HU Division of
Allied Health Sciences
Department of
Occupational Therapy
Sixth and Bryant St, NW
Washington, D.C. 20059
(202) 806-7565 |
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| DEPARTMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
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| Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
(MSOT) |
The
Howard University Occupational Therapy Program is proud to offer
an accredited Occupational Therapy program leading to a Master
of Science degree in Occupational Therapy (MSOT). The Department
is uniquely privileged to be the only provider of Occupational
Therapy graduates in the Nation’s capital. The program
has a rich history of excellence in leadership, graduating highly
sought-after therapists, and developing national and international
health professionals. |
| Description of the
Profession |
Occupational Therapy is the study of human
behavior and performance in the everyday pursuit of human occupations.
The term “Occupation” refers to meaningful activity
that engages a person’s resources of time and energy,
including cognitive and physical abilities, as persons perform
in their daily life roles. Occupational Therapists are employed
at hospitals, rehabilitation centers, outpatient care centers,
school settings, community care facilities, and government agencies;
and primarily focus on providing treatment to improve independence
in everyday life to individuals who might be faced with disease,
illness, or injury. |
| Degree Program |
The Howard University Occupational Therapy
Program, founded in 1974, offers a Master of Science in Occupational
Therapy (MSOT). The entry-level Master of Science degree consists
of research, theory, and concentrated skill-based course work,
a thesis or non-thesis scholarly project, and a six-month fieldwork
as requirements for graduation. Upon successful completion of
all course work and fieldwork experiences, candidates can sit
for the national certification examination administered by the
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
in order to become an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR).
This designation is necessary to practice as an occupational
therapist.
The Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy is also
offered to Registered Occupational Therapists, (OTRs) who
have completed a baccalaureate degree in occupational therapy.
The Master of Science for the OTR provides courses unique
to the post-professional student and is designed to further
develop the skills and competencies of a baccalaureate prepared
occupational therapist. The post-professional Master of Science
curriculum consists of 30 credit hours of core courses and
specialized courses unique to the student. Students in this
program of study select a major clinical emphasis in a specialized
area of practice, as well as electives in one of three areas:
1) education, 2) research, or 3) administration. A non-thesis
scholarly project is required for graduation.
The Master of Science program in Occupational Therapy emphasizes
the biological, psychological, and sociocultural aspects of
an individual and how dysfunction in any of these impact one’s
occupational performance in the areas of self-care, productivity,
and leisure. Students are expected to demonstrate competence
in the biological and social sciences, occupational therapy
theory, principles and concepts, professional and ethical
behavior, cultural sensitivity, problem-solving and reasoning,
and research. This curriculum has been designed to reflect
graduate level demands in the areas of research, technological
advances, advanced level theory and fieldwork demands. Affectively,
the Department recognizes the importance of creating a student
environment in which there is enthusiasm for life-long learning,
exploration, and knowledge expansion of self and others. Therefore,
the design of the entry-level master’s degree curriculum
is based on five central themes:
• Occupation and Human Performance
• Critical Thinking and Clinical Reasoning
• Diversity and the Underserved
• Research and Scholarship
• Professionalism and Leadership
Candidates seeking a Master of Science degree may be admitted
from one of three sources: 1) Howard University graduates
with the BS degree in Occupational Therapy; 2) students who
have a Baccalaureate degree from any program and who complete
the required prerequisites; and 3) graduates of any OT program
who are registered occupational therapists (OTR) with a Bachelors
degree. Undergraduate students enrolled at Howard University
can complete a Bachelors of Science (BSHS) in Health Sciences
and complete the prerequisites for the Master of Science degree
in occupational therapy. Health Science students enrolled
at Howard University have the opportunity to also complete
credit hours toward the Master of Science in Occupational
Therapy. Acceptance to the Health Science program does not
automatically guarantee acceptance to the Master of Science
program. Health Science students must apply to the MSOT program
for early admissions.
|
| Accreditation |
The Occupational Therapy
program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational
Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy
Association (AOTA) located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box
31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. AOTA's phone number is (301)
652-AOTA (2682). The Howard University Occupational Therapy
program was fully reaccredited on December 1, 2000 for ten (10)
years. |
| Professional Certification |
The National Board for Certification in
Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) is the independent national credentialing
agency that certifies eligible persons as Occupational Therapists,
Registered (OTR's). NBCOT, formally known as American Occupational
Therapy Certification Board (AOTCB, until 1996) is not affiliated
with the American Occupational Therapy Association. Upon successful
completion of all academic and level II fieldwork, the graduate
must be verified as eligible to sit for the certification examination.
After successful completion of the examination, the graduate
will be recognized as an Occupational Therapist, Registered
(OTR). Most states, including Maryland, Virginia, and the District
of Columbia require licensure in order to practice; however,
state licenses are usually issued on the basis of NBCOT certification
and verification that all academic and fieldwork requirements
have been successfully completed from an accredited occupational
therapy program. A felony conviction must be disclosed and
may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT exam
or attain state licensure. |
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