Occupational Therapy M.S.

Courses for the Major Degree

OT-501OT Process & Theoretical Foundations I2
OT-506Occupational Development I4
OT-509Medical & Social Conditions I2
OT-510Medical & Social Condition II2
OT-512Occupational Development II4
OT-513Psychosocial Level I Fieldwork1
OT-514Interpersonal Skills2
OT-515OT Delivery Systems2
OT-517Group Process2
OT-519Functional Anatomy5
OT-520Neuroscience for Rehabilitation5
OT-521Fieldwork Seminar I0
OT-523Child & Adolescent Level I Fieldwork1
OT-525OT Process & Theoretical Foundations II2
OT-527OT Methods of Evaluation & Documentation I2
OT-529Child & Adolescent Intervention4
OT-530Adult & Geriatric Level I Fieldwork1
OT-632Fieldwork Seminar II0
OT-633OT Methods of Evaluation & Documentation II2
OT-634Adult & Geriatric Intervention4
OT-635OT Process & Theoretical Foundation III2
OT-640OT Clinical Fieldwork I4
OT-641OT Clinical Fieldwork II4
OT-644Management of OT Services I1
OT-645Management of OT Services II2
OT-689Professional Issues2
OT-690Community Practice2-3
Total Course Credits (excluding Research Core)64-65

Courses in the Research Core

OT-524Research Project I3
OT-602Research Methods in Occupational Therapy3
OT-693Research Project II3
Total Credits in Research Core9
OVERALL TOTAL CREDITS IN MS OT CURRICULUM 73-74

Electives/As Needed

OT-605OT Clinical Fieldwork III1-3
OT-630Continued Research Advisement1
OT-646Topics in Upper Extremity Rehabilitation1
Total Credits3-5

Subject to changes based on regulations by New York State of Education Departments and/or American Occupational Therapy Association requirements.

Academic Regulations

Academic regulations for OT students are in addition to general university policies for all students. Full-time (and part-time) students must meet all academic regulations listed below.

  1. Occupational Therapy Department - Good Academic Standing
    1. To be in good standing while enrolled in graduate courses (500 & 600 level) a student must:
      1. Maintain a minimum semester and cumulative average of at least 3.0.
      2. Obtain a minimum grade of B in all graduate-level work
    2. To be in good standing in OT courses that are graded as Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory, students must achieve a grade of Satisfactory (Psychosocial Level I Fieldwork (OT-513), Fieldwork Seminar I (OT-521), Child & Adolescent Level I Fieldwork (OT-523), Adult & Geriatric Level I Fieldwork (OT-530), Fieldwork Seminar II (OT-632), OT Clinical Fieldwork I (OT-640), OT Clinical Fieldwork II (OT-641), Research Project II (OT-693)). An Unsatisfactory grade in any of these courses constitutes a failure to meet academic regulations and will require the student to repeat the course.
  2. Occupational Therapy Department - Academic Probation
    1. Students, whether full-time or part-time, who are not in good standing in the department are placed on OT department academic probation where they will remain until they meet the conditions of academic good standing for two full-time semesters. The conditions of OT department academic probation must be met in each successive (full- or part-time) semester, but probationary status is not removed until conditions are fulfilled during two full-time semesters.
    2. Conditions of Occupational Therapy Department - Academic Probation. While on probation, failure to meet the following conditions will result in dismissal from the program. A student on probation must:
      1. For all 500- and 600-level courses over the next two full-time semesters:
        1. Receive no less than a "B" in all courses;
        2. Achieve a semester and cumulative average of at least 3.0.
      2. For the S/U graded OT courses (listed in 1.b. of the OT Department - Good Academic Standing section), over the next two full-time semesters, receive a grade of S.
  3. Dismissal From the Occupational Therapy Department
    1. A student who is on OT department academic probation and does not meet the conditions of OT department academic probation will be dismissed from the OT department but not necessarily dismissed from the university. The dismissed student is encouraged to meet with the OT academic advisor/faculty mentor and an advisor/career coach in the Student Success Center.
    2. A student dismissed from the OT department has the option to appeal the dismissal. In order to appeal, the student must follow the School of Health Professions' Appeals process as indicated below under "Appeals."
  4. Grades Below B Policy
    This policy applies to all 500- and 600-level OT courses. No more than a total of six credits or two courses (whichever better advances academic progress) with grades lower than B (B-, C+, C) are applicable to the occupational therapy degree. A grade of C- or lower is not applicable to the occupational therapy degree.
  5. Requirements for Level II Fieldwork
    1. Students must have the permission of the instructor before registering for Level II Fieldwork courses: OT Clinical Fieldwork I (OT-640), OT Clinical Fieldwork II (OT-641). In order to obtain permission, students must demonstrate the ability to meet academic and professional standards of the program and participate in faculty-led professional development interviews in the first and second years of study.
    2. Receipt of a U grade in either Psychosocial Level I Fieldwork (OT-513), Fieldwork Seminar I (OT-521), Child & Adolescent Level I Fieldwork (OT-523), Adult & Geriatric Level I Fieldwork (OT-530), and/or Fieldwork Seminar II (OT-632) may alter the student's choices or plans for Level II Fieldwork.
    3. Students who receive a U in a Level II Fieldwork course or who voluntarily withdraw from the course must receive approval from the faculty in the OT major before repeating the course. Students will not be allowed to repeat more than one Level II Fieldwork course.
  6. Policy for Completion of Occupational Therapy Program in Timely Manner:
    Full-time (and part-time students) in the OT program must complete all academic requirements within three (3) semesters or one 12- month calendar-year following successful completion of both OT Clinical Fieldwork I and II (OT-640 and OT-641). This includes the semester following completion of Level II Fieldwork when students return to campus to complete coursework (OT-689 Professional IssuesOT-690 Community Practice, and OT-693 Research Project II) and two (2) additional semesters. In addition to other academic requirements, Level II Fieldwork must be successfully completed within a 12-month period of completion of all other coursework or repetition of academic courses may be required.
    A student who does not complete Level II Fieldwork within the required 12-month period may need to repeat one or more of the following courses:
  • OT Methods of Evaluation & Documentation I (OT-527)
  • Child & Adolescent Intervention (OT-529)
  • OT Methods of Evaluation & Documentation II (OT-633)
  • Adult & Geriatric Intervention (OT-634)

