Occupational Science Degree (BHS) - Pre-OT Program

Occupational therapists focus on improving a person’s ability to complete everyday tasks and activities (occupations) – from childhood to older adulthood. 

As an occupational therapist, you might:

• Enable young children with a developmental delay to improve their ability to play or participate in school and other social activities
• Assist an adult with an orthopedic injury to regain use of his or her hand and arm, allowing him or her to perform daily activities more independently
• Help older adults who have suffered a stroke or traumatic brain injury perform self-care and household activities so they can return home safely from the hospital or skilled nursing facility
• Provide strategies to adolescents with severe mental illness to aid them in finding and securing employment in order to live on their own

A developmental delay or other types of disability can alter one’s ability to perform meaningful daily activities.  A registered occupational therapist helps people to cope and manage their daily activities, as well as adapt to environments in a way that best supports their safety and independence.

OSC-101 Intro Occupational Science/Therapy (3): This course presents students with an introduction to the academic discipline of Occupational Science and the profession of Occupational Therapy. Students will learn about the concept of occupation, how health is influenced by occupational performance and participation, and how the therapeutic use of occupation can influence the development and/or recovery of persons with disabling conditions. The evolution of Occupational Science and the current and emerging practice areas in Occupational Therapy will be reviewed.

OSC-201 Form, Function, & Meaning of Occupation (3): This course reviews some of the complex and diverse nature of daily occupation, including the observable aspects (form), purpose (function), and meaning of occupation. Students will be encouraged to reflect on their own patterns of daily occupation and its influence on identity.

OSC-301 Health, Disability, and Occupation (3): This course will review the literature on varying perspectives of health, disability, and its effects on occupational performance and participation.

OSC-402 Neuroscience of Occupational Behavior (2): Covers body functions and structures of the nervous system, including the impact of nervous system impairment on occupational behavior.

OSC-403 Functional Anatomy for Occupational Therapy (3): In-depth study of the body functions and structures of the human body with major emphasis on functional anatomy within the domain of concern for occupational therapy. Includes a practice lab.

OSC-405 Foundations of Occupational Therapy (3): Introduction to the foundations of the occupational therapy profession including its history, philosophical base, professional terminology, theory development, frames of reference, and the varied scope and roles of the occupational therapy practitioner.

OSC-406 Creativity and Activity Analysis (2): Exploration of the historical and contemporary use of creativity in the promotion of health through client-centered activities to promote health and recovery. Emphasis on the analysis, grading, and managing of complexity of therapeutic activities. Includes a practice lab.

OSC-407 Kinesiology for Occupational Therapy (3): Focus on the understanding and analyzing typical, atypical, and compensatory human movement across the life span. Includes a practice lab

OSC-408 Professional Skills I: Therapeutic Use of Self (2): Exploration of human behavioral theories and practice of therapeutic use of self within individual and group therapeutic contexts. Focus on understanding the occupational needs of individuals and groups, teaching-learning process, appraisal of effective communication, empathy, mindfulness, and building of rapport to foster effective therapeutic relationships.

OSC-410 Professional Development I: Ethics, Values, and Responsibilities (2): Examines the ethics and values of the profession of occupational therapy including the ethical standards of occupational therapy practice and review of scenarios to solve ethical dilemmas. Includes professional development regarding the acquisition of professional membership, knowledge, and skills expected of students in a professional program while beginning to develop a plan for lifelong learning.

OSC-411 Health and Medical Conditions: Children and Youth (2): Examines development and the prevailing health and welfare needs of children and adolescents with or at risk for mental and/or physical disabilities and chronic health conditions. Focus on varying medical conditions that can impact occupational performance and participation of children and youth.

OSC-412 Occupational Therapy Process: Children and Youth (5): Integrates theories and the occupational therapy process of evaluation (including assessment), intervention, and targeted outcomes with children and adolescents. Includes a practice lab.

OSC-413 Occupational Therapy Fieldwork I: Child and Youth (1): Immersion experience into a therapeutic service delivery context with children or youth.

OSC-414 Research Methods I: Evidence-Based Practice (3): Review of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, appraisal of professional literature and levels of evidence, and the influence of clinical expertise and client values in supporting best therapeutic practices.

OSC-415 Professional Skill II: Mobility, ADL, IADL, and Work (3): Review and practice of a wide array of healthcare and practice skills that include infection control, safety, body mechanics, wheelchair and mobility device use, ADL training, IADL training, and ergonomics to improve work performance. Includes a practice lab.

OSC-416 Professional Development II: Healthcare, Policy, and Advocacy (3): Focuses on understanding healthcare, policy, and reimbursement that influence access to occupational therapy practice across multiple practice areas. Review of intra-professional and inter- professional roles, and the laws and regulations that influence occupational therapy practice. Promotion of occupational therapy to other professionals, service providers, consumers, third-party payers, regulatory bodies, and to the public.

