Occupational Therapy, M.S.
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Program Description
The Occupational Therapy Program is organized around lifespan stages and incorporates three strands of knowledge within courses in the curriculum. The strands are 1) the importance of engagement in occupation in promoting health and participation; 2) client-centered occupational therapy evaluation and intervention approaches focused on the interaction of the person, environment and occupation; and 3) exploration and application of available evidence-based knowledge and information to support critical thinking and clinical decision making. All three strands contain themes that are reflective of the program’s philosophy and mission. The program provides students with entry-level proficiency in occupational therapy practice with people of all ages, cultures and disabilities. The program places a strong emphasis on encouraging clinical reasoning and critical thinking and is designed to reinforce the self-directed learning style inherent in the professional role. The Occupational Therapy Program is committed to preparing practitioners who can competently fulfill responsibilities of the professional role within a changing health care world.
Program Information
Francine M. Seruya, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA Program Director
(914) 674-7816
fseruya@mercy.edu
Degree Requirements:
Requirements for the Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy include:
Professional Courses | 48 Credits |
Clinical Education | 12 Credits |
Total* | 60 Credits |
* Including completion of Comprehensive Capstone Project
General Prerequisites
Anatomy & Physiology I and II with a Lab including vertebrae dissection (course/course and course/course)** Credit(s): 8
Social and Behavioral Sciences (Intro to Sociology, Anthropology or Cultural Diversity) Credit(s): 3
Abnormal Psychology (PSYN 212) Credit(s): 3
Developmental Psychology (course) Credit(s): 3 **This course must cover the entire lifespan to satisfy this requirement
Statistics for the Social and Behavioral Sciences (course) or a Statistics course at the 200 level or higher Credit(s): 3
** General Biology I or II (4 credits with a lab) including with a grade of B or higher from a four-year institution, can substitute for A&P II for students with a bachelor’s degree.
Mercy-Specific Prerequisites (26 Credits)
Group Process for Health Professionals (course) Credit(s): 3
Overview of Occupational Therapy Practice (course) Credit(s): 1
Human Anatomy with Cadaver Lab (course / course) Credit(s): 4
Pathology for Rehabilitation (course) Credit(s): 3
Clinical Kinesiology and Applied Physics (course) Credit(s): 4
Applied Neuroscience for the Rehabilitation Professional (course) Credit(s): 4
Standard Safety Precautions for the Health Care Professional (course) Credit(s): 1
Introduction to Accessing and Reading Scholarly Literature (course) Credit(s): 1
Scientific Writing (course) Credit(s): 2
Foundations in Occupational Therapy (course) Credit(s): 3
The Mercy-specific prerequisite courses are offered at Mercy University various terms during a variety of days, evenings, weekends, and online. Please note that students must qualify to take course to be admitted into a prerequisite science course.
The grades of any repeated program-specific prerequisite courses will be averaged together into the GPA. Students currently repeating a Mercy-specific prerequisite course will have the standing grade for that course included in their admission GPA until the new grade is averaged with the existing grade. Grades lower than B in course/course and course/course, B- in course, and C in all other prerequisite courses are not accepted.
(Courses listed above are at the undergraduate level. Please refer to the undergraduate catalog for course descriptions).
Course Substitutions/Transfer Credits
General prerequisite courses may be taken at Mercy University or at other colleges. Students are responsible for ensuring courses taken at other institutions are considered equivalent for use as part of the admissions process. Course equivalency is determined by University admissions in conjunction with the OT Admissions Committee. Students will be required to provide syllabus, assignments, and transcripts with final grade to determine equivalency.
Mercy-specific prerequisites should be taken at Mercy University within the last five years. Students may request a waiver of Mercy Specific Prerequisite courses via written request to otprogram@mercy.edu. Students will be provided a Waiver Request Form detailing the process for course waiver. Included in process are provision of syllabi, assignments, and transcript including final grade in course being used for waiver. Students will also be required to pass a competency exam and/or practical exam to ensure mastery of the course content.
