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Apr 20, 2024
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2003-2004 Springfield College Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Occupational Therapy Dual Degree Program
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 Return to: Undergraduate Curricula
(undergraduate degree in a related major, followed by a master’s degree in occupational
therapy) Requirements are subject to change.
The occupational therapy dual degree program is a unique plan, allowing students
interested in occupational therapy to complete, in five years, a bachelor’s degree
in a related field and a master’s degree in occupational therapy. Students enter
the dual degree program as first-year students and are simultaneously enrolled
in a major related to occupational therapy. (Students who wish to apply to occupational
therapy in their junior year should see Section VII below for a description of
the advanced senior program.)
The selection of undergraduate majors approved for the dual degree program includes
rehabilitation and disability studies, psychology, biology, art therapy, dance,
gerontology, and general studies (occupational therapy concentration). Other majors
related to occupational therapy that are of interest to the student may also be
an option. (Students who do not have a particular interest in a separate major
may wish to consider the general studies major with choices tailored to both occupational
therapy and students’ unique needs.)
For the first four years of the dual degree program, students engage in courses
required for their occupational therapy degree, their undergraduate degree, and
the General Education program. The professional portion of the program begins
in the student’s fourth year and continues on into the fifth, or graduate year,
including two summers. Students are advised by both a faculty member from their
undergraduate major and an occupational therapy faculty mentor from the beginning
of their Springfield College experience. It is a challenging, accelerated program,
but one that enriches students’ background experiences and provides them with
two different degrees.
Throughout the occupational therapy program, students engage in a mix of classroom,
laboratory, group project, and fieldwork experiences. Students become practiced
in entry level occupational therapy theory, evaluation and treatment techniques,
clinical reasoning, research, teaching skills, management skills, and teamwork.
There is also an option for additional experience in the writing of a research
project in an occupational therapy area of interest. Fully encompassing the College’s
humanics philosophy, the occupational therapy program emphasizes that health and
learning are best gained through an approach that unifies spirit, mind, and body.
The typical Springfield College-trained occupational therapist displays both the
unique empathy and the strong interpersonal skills necessary to be understood
by clients, their families and healthcare professionals alike.
The occupational therapy component of the program is accredited by the Accreditation
Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy
Association, Inc.
1 and will qualify the student to sit for the examination given by the National
Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc
2 .Passing this examination is required to practice occupational therapy.
Admission to the Program
Candidates must have a rigorous background in the sciences and mathematics; coursework
in psychology and sociology or anthropology is recommended. Documentation of experience
in occupational therapy or other human service endeavors is also mandatory. January
15 is the deadline for the application, and February 1 is the deadline for all
supporting documents. Later application packets will be reviewed on a space available
basis. Tr ansfer students from other colleges, as well as internal transfers,
may also be accepted to the dual degree program on a space available basis.
For more information about the occupational therapy dual degree program, please
contact the Occupational Therapy Department at (413) 748-3692 or the Admissions
Office at (800) 343-1257. More information can also be found on our web site at
www.spfldcol.edu/ot.
1 The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American
Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.; 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O.Box 31220, Bethesda,
MD 20824-1220; (301) 652-2682.
2 National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc., 800 S. Frederick
Ave., Suite 200, Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150, (301) 990-7979, www.nbcot.org.
General Educaion Program - as specified for the undergraduate major.
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I. General Education Program
To integrate the humanics philosophy into their lives, Springfield College students
engage in the search for knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of values
through a variety of courses in the sciences and humanities. In addition to those
General Education courses, students must complete 6 s.h. of Writing-Across-the-Curriculum
(WAC) courses. For more information see the General Education Program and WAC courses. In the major requirements listed below, selected courses which fulfill General
Education categories are marked with an asterisk; selected WAC courses are marked
with a “W”. II. Undergraduate Major Requirements
Students complete requirements for their undergraduate major. (Some departments
may modify requirements or available concentrations to accommodate the occupational
therapy preprofessional courses.) III. Occupational Therapy Preprofessional Requirements (43-44 s.h.)
IV. Occupational Therapy Professional Requirements (69-72 s.h.)
- OCTH 531 - Occupation, Dysfunction, and Adaptation in Adults I Credits: 3 s.h.
- OCTH 532 - Occupation, Dysfunction, and Adaptation in Adults II Credits: 3 s.h.
- OCTH 533 - Occupation, Dysfunction, and Adaptation in Adults III Credits: 4 s.h.
- OCTH 534 - Occupation, Dysfunction, and Adaptation in Adults IV Credits: 4 s.h.
- OCTH 535 - Development and OT Adaptation for the Older Adult Credits: 3 s.h.
- OCTH 550 - Occupational Therapy Management Credits: 3 s.h.
- OCTH 582 - Graduate Seminar Credits: 3 s.h.
- OCTH 583 - Research in OT Practice Credits: 2 s.h.
- OCTH 586 - Clinical Education II Credits: 10 s.h.
- OCTH 587 - Clinical Education III Credits: 10 s.h.
- OCTH 686 - Specialty Clinical Education optional; Credits: 3 s.h.