Students who do not complete their program within the time frame specified in this policy must petition for an extension of the time limit by submitting a completed “Request for Extension of Time to Complete the Graduate Program” form. [Refer to “Extension to Complete Graduate Degree” in the academic policies and procedures section of catalog, for the required steps in the procedure.]

Appeals

To appeal a decision rendered by the School of Health Professions faculty/administration that has academic consequences, a student must follow the appeal procedures which can be found in Academic Policies.

Admission Requirements

The D'Youville occupational therapy program is a participant of the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS), a program of the American Occupational Therapy Association that allows prospective students to use one application to apply to multiple participating OT programs through a single application process. Interested applicants should refer to OTCAS to complete the application process and are required to follow OTCAS and D'Youville OT program-specific instructions.

In addition to the general admission requirements for graduate programs at D’Youville, applicants to the master’s in occupational therapy must meet the required minimum criteria and must present the following by November 30:

  1. Two letters of recommendation: one academic and one professional (or two academic). References from OT observations will not be accepted.
  2. Evidence of completion of a baccalaureate degree with an official transcript.
  3. Evidence of capability to succeed in a graduate program as shown by a cumulative undergraduate G.P.A. of at least 3.0 (all grade point averages are based on a 4.0 system).
  4. Completion of the following prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better. Courses must be at least three credits and pass/fail grades are not accepted:
    1. General or Developmental Psychology (must cover life span development)
    2. Abnormal Psychology
    3. Sociology or Social Anthropology
    4. Applied Statistics
    5. Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II with labs or six to eight credits of a combination of other biology courses that focus on anatomy and physiology such as Comparative Primate Anatomy, Comparative Mammalian Anatomy and Physiology, Human Anatomy and Human Physiology, Anatomy and Physiology I and II, or their equivalents, at least one of which is a lab course, as determined by the registrar and the department.

The faculty expects students to have basic computer skills in office productivity software (Microsoft Office), email, and online database/library searches. Students who lack any of these abilities should enroll in tutorials offered by the university or other institutions. Students are expected to participate in distance learning/online coursework throughout the OT curriculum. Students are expected to have a laptop or tablet for personal use in class for coursework and for quizzes/exams. The University provides several tutorials and an online orientation course to prepare students for distance/online learning. The online orientation can be found here.