Occupational Therapy (Advanced Standing) (M.S.)

UNH students who are in the BS program in occupational therapy enter into the Advanced­-Standing MS Program to complete a MS Degree in Occupational Therapy to be eligible to enter the profession of occupational therapy. Because they have completed some of the professional courses, they earn their MS Degree in Occupational Therapy in three semesters, including fieldwork. The Occupational Therapy Master's Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. Their phone number is (301) 652-AOTA.

An entry level master’s degree in occupational therapy will prepare you to enter the profession with strong foundational skills in occupational therapy assessment and intervention in all areas of practice, with application of evidence to inform practice, and skills in leadership and advocacy, scholarly activities, and program development. You will learn to evaluate, plan and provide intervention, and monitor the outcomes of clients facing a variety of illnesses, injuries, and disabilities such as autism, traumatic brain injury, stroke, substance abuse and musculoskeletal injuries. At UNH, you will learn and apply occupational therapy principles to traditional and emerging areas of practice, in hospital and community-based settings and for individual clients and population groups.

After successfully completing all Level II fieldwork requirements and academic work, you will be awarded a Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy. You are then eligible to sit for the National Board Certification Examination in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Consistent with NBCOT expectations, you must sit for the certification examination within two years of completion of coursework and fieldwork. A felony conviction may affect your ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination and/or obtain state licensure.

Most classes will be scheduled during weekdays during the day and into early evening. Some courses require experiential, off-campus learning in addition to required off-campus level II fieldwork experiences. The level II fieldwork experiences are full­ time for a total of 24 weeks and are planned collaboratively with the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator.

Admissions Information

Students who are completing the undergraduate portion of the UNH occupational therapy program declare their intent to apply to our Advanced Standing MS program by the end of their sophomore year. They take professional courses as part of their baccalaureate degree requirements enabling them to enter the MS program with Advanced Standing, with many professional courses completed. Students officially apply to the Graduate School for the Advanced Standing MS Program in the spring semester of their senior year, using an abbreviated process. Students should speak with their academic advisor regarding specific application requirements for writing a personal statement and letters of recommendation. An overall minimum grade point of B (3.0) is required for admission. Students must earn grades of B-­ or above in all OT courses at 700 level, with no more than 8 credits of B- or lower in OT courses (700 level or above). Students must also pass all competency (practical) exams as part of OT courses and pass all level I fieldwork requirements completed in their bachelor’s degree program.

Academic Standards and Policies

In order to be awarded a MS in Occupational Therapy from UNH, students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 and earn a minimum of B- in all required occupational therapy courses, and may not earn more than 8 credits of B- in OT courses (700 level or above). Students must also pass all competency (practical) exams as part of OT courses, pass all level I fieldwork requirements and receive a passing criterion score on the American Occupational Therapy Association Fieldwork Performance Evaluation for the Occupational Therapist in both 12-week Level II fieldwork experiences.

In addition to the academic standards noted above, students must meet professional behavioral standards, which are explained in detail in the OT Department Policy and Procedure Manual, provided to all occupational therapy students on the OT department's organization site on MyCourses (Canvas).

Because curriculum review and revision is undertaken annually, occupational therapy faculty work closely with students during academic advising sessions and share information about any policy and requirement changes during registration periods as well as throughout the academic year. Students are expected to take an active role in verifying expectations and requirements and should check with their departmental advisers each September for updated policies and requirements. Program requirements and policies for retention in the major are posted annually in the OT Department Policy and Procedure Manual, which is available on the OT department’s organization site on MyCourses.

Students will participate in a variety of off-­campus and fieldwork experiences throughout the course of study and are covered with basic personal liability insurance through UNH for all practical components of the curriculum. Students are responsible for transportation to fieldwork sites and other off-campus learning experiences. Students are responsible for meeting the health and criminal record/background clearances established by their fieldwork sites and off-campus learning sites. Proof of immunization such as poliomyelitis, rubella, H1N1, and hepatitis B may also be required. For Level II fieldwork, health insurance and a physical examination, including a tuberculin test, are required. All fieldwork experiences are scheduled in centers approved by the Department of Occupational Therapy and with whom active Memoranda of Understanding with UNH exist.

After successfully completing all Level II fieldwork requirements and academic work, students are awarded a Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy. They are then eligible to sit for the National Board Certification Examination in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Consistent with NBCOT expectations, students must sit for the certification examination within three years of degree completion. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination and/or obtain state licensure.

Degree Requirements

Students entering the Advanced Standing MS Program will have completed some of the professional OT courses as part of their BS degree at UNH. The required undergraduate courses are listed below, followed by the required graduate courses to earn the Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy.

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Course requirements for OT 865 Occupational Therapy Practice and Professional Reasoning, include a capstone experience in which students synthesize knowledge from academic coursework and fieldwork experiences to develop an innovative occupational therapy program that addresses the needs of a specific population or program.

Advanced-Standing M.S.

The OT Department has identified five student outcomes for our Professional OT Program, MSOT graduates as follows:

Our graduates will:

Demonstrate professional attitudes and behaviors in their work and interactions with clients, and others with whom they work.

• Our graduates will be dedicated to ethical, client-driven, OT practice, demonstrating integrity, honesty, compassion, and fairness. They will demonstrate respect for all clients with whom they work, which is grounded in an appreciation and consideration of individual priorities and life experience. Our graduates will be life-long learners, and innovative thinkers committed to ongoing professional development, and state-of-the-art, evidence-based practices. They will be able to collaborate well with other professionals as committed team players and have a solid understanding of the many roles and expertise of other professionals with whom they commonly work, along with clarity of their roles as occupational therapists. They will aspire to and be prepared to assume leadership roles in their professional lives as practitioners, researchers, advocates, and educators.

Understand that engagement in meaningful occupations is essential to one’s health and well-being, and be prepared and committed to promote occupation-based occupational therapy practice.

• Our curriculum emphasizes the idea that engagement in everyday activities to fulfill social roles and give meaning to life is essential to the development, adaptation, and well being of individuals, societies and populations. Our graduates are ready and committed to apply occupation-based evaluation and intervention techniques, and to share and expand authentic occupational therapy practices.

Be competent entry-level OT practitioners across diverse practice settings, skilled in the delivery occupation–based evaluation and intervention techniques.

• Our graduates will have developed critical thinking skills, and the capacity for high-level clinical reasoning preparing them to deliver client-centered, occupation-based, services in traditional and emerging practice areas. Graduates will know a variety of evaluation methods for understanding a person’s occupational history, abilities, challenges and goals. They will apply occupation-based intervention approaches, and assistive technologies to address the needs of individuals, and populations in traditional and emerging medical, education, and other community-based practice arenas.

Apply evidence-based practices in their work.

• Our graduates will be skilled in identifying and interpreting relevant research and other data sources for delivering evidence-based, clinical services for promoting occupational participation and life satisfaction. Furthermore, they will have research skills for contributing to the body of knowledge that supports and advances occupational science, and occupational therapy.

Demonstrate skills necessary to advance occupational justice so that all persons can fully participate in desired occupations.

• Our graduates will apply critical thinking skills, ethics, policy, and awareness of the context in which occupational therapy may be of benefit, to help advance the OT profession’s goal of meeting the occupational needs of individuals, populations and societies. Our graduates will also be able to generate new ideas to support and promote occupational justice for individuals, populations, and societies.