Occupational Therapy Department
What We Do:
Occupational therapy is a client-centered profession that promotes health and well-being of clients through personally meaningful occupations. Students learn the physical, psychological and cognitive foundations of human performance, and gain the skills to help people who have limitations caused by illness, injury, developmental delays or normal aging.
Our Mission: The Department of Occupational Therapy at The 草榴社区 aspires to develop leaders of occupational therapy to meet societal needs. Aligned with the Catholic and Jesuit traditions of The 草榴社区, future occupational therapists are educated in the liberal arts and practice their profession guided by intellectual, moral, and ethical values embedded in a framework of social justice. Life-long learning and the ongoing pursuit of knowledge and wisdom are fostered through reflection and contemplation in action.
How We Stand Out:
- Excellent professional program within a Jesuit liberal-arts university
- State-of-the-art facilities with well-equipped practice labs
- Extensive research labs
- Clinical experience embedded in the academic program
- Strong community partnerships
- Diverse and dedicated faculty
Programs:
OT Program Overview
The University offers a five-year, entry-level Master of Science (MS) degree program in Occupational Therapy (OT) and a six-year, entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD). Students enter these programs as freshmen and proceed through four years of undergraduate study to receive a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences. Students enter the program undifferentiated for the MS or OTD track; at the end of the third year of study students can either apply to enter the OTD track or remain in the MS track. Following the awarding of the BS in Health Sciences, the students complete either the MS track or the OTD track and are awarded either the MS or OTD degree upon completion of graduate requirements.
The course work is sequenced in a planned progression in order to build upon and develop knowledge and skills at increasing levels of complexity, competence and integration. Therefore, all required courses are to be taken in sequence. A minimum grade of C (2.00) must be attained in every undergraduate cognate and OT course. A minimum overall undergraduate GPA of 3.00 is required in order to advance into graduate study. All OT students must complete Level II Fieldwork within 24 months following completion of the academic portion of the program.
Graduates of the programs who have completed all academic and fieldwork requirements are able to sit for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the individual is an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR).
The freshman-entry design of our program allows students time for academic preparation, professional socialization, and development of a strong professional identity. Our graduates are well prepared for any entry-level clinical position.
In addition to the generalist areas of pediatrics, mental health practice, and physical rehabilitation, our students are immersed in specialty areas of hand, low-vision, cognitive rehabilitation, geriatrics and community-based practice.
Clinical fieldwork is embedded within the curriculum enabling students to integrate classroom learning with real world experiences. We have contracts with numerous facilities through the northeast and across the country to allow the best placements for each student’s needs.
Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy
Click to see the curriculum for the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy.
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
This program is 6 ½-years (6 academic years and two summers). In addition to a robust clinical education, the OTD program prepares students for leadership positions including program development, research and teaching.
Click to view the curriculum for the Doctorate in Occupational Therapy.