OSC-4000 Wellness & Health Promotion Through Occupation (2): Exploration of occupation and diversity factors that influence health and wellness. Review of community-based and institutional-based practice areas in the promotion of health and wellness in individual, group, and population-based contexts. Create a scholarly proposal designed to improve the wellness, health promotion, and/or occupational participation needs of a targeted community group.

Occupational Science majors are guaranteed entry into the MSOT program the summer after their junior year if the following criteria are met: cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.1 or greater, combined GPA of 3.1 or greater in prerequisite courses, (General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Sociology, Anatomy and  Physiology I and II with lab, and Statistics), earn a “C” or better in all non-prerequisite courses prerequisite courses completed at Gwynedd Mercy University, have 50 hours or more of documented occupational therapy observation or work beginning in the fall of their freshman year to the spring of their junior year, and attest to meeting the Essential Functions of Occupational Therapy Practice.

Occupational Science majors are guaranteed entry into the Occupational Therapy Program the summer after their junior year if the following criteria are met:

• Cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.1 or greater.
• Prerequisite courses (General Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Sociology, Anatomy and Physiology I and II with lab, and Statistics) combined GPA of 3.1 or greater and earn a “C” or better in all non-prerequisite courses.
• Completed and documented 50 hours or more of occupational therapy observation beginning in the fall of their freshman year to the spring of their junior year.
• Attest to being able to meet the technical standards for occupational therapy practice. Students entering into and engaged during the full course of the Occupational Therapy Master’s Program must possess essential skills (observation, communication, motor function, intellectual-conceptual abilities, integrative and quantitative abilities, and behavioral and social attributes) to perform all educational (classroom, laboratory and clinical), fieldwork, and experiential preceptorship tasks in an accurate, safe, and efficient manner, to the satisfaction of the faculty, with or without reasonable accommodation. 

Observation

• Normal or corrected visual ability sufficient for client observation and assessment to ensure safety and accurate measurement.
• Ability to obtain information from written documents, videotaped data, graphic images and measuring devices accurately and within a reasonable time frame. 
• Ability to sufficiently monitor and assess health needs of clients. 

Communication

• Interact with others in a professional, courteous, and collaborative manner while using good judgment for confidentiality.
• Demonstrate respect for the dignity of each person.
• Maintain integrity in word and deed with others.
• Read, speak, and write in English effectively using proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

Motor Function

• Assume a variety of body postures that can include continuous sitting, standing, walking, bending, reaching, pulling, lifting, stooping, kneeling, and crawling.
• Demonstrate manipulation skills to effectively carry and use therapeutic equipment (i.e. assistive devices, weights). 
• Demonstrate movement and mobility skills that are required for safe handling of persons of various sizes in order to perform safe transfers and guarding during functional mobility with and without an assistive device.
• Pushing and pulling in order to provide resistance for the purposes of maneuvering and transitioning persons such during bed mobility, using a wheelchair, and for sitting and standing balance activities.
• Demonstrate eye-hand coordination, postural control, strength, endurance, and integrated function of the senses (vision, hearing, smell, and touch) during the therapeutic process.

Intellectual-conceptual Abilities

• Demonstrate verbal and written insight into one’s own academic and clinical performance.
• Demonstrate the mental capacity to understand, problem solve, and make judgments in order to promote ethical reasoning.
• Demonstrate ability to collect, document, and analyze evaluation data and implement client-centered and occupation-based interventions. 

Integrative and Quantitative Abilities

• Demonstrate the mental capacity to understand, problem solve, and make judgments in order to promote safety.
• Intellectual capacities to measure, evaluate, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize information specific to client care.
• Demonstrate ability to apply information learned from the classroom to a therapeutic practice environment.

Behavioral and Social Attributes

• Demonstrate mature and professional behaviors with other students, faculty, colleagues, and clients.
• Be receptive and open to mentor feedback about academic or fieldwork performance and adherence to academic and fieldwork policies and procedures. 
• Establish and maintain a therapeutic relationship with clients.
• Ability to work cooperatively and collaboratively with others.

Students should review the Technical Standards for the MSOT program carefully and identify if additional supports are needed for any portion (didactic and clinical) of the MSOT program. Students are encouraged to contact the Student Accessibility Services Office to arrange an individualized consultation to discuss any support services or accommodations they may need. 

Please note: Students enrolling in this program must have the ability to obtain a U.S. background check and other clearances for placement in a U.S. clinical/school setting. U.S. citizenship or permanent residency is also a requirement for licensure within certain academic programs. International students and students who are under DACA status or are undocumented should carefully review the licensure requirements in their state before enrolling in a degree program that leads to licensure. Additional information can be found on the National Conference of State Legislatures website. 

Start your journey to becoming an occupational therapist. Apply to GMercyU's BHS in Occupational Science today!