- RSCH 610 - Fundamentals and Methods of Research Credits: 3 s.h.
V. Program Standards
Students will be expected to maintain performance standards required for their
undergraduate major as they progress through their undergraduate years. In addition,
they will also be required to follow the standards outlined in the Occupational
Therapy Student Manual, which include both academic requirements and professional
behaviors. Academic requirements include the following:
1. A 3.000 average in the OT preprofessional social sciences.
2. A 3.000 average in the OT preprofessional physical sciences.
3. A 3.000 average in other occupational therapy preprofessional requirements.
4. A 3.000 overall GPA.
Before continuation into the professional portion of the occupational therapy
program (after approximately five semesters or 85 s.h.), students will be reviewed
by the Occupational Therapy Review Committee to determine if all standards have
been accomplished.
Clinical Education Courses
Several courses include fieldwork experiences, allowing students numerous opportunities
to work with occupational therapy clinicians and clients throughout the greater
Springfield area. In addition, the Occupational Therapy Department has fieldwork
contracts with over 300 sites throughout the United States where students may
engage in the 3-week and 3-month long fieldwork experiences. It is the responsibility
of the student to absorb expenses and plan logistics related to these experiences,
including travel, living arrangements, uniforms and liability insurance.
Minimum Competencies
It is also the responsibility of the student to meet the requirements of the
Occupational Therapy Program Minimum Competencies as described in the Occupational
Therapy Student Manual, which is available upon request from the Admissions Office.
These standards include, but are not limited to, skills in observation, communication,
sensory and motor coordination and function, cognition, and behavioral and social
attributes. All standards must be met for the student to continue through and
complete the program. Requests for reasonable accomodations will be addressed
on a case-by-case basis. VI. Sample Program by Year
Because the occupational therapy dual degree program can be completed with a
variety of undergraduate majors, a sample undergraduate plan is not included.
Year-by-year sample schedules for almost all of the approved undergraduate majors
are available upon request from the Admissions Office or the Occupational Therapy
Department. Combining other majors with occupational therapy is also possible;
questions regarding these programs should be directed to the Admissions office.
Students should meet with both their major advisor and their occupational therapy
mentor before beginning the program and rou-tinely while pursuing the two degrees.
Completing 17 to 18 s.h. each semester is strongly recommended. Suggested timing
for preprofessional requirements and a sample plan for the professional requirements
are noted below. Depending on the major selected or the fieldwork opportunities
available, students may need to complete coursework or a practicum during one
of their undergraduate summers.
Courses marked with an * fulfill or partially fulfill a General Education category.
Courses marked with a w may fulfill a WAC requirement, depending on the year taken. Preprofessional Requirements
D. Fourth Year - Fall Semester
Fourth Year - Spring Semester
E. Fifth Year - Summer Semester
- OCTH 531 - Occupation, Dysfunction, and Adaptation in Adults I Credits: 3 s.h.
- OCTH 532 - Occupation, Dysfunction, and Adaptation in Adults II Credits: 3 s.h.
- OCTH 535 - Development and OT Adaptation for the Older Adult Credits: 3 s.h.
Fifth Year - Fall Semester
- OCTH 533 - Occupation, Dysfunction, and Adaptation in Adults III Credits: 3 s.h.
- OCTH 534 - Occupation, Dysfunction, and Adaptation in Adults IV Credits: 4 s.h.
- OCTH 550 - Occupational Therapy Management Credits: 3 s.h.
- OCTH 582 - Graduate Seminar Credits: 3 s.h.
Fifth Year - Spring and Second Summer Semester
- OCTH 586 - Clinical Education II January–March; Credits: 10 s.h.
- OCTH 587 - Clinical Education III April–June; Credits: 10 s.h.
- Final Week Seminar on-campus; late June
VII. Advanced Senior Option
In addition to the dual degree program, the Occupational Therapy Department offers
an advanced senior program. Qualified students may apply to the program in the
second semester of their junior year. Students must complete an application packet,
including a resume, references, and a personal statement. To be eligible for the
advanced senior program, students must document that they have completed or will
complete the following before the start of their senior year:
1. All requirements for a related undergraduate major.
2. 101 undergraduate s.h., including the General Education Program courses.
3. The occupational therapy prerequisites (see below).
A 3.000 overall minimum GPA and a 3.000 average for the occupational therapy
prerequisites are also required. If accepted, students begin taking occupational
therapy courses in their senior year. They graduate in May of their senior year
with an undergraduate degree in a related major and an accelerated start to their
graduate requirements.
The advanced senior program is designed for students who discover their interest
in occupational therapy after their first years of baccalaureate study. The dual
degree program is designed for students who have developed a career goal for occupational
therapy before they enter college. The advantages of the dual degree include guaranteed
admittance to the professional level of the program (as long as all program standards
are met), the opportunity for students to work with an occupational therapy faculty
mentor from their first entry into the College, and earlier exposure to occupational
therapy coursework and practicums.
The occupational therapy prerequisites for the advanced senior program include
the following courses or equivalents: |
Return to: Undergraduate Curricula
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