Up to six credits of graduate occupational therapy coursework taken at another institution may be credited towards the occupational therapy degree, if equivalent in content, to Mercy University occupational therapy courses. Permission to transfer credits must be requested at the time of admission and official transcripts and course descriptions must be submitted to the program director for evaluation of equivalency. Students may be required to provide a copy of the course outline and required assignments for review by the Occupational Therapy Program Admissions Committee. Students may also be required to pass a competency exam and/or lab practical to ensure mastery of content for transfer credit to be granted.
Students Without a Bachelor’s Degree
All of the required Occupational Therapy Program prerequisite courses can be used to fulfill the requirements for the Bachelor of Health Science Degree. In addition,90 undergraduate credits must be completed (including general education). For further information, please refer to the Undergraduate Catalog Pre-Occupational Therapy track.
To be eligible for a bachelor’s degree in Health Science, students must complete a minimum of 30 undergraduate credits at Mercy University and 18 credits in the major concentration of Health Sciences.
Program Design
The professional program in Occupational Therapy is a full-time weekend program that takes approximately 7 trimesters. The student is required to take nine to eleven credit hours per trimester in the designated sequence.
The program is divided into five consecutive (inclusive of summer trimester between the 1st and 2nd year) trimesters of academic work followed by 2 trimesters of Fieldwork. Classes are typically held every other weekend from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday evenings and 9 a.m. to 5:00 or 5:30 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. The summer weekend courses are scheduled between May and July and do not follow the alternating weekend schedule. The final two trimesters are allocated to full-time Fieldwork II which follows typical clinical hours established by the Fieldwork site. During the first FW II, students will also complete their final Capstone course. Since the program involves a full-time graduate course load, it is recommended that students work no more than 20-25 hours per week.
The curriculum is organized around the life-span stages of childhood, adolescence, adulthood and geriatrics. Concepts related to health, learning, the impact of illness and occupational therapy practice are integrated within each life-span stage. The program provides an intense learning experience and is specially designed for the motivated adult learner.
The program incorporates a variety of learning methods including a mixture of lecture, discussion, small group problem solving, hands-on experiences, clinical simulations, and problem-based learning (PBL). In PBL, students meet in small groups with a faculty facilitator to discuss clinical cases. The case context drives learning, requires students’ active participation and involvement in the learning process, and reflects the actual process occupational therapists engage in within practice. The cases require students to call upon previously learned knowledge from prerequisite courses, engage in independent and self-directed learning, and use a variety of learning resources. PBL allows students to learn the content specified for the course by applying clinical reasoning and inquiry skills.
Each life-span module is linked to a Level I Fieldwork course designed to connect theory to practice. Students are assigned to various clinical and community settings for a minimum of seven full-time weekdays for the completion of a minimum of 42 total hours each fall and spring trimester. Level I Fieldwork in Pediatrics is completed in settings such as children’s specialized hospital and rehabilitation centers, private practices, school-based practices, special education schools, pediatric units in general hospitals, and outpatient clinics. Level I Fieldwork in Adolescence and Young Adulthood is completed in settings such as residential care facilities for children and youth with emotional disabilities or work with entering university students through the Office of Accessibilities here at Mercy. Level I Fieldwork in Adults is typically completed with a physically disabled population in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, private practices, or outpatient clinics. The final Level I Fieldwork course in Geriatrics is completed in typically community settings such as social-based adult day programs for individuals with dementia or via simulated and case-based scenarios.
A total of 24 weeks of Level II Fieldwork experiences is required for students to graduate and be eligible for national certification and state licensure. This fieldwork is usually completed at the end of the curriculum sequence as two full-time 12-week placements. Modifications, such as part-time (i.e., three-day-a-week schedule) or placement in three practice sites (e.g., 12 weeks in physical disabilities, eight weeks in pediatrics, and eight weeks in mental health) may be possible depending on a student’s GPA, work schedule and availability of fieldwork sites with contracts with Mercy University. Part-time fieldwork experiences may limit the populations and settings in which the fieldwork can be completed, and will lengthen the time needed to complete the program, but for some students offers the opportunity to balance educational requirements with work or family responsibilities. Specialty or third affiliations are offered in focused areas such as hand rehabilitation or pediatric early intervention after the student completes the basic fieldwork experiences. All fieldwork placements must be successfully completed within 24 months of the didactic course work unless the program Faculty Review Committee grants an extension for extenuating circumstances. Participating in a Level II fieldwork involves a commitment commensurate to a full-time job.
