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2015-2016 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Occupational Therapy, MS
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 Return to: College of Health Sciences
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Occupational Therapy: Program Overview
Professional Description
The Department of Occupational Therapy offers a graduate program that prepares the student for unique contributions to the field of occupational therapy. This professional level program is designed for individuals with baccalaureate degrees in other fields who are seeking to become occupational therapists.
Educational Orientation
The professional graduate program at Rush University is designed for the student who has acquired a variety of life experiences through previous educational, vocational and avocational activities. The program values the incorporation of these life experiences into the educational activities of the program. The educational approach utilized in the program that best addresses these spheres is based on theories of adult learning. By basing the program on adult learning theories, it is possible to build on the students’ past, connect it to their activities of the present and predict a future of competent, capable responses to the needs of the profession. The program is designed to enable the student to learn not only the content and theories of occupational therapy, but also the process of utilizing the multiple resources of the learning environment, including teachers and peers. A series of carefully designed learning experiences, occurring within and outside the classroom, promote independence in conjunction with collegial interaction, problem solving and clinical reasoning, and analysis and synthesis of information. The graduate emerges as a competent therapist who has maintained initial curiosity and added to it through increased ability for creative thinking. Because of experiences in self-directed learning and self-identification of needs, the graduate is able to be responsible and responsive to the needs of the profession. The graduate is expected to be a life-long learner capable of maintaining professional integrity when faced with challenges and complexities of contemporary health care.
Professional Orientation
Since the Rush graduate will be prepared to work in a variety of traditional and nontraditional settings, their practice base is the result of broad experiences within the many arenas of occupational therapy. The graduates have the ability to add increasing amounts of depth and validation to their treatment programs as a result of their involvement and experiences with problem-solving approaches to therapy. Given the combination of breadth and depth of knowledge and experience related to occupational therapy treatment, the primary strength of Rush University graduates will be their ability to function as highly resourceful practitioners. As in the past, and for the foreseeable future, the role of the practitioner is the core of all occupational therapy. The practitioner who is able to base treatment on established fact, use internal and external resources, and engage in clinical reasoning and problem solving is the practitioner who will contribute to the credibility and viability of the profession. It is this type of practitioner who is expected to be the product of the Rush program.
The graduates of the program are able to enter the clinical arena competently and confidently, applying their clinical skills and expanding upon those skills as individual situations require. This continuous process of assessment and expansion contributes to the personal and professional growth vital to occupational therapists. The role of the clinician, as it is understood in this context, incorporates other major roles of the therapist. As the Rush program is designed, the students have the opportunity to explore the functions of the therapist as an educator, researcher and manager from the practitioner’s perspective. The involvement of the student in these other roles is another major strength of the program. The additional roles of educator, manager and researcher cannot be separated from the practitioner’s role.
Occupational Therapy: Admission Requirements
The applicant to the professional program in occupational therapy must have completed or must show evidence of the following in order to be considered for admission:
- Completed application through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application System
- A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, with a recommended minimum grade point average of a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
- Official scores from Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test taken within the past five years are required. A combined score (verbal and quantitative portions) of 302 on the revised test (1000 prior to August 2011) and a minimum score of 4.0 on the analytical writing sample are required.
- Prerequisite courses including statistics, sociology or anthropology, human growth and development (must cover the entire lifespan), two psychology courses in addition to human growth and development, and human anatomy (with lab, preferably cadaver) and human physiology (lab preferred). Human anatomy and human physiology must be taken within five years prior to admission to program. Two sequential courses with labs will also satisfy this prerequisite.
- Two letters of recommendation. One recommendation must be from an occupational therapy practitioner.
- Official transcripts from every college or university attended by the applicant
- Experience/familiarity with occupational therapy either through observation, volunteering or work experience with an OT practitioner
The Admissions Committee will make decisions regarding the acceptability of the applicant to the program. All application materials will be evaluated. Academic and nonacademic factors, including extracurricular activities, job and life experiences will be taken into consideration. Selected applicants will be required to participate in an on-site visit that will include a faculty interview. Recognizing the need of occupational therapists to serve a population representative of diverse social, ethnic, cultural and economic backgrounds, a goal of the Admissions Committee will be to select a class likely to meet these diverse needs.
