Graduate Bulletin
Document Number 3.04.05

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

[1] Occupational Therapy: Skills for the Job of Living

The practice of occupational therapy means the therapeutic use of everyday life activities (occupations) with individuals or groups for the purpose of participation in roles and situations in home, school, workplace, community, and other settings. Occupational therapy services are provided for the purpose of promoting health and wellness to those who have or are at risk for developing an illness, injury, impairment, activity limitation or participation restriction. Occupational therapy addresses the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, and other aspects of performance in a variety of contexts to support engagement in everyday life activities that affect health, well-being, and quality of life.

Specific occupational therapy services include administering and interpreting assessments designed to evaluate a client's physical, cognitive, psychosocial, and functional performance; teaching daily living skills; developing perceptual-motor skills and sensory integrative functioning; developing play skills and prevocational and leisure capacities; designing, fabricating, or applying selected orthotic, prosthetic, or assistive devices; using specifically designed activities to enhance functional performance; and evaluating and adapting occupational environments. These services are provided individually, in groups, or through social systems.

[2] Master of Science (Entry-Level)

[2.1] Purpose

The objective of the professional curriculum in occupational therapy is to educate entry-level therapists competent and skilled in providing occupational therapy services to clients whose independence is at risk or limited by a variety of disabling conditions or circumstances. Graduates are prepared to practice independently in a wide range of service-delivery models, with emphasis placed on the development of collaborative and therapeutic relationships with clients, families, and other health and human service professionals. Moreover, they are prepared to generate and participate in research associated with the discipline of occupational science, as well as the practice of occupational therapy.

[2.2] Accreditation

The Occupational Therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) in collaboration with the American Occupational Therapy Association. The address for ACOTE is 4720 Montgomery Lane, PO Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220; phone: (301) 652-2682.

[2.3] Certification

Upon successful completion of the program, the student will have fulfilled the requirements for the Master of Science degree and will have met the educational requirement to sit for the national examination leading to certification by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). The address for NBCOT is 800 S. Frederick Ave., Suite 200, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-1450; phone: (301) 990-7979. Note: A felony conviction record may affect an individual's eligibility to become certified as an occupational therapist. Individuals who are interested in a career in occupational therapy, but who have had a felony conviction should contact the NBCOT (prior to beginning the academic program) to determine whether they would be eligible for certification.

Graduates of the program also meet the educational requirements for state licenses. Specific state licensure boards should be contacted for detailed licensure requirements.

[2.4] Course of Study

The curriculum leading to the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy requires completion of 33-34 hours of prerequisite course work plus 54 undergraduate hours of professional-level courses. The graduate phase of the program requires completion of an additional 53 (thesis) or 56 (non-thesis) hours of professional-level courses. For students who do not possess a baccalaureate degree, 70 hours of prerequisite and general education courses must be completed prior to program entry; the Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (Occupational Therapy emphasis) is awarded following the fifth semester in the professional curriculum. Prerequisite courses may be completed at UCA or at another regionally accredited college or university. Students who plan to complete prerequisites at another university are strongly urged to contact the Occupational Therapy Program Advisor to determine course equivalency.

The professional-level curriculum consists of a minimum of nine semesters of on-campus study. During this time, students are engaged in both classroom work and Level I fieldwork experiences (minimum 80 hours per semester) at facilities in Arkansas and contiguous states. Following campus study, students are assigned to facilities in Arkansas and/or contiguous states for full-time fieldwork experiences of six-months' duration. Students are responsible for their own transportation and living expenses throughout the program, including fieldwork.

[2.5] Program Admission Requirements

Application to the professional program is made upon completion of the prerequisite courses, through a competitive admission process. Students seeking admission to the professional program in occupational therapy must

1. Apply to and meet all admission requirements of the university (if not previously a student at UCA).
2. Complete an application for admission to the occupational therapy professional program and pay a non-refundable application fee of $50 (current full-time UCA students are exempt from the application fee).
3. Have a minimum overall GPA of 2.75.
4. Complete a minimum of 20 hours volunteer/observation experience under the supervision of one occupational therapist and submit a performance rating sheet from this experience (form and specific instructions are available from the Occupational Therapy department).
5. Complete the following prerequisite course work with a grade of C or better. Students who have not completed all prerequisite courses may apply for admission; however, completion of all prerequisites is required prior beginning the professional curriculum.