Additional Program Information
Occupational Therapy Program Policies
Grading
The cumulative grade point average (GPA) for both good academic standing and degree conferral is a 3.0. A student admitted as a Special Matriculant is required to achieve a 3.0 average or better after completing a certain number of credits as stipulated in their acceptance letter. Grades are subject to review by the Associate Program Director at the end of each term.
If a student receives a grade of “C” in any course, the course must be repeated before permission to continue the curriculum sequence is granted. A student can only repeat a course in which they have received a grade of “C” one time. If a student receives a grade of “B-” in any course, the student may be required to repeat the course before permission to continue the curriculum sequence is granted. The need to repeat if a course grade is a B- will be based on other factors such as student GPA, attendance, and professional behaviors.
If a student receives a grade of “F” in any course the student may be subject to dismissal from the University and the Program. Any future registrations must be reviewed and approved by the OT Program Director as well as the School Dean. If a student fails any Clinical Education course, a decision to allow the course to be repeated will be determined by a Program Faculty Review Committee.
If a student is dismissed from the program, they may not reapply to the Occupational Therapy Program at Mercy University.
Incomplete grades will be granted only under extenuating circumstances and for no more than 25 percent of a trimester’s course assignments or examinations (combination of all courses). Students will contract, in writing, with the course instructor regarding the completion of coursework within a time specified by the faculty and approved by the Program Director. Requests for an incomplete grade in the course must be discussed with the faculty on or before the day of the Final exam. If you fail to submit the request by the deadline, you will receive the grade that you have earned for the entire course, including work completed and penalties for work not completed. No retroactive “Incomplete” grades are permitted. You will be required to complete the missing course work and submit it to the instructor by the designated date. If the work described by the Instructor is not completed by the designated date, the “Incomplete” will automatically be converted to a grade of F. The instructor CANNOT allow more than 1 year after the end of the term in which the Incomplete is assigned. Adequate time is required for the Instructor to grade the assignment(s) and submit a change of grade for the course to the Registrar.
Students may not register for any further occupational therapy courses without permission from the program director. Failure to complete the work in accord with the contract-specified time may result in failure for the course.
Clinical Education Grades
If a student fails any clinical education course, the decision to allow the course to be repeated will be determined by a Faculty Review Committee. If the student is allowed to repeat the clinical experience and fails again, he/she will be dismissed from the program. If the student is not allowed to repeat the clinical experience, matriculated status will be withdrawn and the student will be dismissed from the program. A student may only voluntarily withdraw from a clinical education experience for extenuating circumstances after approval by a Faculty Review Committee.
Students who are not meeting required standards or competencies of a Level II clinical education experience may be required to suspend work towards the completion of their master’s capstone project to enable them to focus their efforts on successful completion of the clinical experience. This will require the student to register for OCTR 890 - Capstone Continuation and possibly delay their graduation date.
Core Course Competencies
The Occupational Therapy Program is responsible for ensuring that all students are competent and safe to enter the clinical education portion of the Program. To do so, students must demonstrate competencies by passing designated lab practical, written assignments and examinations. Students must receive a grade of 70 or above on all specified competency assignments. The designated competencies will be indicated on the course syllabus.
If a student does not achieve a grade of 70 or higher on a designated course competency, the student will be required to demonstrate competency by taking another exam or writing another paper. The competency format may change from the original. Re-taken exams and re-written papers will not change the grade of the original– they are for competency purposes only.
If the competency retake/rewrite is not passed a second retake will be required. There is no course grade reduction for failure of the first competency. The second competency will be scheduled and format will be determined by the course instructor. Should the student not pass the second competency retake, the student will receive an F in the course and will not be allowed to progress in the program and may be dismissed from the Program. Students dismissed from the Program may not reapply to the OT Program at Mercy University.
If a student requires a competency exam for a final exam or final paper, the student will receive an incomplete until the competency process (retakes/rewrites) is completed.
Students who demonstrate a pattern of needing to repeat competencies in several courses may be required to register for a 1 credit independent study course and pass a competency exam prior to placement in a Level II fieldwork setting.