Application Deadlines
Admission is granted for the summer quarter of each year, which begins mid-June. Applications become available online August 1st. Completed applications will begin to be reviewed by the Admissions Committee beginning October 15th. The application closes on December 1st. Interviews will be held during the months of November. Enrollment is limited to up to 34 students. Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.
Students accepted into the Occupational Therapy program must complete a criminal background check. Note: students who have certain types of information in their criminal background checks may be ineligible to complete fieldwork rotations in specific facilities and/or may be ineligible for state licensure and/or national registry or certification.
Occupational Therapy: Academic Policies
Enrollment
The academic program is a 27-month program covering nine academic quarters. Instruction is provided by occupational therapy faculty and faculty members from other departments and colleges within the University. Students must complete all program requirements within 39 months from the time they begin the program. A minimum of 117 credits is required for graduation.
Accreditation and Certification
The Occupational Therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association. Additional information can be obtained by contacting:
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
(ACOTE)
c/o Accreditation Department
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200
Bethesda, MD 20814-3449
(301) 652-2682
www.acoteonline.org
Graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT). Additional information can be obtained by contacting:
NBCOT, Inc.
800 S. Frederick Avenue, Suite 200
Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150
(301) 990-7979
After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In Illinois, occupational therapists must be licensed in order to practice and state licensure is based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. This is true in many other states but specific requirements for licensure may be determined by contacting individual state licensing boards.
Academic Progression
The faculty reserves the right to request the withdrawal of any student whose conduct, health or performance demonstrates lack of fitness for continuance in a health profession. Any such student not voluntarily withdrawing will be dismissed from the University. Only grades of A, B or C may fulfill degree requirements in all required courses. Students will be considered in good standing at Rush University unless placed on academic probation. Academic probation is assigned to a student who earns a quarterly GPA between 2.0 and 2.99, inclusive. Students placed on probation must earn a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater at the end of the next consecutive quarter.
Students placed on academic probation for the first time must meet with their advisor and establish an Action Plan prior to the beginning of the next quarter. If a student is placed on probation a second time, he or she must petition and meet with the Student Performance and Academic Review Committee (SPARC) and provide an Action Plan that is acceptable to SPARC in order to continue in the program. The student will also be responsible to meet on a regular basis with his or her advisor to monitor the progress of the aforementioned Action Plan’s implementation. A student who is placed on probation for a third time for didactic coursework will automatically be dismissed from the program. A student receiving a grade of D or F or WF in a required course must repeat the course and earn at least a C to remain in the program. Only one D or F or WF is allowed per academic year, and no more than two are allowed in the entire program. Anyone receiving more than one D or F or WF in an academic year or more than two during the program will be dismissed from the program. Furthermore, a student who fails (receives a grade of No Pass) two fieldwork experiences (Level I and/or Level II) will be automatically dismissed from the program.
College of Health Sciences/Rush University Academic Policies
Academic policies specific to the College of Health Sciences are located earlier in this catalog. In addition, the Academic Resources and Policies section of this catalog contains Rush University academic policies.
Occupational Therapy: Graduation Requirements
The Master of Science with a major in occupational therapy requires a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or greater to graduate. All degree requirements including fieldwork must be completed within 39 months. A minimum of 117 quarter hours is required for graduation.
Occupational Therapy: Research Activities
Members of the department are increasingly involved in identifying research projects in occupational therapy. The students participate in faculty-supervised, evidence-based clinical-outcome studies, which may be carried out in one of Rush University Medical Center’s occupational therapy clinics.
Occupational Therapy: Service Activities
The faculty are outstanding practitioners/teachers/investigators involved in widely recognized professional and scholarly activities. They provide a full range of assessment and therapeutic services for a variety of populations. Within the Medical Center there are more than 30 dedicated occupational therapy practitioners working with pediatric, adult and geriatric patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. In addition, faculty and clinicians are committed to serving with professional and community organizations. Students participate with faculty and clinicians in health fairs and service activities throughout the year. Students have an opportunity to join the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA), a service-based organization.
Occupational Therapy Curriculum
Hours Required for MS Degree: 117
* Thesis option available. Includes courses OCC 598A , OCC 598B , and OCC 598C in place of OCC 582 and OCC 583 .
** OCC 583 Research III is a continuous course beginning in the fourth quarter with a grade and credit assigned upon completion of the ninth quarter.
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