Meet Our Faculty:
Carol Cot茅, Ph. D., OTR/L
Chair
Department Chair and Program Director, Associate Professor
B.S., Kean University of New Jersey
M.S., Montclair State University
Ph.D., Rutgers University
Phone: 570-941-4125
Send an email
Karen Brady, D.Ed., OTR/L
Assistant Professor
B.A., Mansfield University
M.S., Misericordia University
D.Ed., Pennsylvania State University
Phone: 570-941-6565
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Deborah Budash, Ph. D., OTR/L
Assistant Professor
B.S., University of Pittsburgh
M.A., Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Ph..D., Northcentral University
Phone: 570-941-6265
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Stephanie DeNaples, OTD, OTR/L
Faculty Specialist
B.S., 草榴社区
M.S., 草榴社区
O.T.D., Rocky Mountain University
Phone: 570-941-4616
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Carrie A. Griffiths, OTD, OTR/L
Faculty Specialist
B.S. Mount Aloysius College
M.S. 草榴社区
O.T.D. Gannon University
Phone: 570-941-6923
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Elyse Kay, OTD, OTR/L
Faculty Specialist, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator
B.S., DeSales University
M.S., Philadelphia University
O.T.D., Gannon University
Phone: 570-941-7386
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Lisa A. Kozden, PhD, OTR/L, CHT, COMT
Faculty Specialist
B.A., Muhlenberg College
M.O.T., Nova Southeastern University
Ph.D., Nova Southeastern University
Courtney W. Lancia, OTD, OTR/L
Marlene J . Morgan, Ed.D., OTR/L
Associate Professor
B.S., Pennsylvania State University
M.S., Texas Woman鈥檚 University
Ed.D., Temple University
Phone: 570-941-5879
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Julie Ann Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, FAOTA
Associate Professor
B.S., The 草榴社区
M.A., Tufts University
O.T.D., Boston University
Sc.D., Towson University
Phone: 570-941-5857
Send an email
Website
Chandra Ann Nealon, DPT, LPT
Faculty Specialist
B.S., Misericordia University
M.S., Misericordia University
D.P.T., Misericordia University
Phone: 570-941-7932
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Jennifer K. Whittaker, PhD, OTR/L, CPH, CHES庐
Assistant Professor
B.S., The 草榴社区
M.S., The 草榴社区
M.S., Texas Woman's University
Ph.D., Texas Woman's University
Phone: 570-941-4296
Send an email
Patricia A. Wisniewski, Ed.D., OTR/L, CPRP
Faculty Specialist
A.S., Penn State University
B.S., Misericordia University
M.S., Misericordia University
Ed.D, University of South Carolina
Phone: 570-941-4086
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Laura Zagacki, DHSc, OTR/L
Associate Professor
B.S., Lafayette College
M.S.O,T., Thomas Jefferson University
D.H.Sc., Drexel University
Phone: 570-941-4002
Send an email
Inside the Classroom:
At 草榴社区 we emphasize active and experiential learning which is facilitated through our many specialized labs including an independent living apartment with Streetscape environments, a sensory-motor play environment, hand therapy lab, low-vision lab and gross anatomy/cadaver lab.
Student Research:
Research and scholarship are emphasized throughout the curriculum and all students are involved in faculty-led research projects. Topics of research study are as diverse as our faculty, from pediatric assessment to geriatric low-vision. Each year several students along with their faculty mentor present their work at state, national and international conferences. Some have also been published in professional journals.
Career Outcomes:
Our graduates are employed in hospitals, clinics, schools, camps, rehabilitation and long-term care facilities, home health, community agencies, and private practice. Employment for occupational therapists is strong and is expanding into new areas of practice.
Accreditation:
The MS in OT program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The OTD program is currently under Candidacy status. The program must have a Preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination. The OTD program is scheduled for full accreditation review by December of 2025.
Contact ACOTE: address - 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814; phone number - 301-652-6611; .
Graduates of the program who have completed all academic and fieldwork requirements are able to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the individual is an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). Candidates will need to provide documentation of all graduation and credentialing requirements, including certification/licensure. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the certification examination or attain state licensure. All states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.
NBCOT program performance data can be found at .
Retention and Certification
|
Graduation Year |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
3-Year Average |
|
Students Graduating |
57/61 |
59/64 |
55/57 |
57/61 |
|
Graduation Rate |
93% |
92% |
96% |
94% |
|
NBCOT Exam Pass Rate (within 1 year) |
97% |
98% |
99% |
98% |
Cost of Attending
Click here - academics/pcps/occupational-therapy/tuition-table-ot
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Occupational Therapy Lab Tour
Success Stories
Sarah Leavy, '19, G'20, Finds Clinical Fieldwork To Be Valuable Experience
Every Day Is "Bring Your Dog To Work" Day for Peter DeLong, '14, G'15
Maura Regan, '13, G'14, Named New York Post's Hero of the Day
(Photo by Brian Zak / New York Post)
Associations
Accreditation and Certification
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