DEPARTMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
1997-1998 Bulletin Information |
For current bulletin information see www.southalabama.edu/bulletin |
Chair: Marjorie E. Scaffa (434-3939)
Associate Professors: Van Slyke, Scaffa
Assistant Professor: Schiska
Instructors: Gifford, Wooster
Occupational Therapy is a health care profession devoted to providing service to persons with acute and chronic physical, emotional, mental and developmental disabilities. The occupational therapist helps these individuals achieve independence in their daily lives and activities. An occupational therapist may aid in the growth and development of premature babies; create a learning environment for physically and mentally challenged children; adapt home environments for persons with stroke, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury and other disabilities; and create activities which are designed to restore mental health for persons with emotional, mental, and substance abuse problems.
The curriculum leading to the Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy is divided into two components: The Pre-Professional Component and Professional Component. The Pre-Professional Component (Freshman and Sophomore years) consists of 104 quarter hours of prerequisite course work as listed below. The Professional Component (Junior and Senior years) consists of 118 quarter hours (7 quarters) and is devoted entirely to didactic and clinical education pertinent to the professional practice of occupational therapy. Successful completion of the Pre-Professional component does not assure the student acceptance into the Professional Component. A limited number of students is selected each spring for admission to the Professional Component which begins in the summer quarter.
The Occupational Therapy Program is accredited by the American Council for Occupational 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. Graduates of the program will be 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 exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.
REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY:
I. Pre-Professional Component Requirements:
(104 quarter hours as listed below)
English Composition 8 hrs. Freshman Composition (EH 101 & 102) Philosophy 4 hrs. Any of the following: PHL 121, 131, 231, 324, 325, 326, 333, 334, 361 Sociology/Anthropology 4 hrs. Any of the following: SY 109, 112 or AN 100 Psychology (PSY 210, 211, 371) 12 hrs. Psychology/Sociology Elective 4 hrs. PSY 241, 331, 341, 352, 353, 354, 380, 412, 425; SY 326, 340, 345, 355, 360, 372, 459 History 4 hrs. Mathematics (MA 171) 4 hrs. Statistics ( ST 175) 4 hrs. Biology (BLY 141 & 142) 9 hrs. Communications 4 hrs. Any of the following: CA 110, 211, 230, 275 Chemistry (CH 114 & 115) 10 hrs. Anatomy (BMD 311) 5 hrs. Studio Art, Leisure Services or 4 hrs. Dramatic Arts Any of the following: ARS (any elective through 281, except 101); LS 395, 295, 379; DRA 110, 120, 261 Computer & Info Systems (CIS 150) 4 hrs. Physical Education 6 hrs. Students must take one of the following 4 credit courses: Kinesiology (PE 380) or Basic Motor Learning (PE 270) or Physiology of Exercise (PE 476), plus 2 hours of PE activity electives Physiology 9 hrs. Human Physiology (BMD 331 & 332) Infectious Disease (BMD 210) 4 hrs. Pathophysiology (BMD 341) 5 hrs. TOTAL 104 HRS
II. Professional Component Requirements
(Junior and Senior Years)
118 quarter hours as listed below:
Junior Year
Summer OT 310 Gross Anatomy 7 OT 315 Dynamics of Therapy 4 OT 325 History & Philosophy of OT 4 15 Fall OT 316 Applied Neuroscience 4 OT 320 Occupational Devel.I 4 OT 335 Theory of OT I 4 OT 326 Fundamentals of Activity 3 OT 344 Scientific Inquiry I 2 17 Winter OT 331 Clinical Medicine I 3 OT 332 Clinical Medicine II 3 OT 330 Occupational Devel.II 4 OT 340 Neuromusculoskeletal Assessment 3 OT 336 Occupational Assessment and Therapy I 4 OT 354 Scientific Inquiry II 1 18 Spring OT 364 Scientific Inquiry III 2 OT 345 Theory of OT II 4 OT 346 Occupational Assessment and Therapy II 4 OT 350 Psychosocial Aspects of OT 4 OT 433 Clinical Medicine III 3 17 Senior Year Fall OT 334 Pharmacology 2 OT 415 Management & Planning 4 OT 440 Computer Tech. in OT 3 OT 445 Occupational Assessment and Therapy III 4 OT 450 Prof. Issues Seminar 4 OT 455 Clinical Education Seminar 2 19 Winter OT 460 Level II Fieldwork(A) 16 Spring OT 470 Level II Fieldwork(B) 16
Successful completion of 118 quarter hours of designated courses (7 quarters) is required for the Professional Component. A special admissions process is required to enter the Professional Component. One class is admitted each year to the Professional Component and classes begin in June. The last two quarters of the program are devoted entirely to clinical education in special clinical sites affiliated with the program. Students should plan on relocation to two different "out-of-town" clinical centers during these two quarters. Accreditation standards require that students complete Level II Fieldwork within 24 months following completion of academic course work.
Interested applicants for the Professional Component should contact the Academic Advisor for Allied Health, Ms. Melissa Wold, for application packets before December 1 of the year for which admission is being sought. Transfer students are also required to apply for admission to the University.
DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS IS JANUARY 15TH.
SELECTION CRITERIA FOR THE
PROFESSIONAL COMPONENT
The selection of students for entry into the Professional Component of the program is a
competitive process. The criteria used to select students include the following:
Following consideration of the above criteria, a group of students will be selected for
interview to determine each candidate's suitability to enter the program and the
profession. Places will be offered to students after both academic and interview scores
are taken into account. First preference will be given to state residents. State residency
is defined as "those students who qualify for in-state tuition."
Expenses: Students in the professional component of the curriculum should be prepared for extra expenses associated with professional studies including books, local travel to and from clinical facilities, etc. and for out-of-town travel and living expenses during the clinical internships which consist of 2 full quarters (Winter and Spring) of the senior year. Special lab fees are assessed for the following courses:
OT 310 Gross Human Anatomy $ 190.00 OT 326 Fundamentals of Activity 35.00 OT 335 Theory of Occupational Therapy 20.00 OT 336 Occupational Assessment & Therapy I 20.00 OT 340 Neuromuscular Assessment 25.00 OT 346 Occupational Assessment & Therapy II 20.00 OT 350 Psychosocial Aspects of Occupational Therapy 35.00 OT 354 Scientific Inquiry II 10.00 OT 364 Scientif Inquiry III 20.00 OT 440 Computer Technology in Occupational Therapy 25.00 OT 445 Occupational Assessment & Therapy III 20.00
DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (OT) COURSES BEGIN ON PAGE 291.