Attendance
Attendance and punctuality in all classes and clinical education experiences is required, unless the student is excused for extenuating and extraordinary life circumstances (documentation will be required). Missing one weekend day per trimester is equivalent to missing three to four classes in a traditional program and may jeopardize a student’s standing in the program. Course instructors or clinical instructors must be notified in advance regarding absences. Failure to do this will result in a review of the situation by the faculty and program director. Possible results may include a written warning, additional assignments and/or lower grades on missed assignments. Absence or repeated patterns of tardiness from courses may result in reduced final grades for a course, a non-passing grade for a course, delayed graduation, and/or dismissal from the program regardless of the circumstances. If a student misses a test or exam without previous approval of the instructor, the situation will be reviewed by the faculty and may result in a grade of F for that test or exam. Supplemental Policies may be found in the OT Program Student Handbook.
Fieldwork Level I Attendance Policy
Absences of more than one fieldwork day (even if rescheduled) are considered excessive and may result in a non-passing grade for the fieldwork course. Students are expected to attend fieldwork for the entire scheduled day unless they are ill or have an extenuating circumstance. Students who are ill should use their judgment when deciding if they should attend fieldwork. Students are required to complete a total of at least four days of fieldwork each fall and spring term. Students must meet the minimum required hours to successfully complete each Fieldwork Level I experience.
NOTE: Hours vary from setting to setting. A typical day is 6-8 hours, however in some instances the fieldwork educator may work a ten hour day.
Student Classification
A student will be classified as a matriculant in the professional program upon full-time enrollment at Mercy University and admission to the program by the Admissions Committee of the program. Students must maintain an overall 3.0 or better in the program.
Program Accreditation
The Occupational Therapy Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), ACOTE’s contact information is: ACOTE, c/o Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), is 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s phone number is (301) 652-6611. ACOTE’s website is www.acoteonline.org and e-mail is accred@aota.org. Graduates of the Occupational Therapy Program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination of the occupational therapist administered by the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (O.T.R.). In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
Advising
Upon acceptance into the program, an assigned faculty member will advise the student in the Master of Science Degree Program in Occupational Therapy. The program director or associate director is available to meet with students to counsel them on their standing in the program, the requirements necessary for the completion of the program, and to develop long-term plans of study and future professional directions.
Course Load
The Master of Science Degree Program in Occupational Therapy is a full-time weekend program that takes 7 trimesters to complete. The student is required to take nine–eleven credits per trimester. Course work may be completed in five trimesters. During the final two trimesters while completing the Level II fieldwork experiences, the student registers for 4.5 – 5 credits and is considered a part-time student. The required 24 weeks of fieldwork must be completed within 24 months following the completion of the didactic component of the program unless the program Faculty Review Committee grants an extension for extenuating circumstances.
Maintenance of Matriculation
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all courses applicable to the degree is required for both good academic standing and degree conferral. A student admitted as a Special Matriculant is required to achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 after completion of six credits. Please note, certain graduate programs may have more stringent program policies. Please check the specific program regulations. Grades are subject to review by the faculty advisor and program director at the end of each term. If the academic average falls below 3.0, the student will be placed on academic probation.
Capstone Advisement
Occupational therapy students register for the Advanced Topics course series that leads to the completion of the capstone requirement. This course series ends in summer of the second year. After this semester is over, a Capstone Continuation fee (equal to the cost of one graduate credit) will be charged for each additional term required to complete the project. Students can only register for Capstone Continuation for two terms.
A student’s degree will not be released until all Maintenance of Matriculation and Capstone Continuation registration and fees are recorded appropriately on a student’s record.
Maintenance of Good Academic Standing/Academic Probation
A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all courses applicable to the degree is required for both good academic standing and degree conferral. A student admitted as a Special Matriculant is required to achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to enter the graduate program. Please note, certain graduate programs may have more stringent program policies. Please check the specific program regulations. Grades are subject to review by the faculty advisor and program director at the end of each term. If the academic term or cumulative average falls below 3.0, the student will be placed on academic probation.