1. Students working toward a first bachelor of science degree will have earned at least 70 credit hours and must have completed all general education course work as described in the UCA Undergraduate Bulletin.
2. Submit GRE General Test scores prior to admission to graduate school.

[2.6] Departmental Admissions Procedure

Entry into the program is by application and competitive admission only. Applications to the program become available by November 15 and are due in the program office by February 1 for consideration for entry the following May Intersession. All applications are reviewed by the Occupational Therapy Admissions Committee. Admission criteria may include cumulative GPA, biological/physical science GPA, behavioral science GPA, volunteer/observation experience, personal interview, and essay. Candidates are ranked according to a formula that is applied to the overall cumulative, behavioral science, and biological/physical science GPAs. Top-ranked candidates are invited for an interview. On the interview date, these candidates also complete a short essay on a topic related to occupational therapy. Candidates are scored on their interview performance and on the essay. Final ranking of candidates is based on the interview, essay scores, volunteer/observation experience, and GPA. In addition to the selected candidates, a ranked alternate list is established. Individuals may be chosen from the alternate list to replace applicants who decline their appointment at any time, up to the date of enrollment. Preference is given to Arkansas residents; admission of out-of-state residents is limited.

Applicants who believe that they have been treated differently from other candidates in admissions decisions are to contact the department chair for information about the appeals process. All appeals must begin at the department level.

[2.7] Tuition and Fees

Occupational therapy students pay UCA general registration and other mandatory fees plus health science and departmental fees of $16 per credit hour each semester. Information on general registration and other mandatory fees is available from the business office. Textbooks cost approximately $500 per semester. Fees are subject to change.

[2.8] Professional Courses

Undergraduate courses taken during the first year of the professional curriculum (course descriptions appear in the Undergraduate Bulletin) are listed here:

Required graduate courses for the entry-level curriculum are OTHY 6100, 6101, 6125, 6220, 6301, 6304, 6308, 6311, 6312, 6314, 6315; and 6621, 6631, or 6641 (must complete two of the three); KPED 6316; for thesis, enroll in OTHY 6320 Thesis, for a total of 6 credits, plus 6 hours electives; for non-thesis, enroll in 15 hours of electives. (For course descriptions, see section 4 below.)

[3] Master of Science (Post-Professional)

The post-professional master's degree program is designed to meet the needs of qualified occupational therapists by providing them with the opportunity to develop an advanced role emphasis and to engage in in-depth study or research within the context of this emphasis. The core curriculum enables the therapist to deepen his/her knowledge of the current trends in occupational therapy, in addition to the occupational therapy theories and research that underlie current practice. The student may choose from a variety of electives to enhance knowledge and skills in specific study areas.

The program is structured to accommodate therapists who are employed full-time; most classes are offered at non-traditional times or via distance learning formats. Students may choose a thesis (33 semester hours) or non-thesis (36 hours) option. Core required courses for the post-professional degree are: OTHY 6305, 6310, 6313 (or approved leadership course), 6365, approved Statistics course (total 15 hours). The remaining credit hour requirement may be met by completion of occupational therapy or other approved elective courses.

[3.1] Program Admission Requirements

In addition to the Graduate School admission requirements, the Occupational Therapy Department requires the following:

1. Graduation from an accredited program in Occupational Therapy with a baccalaureate degree or its equivalent.
2. Certification as an Occupational Therapist by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.
3. Completion of separate departmental application form (available from the department).
4. Submission of Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test score.
5. Three letters of reference (submitted to the department).
6. Interview with a member of the department's graduate faculty may be required.
7. International students are encouraged to contact the department with regard to requirements for NBCOT certification and language requirements.

[4] Graduate Courses in Occupational Therapy (OTHY)

Follow this link for OTHY course descriptions: course link.

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