumstances,

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (MS) for example, a serious illness/newly acquired disability. Withdrawal from Level II Fieldwork requires the recommendation of the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and the permission of the Department Chairperson. All repeat fieldwork experiences must be completed within one year. 7. If a student fails a Level II Fieldwork course (OT 550, OT 555), a "U" or unsatisfactory will be recorded as the grade. IF the student is permitted to repeat the Level II Fieldwork course, the student may be required to complete remediation tasks prior to repeating the course. The Academic Fieldwork Coordinator will schedule the repeated fieldwork at the earliest available time, but no later than 12 months following completion of all other academic requirements. A student failing to satisfactorily complete two out of three attempts of the 12 week fieldwork placements (OT 550, OT 555) shall be dismissed from the program. Note: In some semesters, courses may not start and/or finish during the regular University beginning and ending dates for the semester. For example, one course may start at the beginning of a semester and finish at the semester midpoint, while another course starts at the midpoint of the semester and finishes at the semester's end. Accreditation The Department of Occupational Therapy MSOT 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 20814. ACOTE's phone number is (01) 652-6611 (x2914). Graduates of the program will be eligible 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 exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may adversely affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Department Information Department of Occupational Therapy Staff Interim Chair Professor Associate Professor Assistant Professors Adjunct Faculty (251) 445-9222 Donna A. Wooster, PhD. Scaffa Wooster Sasse, Steele Chromiak, Dana, Gifford, Henderson, Hyche, McCraw, Mohler, O'Connor, Ondis, Peters, Stammer, Tekell, Van Slyke Department of Occupational Therapy web site http://www.southalabama.edu/alliedhealth/ot/ot.htm Occupational Therapy is a health care profession devoted to providing skilled treatment that helps individuals achieve independence in all aspects of their lives. Occupational therapists work with persons with acute and chronic physical, psychosocial, mental and developmental disabilities. An occupational therapist may aid in the growth and development of premature babies; create a learning environment for physically and mentally challenged children; adapt home environments for persons with stroke, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury and other disabilities; or create activities that are designed to restore mental health for persons with emotional, mental, or substance abuse problems. Occupational therapy focuses on "skills for the job of living" which includes all of the necessary skills for individuals to "live life to its fullest" and lead independent and satisfying lives. The Master of Science degree program in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) is an entry-level professional program designed to enable the student to develop advanced critical reasoning skills and to prepare the graduate for professional practice in a variety of settings. Graduates will also have the capability of assuming responsibilities in the areas of administration, program development, consultation and research in occupational therapy. The program consists of 94 semester hours and is seven consecutive semesters in length. This includes 24 weeks of full-time Level II Fieldwork as required by accreditation standards. Level II Fieldwork is available in a variety of medical and community sites representing a diverse range of learning opportunities for students. All Level II Fieldwork must be completed within 12 months following completion of academic requirements.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (MS) 4 The program is designed to accommodate applicants who have either a baccalaureate degree in another field or advanced undergraduates who have completed three years (90 semester hours) of prescribed and elective undergraduate course work. Criteria For Admission A new class of MSOT students begins each year in the fall semester. Applications are accepted beginning in September for the following year. Applications with appropriate processing fees should be submitted directly to the Occupational Therapy Department. Selected applicants who meet all academic admission requirements below may be invited for an interview. Students offered admission may choose to guarantee a seat by submitting a matriculation fee (applied toward tuition) or be placed on the alternate list. All other qualified applicants will be placed on the alternate list. All students admitted to the program must complete a criminal background check; admission is contingent on the background check being clear of criminal charges. The candidate is expected to satisfy the following minimum criteria for admission: Regular Graduate (Category I) applicants Advanced Undergraduate (Category II) applicants **This admission option will no longer be available after the January 2017 application deadline. Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university including the OT prerequisites A minimum.0 (A=4.0) overall cumulative GPA and a minimum.0 GPA in the prerequisite coursework with a grade of "C" or better in each course Minimum of 25 documented OT observation hours GRE minimum score of 290 (verbal and quantitative combined). Applicants must also take the analytic portion of the exam but no minimum is required. Must have completed at least 70% of the Math/Science prerequisite courses and 70% of the General Studies prerequisite courses before applying At least 90 semester hours including the OT prerequisites and University graduation requirements A minimum.25 (A=4.0) overall cumulative GPA and a minimum.25 GPA in the prerequisite coursework with a grade of "C" or better in each course Minimum of 25 documented OT observation hours GRE minimum score of 290 (verbal and quantitative combined). Applicants must also take the analytic portion but no minimum is required. Must have completed at least 70% of the Math/Science prerequisite courses and 70% of the General Studies prerequisite courses before applying Applications will be reviewed for academic qualifications on receipt of application, processing fee, transcripts and GRE results. Selected applicants who meet all academic admission requirements below may be invited for personal interviews. http://www.southalabama.edu/alliedhealth/ot/index.html Admission is offered to the top students who apply after consideration of the admission score. Applicants are strongly encouraged to observe occupational therapy practice in a variety of settings. A minimum of 25 documented OT observation hours are required. Documentation forms for observation are included in the application packet. These forms may also be downloaded from the department web site (http://www.southalabama.edu/alliedhealth/ot/usaotobservationform.pdf) or may be obtained from the occupational therapy department. Core Performance Standards, which are fundamental tasks that must be performed to successfully complete the program, have been outlined and are available upon request from the program. Applicants who are interested in whether courses from other universities will meet prerequisite requirements may contact the department by e-mail for an unofficial review of their course descriptions. Baccalaureate Degree Holders (Category I) The student must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university including the prerequisites listed below and must meet the minimum requirements for admission. OR Advanced Undergraduates (Category II) The student must have completed a minimum of 90 semester hours of prerequisite work as stated below for Advanced Undergraduate students and must meet the minimum requirements for admission. International students are not eligible for admission as Advanced Undergraduates.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (MS) 5 Applicants interested in this category of admission should review the Additional Information for Advanced Undergraduate Applicants section below. **This admission option will no longer be available after the January 2017 application deadline. Program Prerequisites All Applicants Must Complete Prerequisites Credit Hours Baccalaureate Degree Holders (Category I) and Advanced Undergraduate Applicants (Category II) must complete these prerequisites: Math/Science Pre-Requisite Courses 7 19 Precalculus Algebra (or higher mathematics General Biology with lab for prehealth/science majors hrs 4 hrs *Anatomy & Physiology 6 hrs *Kinesiology (biomechanics) hrs *Statistics or Research Methods hrs *Indicates courses that must be taken no more than 10 years prior to application. General Studies Pre-Requisite Courses 18 English Composition hrs General Psychology hrs Developmental Psychology (life span) hrs Abnormal Psychology hrs Cultural Anthropology hrs Elective (one of the following: Ethics, Public Speaking, Logic, Group Dynamics) hrs Additional Prerequisites Advanced Undergraduate Applicants (Category II) Must Complete: English Composition II hrs Laboratory Science Elective (4 semester hours) (not Botany) 4 hrs Fine Arts Elective hrs *Literature Elective hrs Humanities Elective hrs *History Elective hrs Social Science Elective hrs Applied Art Elective hrs Electives (sufficient number of semester hours to meet University graduation requirements) *Must complete a two course sequence in Literature or History.

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (MS) 6 Additional Information for Advanced Undergraduate Applicants (Category II): **This admission option will no longer be available after the January 2017 application deadline. Students not holding a baccalaureate degree who want to apply to the program as an Advanced Undergraduate must complete the university requirements for a Bachelor of Science in Professional Health Sciences. This will help ensure that students who fail to gain admission to the Occupational Therapy program or who elect not to apply will be able to complete an undergraduate degree within the normal time frame. Advanced undergraduates who are admitted to the MSOT program will officially be classified as undergraduates for the first two semesters of the program; however, they will be taking graduate courses in the program. They will be held to the same academic standards of performance as the graduate students with bachelor's degrees. Upon satisfactory completion of all course work during the first two semesters of the program, the advanced undergraduate student will be awarded a Bachelor of Science in Professional Health Sciences. The student must complete all necessary paperwork for reclassification as a graduate student in order to continue through the remainder of the program. The academic program for students with bachelor's degrees and advanced undergraduates is identical in its entirety. Tuition will be assessed at the graduate level for the entire seven semesters of the Master's degree program. In the first two semesters of the program, while classified as an undergraduate student, any financial aid awarded is restricted to the types and amounts for which an undergraduate student is eligible.