Undergraduate Course Catalog 2008-2009
College of Health and Human Services
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Occupational Therapy (OT)
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Chairperson: Shelley E. Mulligan
Professor: Elizabeth L. Crepeau, Shelley E. Mulligan
Associate Professor: Lou Ann Griswold, Barbara Prudhomme White
Assistant Professor: Sajay Arthanat, Susan C. Merrill, Douglas C. Simmons, Kerryellen Vroman
Clinical Assistant Professor: Elizabeth A. Stewart, Therese Willkomm
Occupational therapy enables people to participate in daily life activities including leisure, work, self-care, and home management. Occupational therapists work with people of all ages to gain or regain skills and abilities or adapt tasks within their natural environment. Occupational therapy education includes studies in liberal arts, biological, behavioral, and health sciences, and occupational science and occupational therapy.
The occupational therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). ACOTE is located at the American Occupational Therapy Association, 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. ACOTE’s phone number is (301) 652-2682. Graduates from an accredited program are eligible to sit for the certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be a registered occupational therapist (OTR). Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination.
Combined Bachelor of Science/Master of Science Program
Graduates of professional programs must complete a professional master’s degree in occupational therapy in order to enter the field. The University of New Hampshire Department of Occupational Therapy offers a combined bachelor’s degree/master’s degree program. Students may enter as freshmen or transfer into the B.S./M.S. program at the end of the sophomore year, space permitting in the program. Students interested in transferring into this program should contact the Department of Occupational Therapy for information about transfer requirements and application deadlines.
Pre-Professional Curriculum
Students begin the B.S./M.S. curriculum with three years of pre-professional courses, which include courses in biological and social sciences as well as occupational therapy. In addition to University general education courses, students take the following core courses during their first three years:
ENGL 401, First-Year Writing
PSYC 401, Introduction to Psychology
ZOOL 507 and 508, Human Anatomy and Physiology
Social Sciences: three courses in the social sciences, such as history, sociology, psychology, economics, anthropology
OT 500, The Behavior and Development of Children
OT 501, Development Tasks of Adulthood
OT 510, Exploring Occupational Therapy and Occupation
OT 610, Occupation, Identity, and Disability
OT 685, Psychosocial Disorders and Everyday Life
KIN 706 and 707, Neurology and Neurology Lab
Statistics
Additional requirements include:
An experiential learning course for four credits;
a health or social policy course;
a minor or self-designed concentration area that relates to health and human services for a total of 20 credits;
40 hours of volunteer or work experience in a health and human service organization are recommended.
Professional Curriculum
Students in the B.S./M.S. curriculum begin the professional program in the senior year and complete the following courses:
OT 741, Human Occupation
OT 751, Mind Body Systems Neurologically-based Function and Dysfunction
OT 752, Human Movement and Environmental Effects on Everyday Occupations
OT 760, Psychosocial Evaluation and Intervention
OT 761, Professional Roles and Principles of Practice
OT 762, Evaluation and Intervention for Children
OT 763, Evaluation and Intervention for Adults
OT 771, Enabling Participation in Community Groups
OT 792, Level I Fieldwork
At the end of this year, students are awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in occupational science. Students then apply to the Graduate School as advanced-standing students in the professional master’s program. An overall minimum grade point of 3.0 is required for admission to the master’s degree program.
Please refer to the Graduate Catalog for additional information about the master’s program and the fifth year of the occupational therapy curriculum including fieldwork requirements.
Students have four academic years to complete the professional curriculum including level II field work. They will then be eligible to sit for the certification examination administered by the National Board of Certification of Occupational Therapists (NBCOT). Consistent with NBCOT, students must sit for the certification examination within two years of completion of coursework and fieldwork. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination and/or obtain state licensure.
Students are responsible for transportation to off-campus practicum and fieldwork locations and must purchase personal liability insurance for coverage for the practical components of the curriculum.
Curriculum review and revision is undertaken annually. The Department of Occupational Therapy works closely with students during academic advising sessions and shares information about policy and requirement changes during registration periods as well as throughout the academic year. Students are also expected to take an active role in verifying expectations and should check with their department advisers each September for updated policies and requirements. Program requirements and policies for retention in the major are in the OT Department Policy and Procedure Manual, which is available on Blackboard. Students are expected to ensure they have updated information on the department’s current policies and procedures.