Any student who has a term or cumulative GPA of below 3.0 (without rounding) will be placed on academic probation. While on academic probation, the student is required to achieve a term GPA of 3.0 or higher in the next term of enrollment and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher by the second term after probation. If the student is not able to achieve a cumulative program GPA of 3.0 within two terms, the student will be dismissed from the program. If a student receives less than a 2.8 during any term, a faculty review will determine whether the student will be allowed to progress in the program and may be dismissed. Students on academic probation will not be allowed to progress to Level II fieldwork. Students may be required to retake course(s) to bring their GPA to 3.0 in order to progress in the Program as well as register and complete a Level II fieldwork.
In all subsequent terms in which the student is on probation the student is required to achieve a GPA of 3.0 or higher in each term. If the 3.0 or higher is not achieved the student will be dismissed. Requesting an extra assignment to augment grades is not permitted any under circumstance. Resubmission of assignments to improve grades is also not permitted.
If a student receives a grade of “C” in any course, the course must be repeated before permission to continue the curriculum sequence is granted. A student can only repeat a course in which they have received a grade of “C” one time. If a student receives a grade of “B-” in any course, the student may be required to repeat the course before permission to continue the curriculum sequence is granted. The need to repeat if a course grade is a B- will be based on other factors such as student GPA, attendance, and professional behaviors.
If a student receives a grade of “F” in any course the student may be subject to dismissal from the University and the Program. Any future registrations must be reviewed and approved by the OT Program Director as well as the School Dean. If a student fails any Clinical Education course, a decision to allow the course to be repeated will be determined by a Program Faculty Review Committee.
If the scores from any category of the Professional Development Form (PDF) fall in the “Unsatisfactory” category, or the student’s total score is a 27/30 or below, the student must meet with his or her advisor to discuss their plan for improvement. This plan will be reviewed by the program director and will be placed in the student’s file in the Occupational Therapy Program office. Additional details on the Professional Development Form and process are located in the Program Student Manual.
If the program notes a pattern of inappropriate or unprofessional behavior, these behaviors will be brought to the student’s attention through professional development feedback forms, faculty memos, advising notes, or fieldwork evaluations. The student will develop a professional plan to demonstrate improved professional behaviors. This plan may include recommendations such as self-reflective journaling, professional counseling, etc. If the student fails to develop the required plan, follow through with the recommendations, or remediate the problematic behaviors, the student will be reviewed by occupational therapy faculty. The student may be prohibited from participating in future fieldwork experiences until he/she demonstrates consistent appropriate professional behaviors. Students whose behaviors are potentially disruptive to therapeutic client relationships, or are potentially disruptive to the operation of the clinical facility may be dismissed from the Occupational Therapy Graduate Program.
Program Dismissal Review
In cases in which a student has been dismissed from the Occupational Therapy Program, the student may request a dismissal review when he/she believes that extenuating circumstances affected his/her academic performance in the program. The student must follow the SHNS Program Dismissal Review Policy detailed at the beginning of the School and Health and Natural Sciences section.
Degree Requirements
Each candidate for a degree or certificate must have completed all coursework and program requirements. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in all courses applicable to the degree is required for both good academic standing and degree conferral. The words “With Distinction” will appear on the diploma and transcript of any student who completes their degree with a GPA of at least 3.75. Once the degree is conferred, the academic record is finalized and cannot be changed.
Technical Standards
The program has a Technical Standard Form that outlines the necessary behavioral/communicative, psychomotor, cognitive and self-care skills deemed essential for completion of the program and performance as a competent occupational therapist. This form is signed by the student stating they are or are not capable of performing the skills and abilities that are listed.
Complaints That Fall Outside the Realm of Due Process
The Occupational Therapy Program is committed to meeting its mission as it relates to serving our students, potential students, staff, faculty, adjunct faculty, clinical faculty and the public consumer of occupational therapy. To that end, we are committed to ensuring that exceptional complaints for which there is no established University, School or program policy or procedure are considered and resolved in a timely, fair, consistent and equitable manner.
Procedure: Complaint to the Program: Complaints should be addressed to the Program Director through the online form located here.
If the program director is the subject of the complaint, the complaint should be addressed to the Dean, School of Health and Natural Science.
Professional Licensure
If you are interested in obtaining professional licensure, please check with the appropriate licensing body in the state where you intend to practice. For additional information and detailed requirements, please refer to the specific program of interest on the “School Resources” section of the Mercy Unviersity NC-Sara webpage.