Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
General Information
The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program at NEIT allows certified occupational therapy assistants to expand on their academic and clinical experience to become leaders in their profession. This program is designed to be a bridge for professionals to move to the next level of responsibility as registered occupational therapists. The program is offered in a weekend format that requires students to be on campus five (5) weekends in each ten-week academic quarter and to participate online in alternate weeks. A student following the MSOT program as outlined will complete the degree in ten (10) quarters. Each academic quarter has at least one course delivered online. Registered occupational therapists (OTRs) assist people of all ages, with varying abilities or handicaps, to become independent in their day-to-day activities. Because every client has a unique set of circumstances, OTRs evaluate, develop, and help carry out a unique treatment plan for each one.
As an OTR, graduates can work in traditional medical environments or in any setting where people need to learn new ways to live satisfying and productive lives. In the field, OTRs often supervise occupational therapy assistants and other personnel. Students learn to use a variety of assessment techniques to identify a client’s functional problems as well as their underlying physical, mental, and psychosocial problem areas. The OTR takes the lead in using pertinent personal information as well as theoretical and scientific evidence to establish appropriate intervention plans for individual clients or groups. The OTR acts as part of the rehabilitation team, participating in various interdisciplinary meetings and assuring that all occupational therapy intervention meets the legal, ethical, and fiscal requirements that apply to various medical and community-based settings.
After completion of all classroom training on campus, and Level I Fieldwork off campus, students enter the community for Level II Fieldwork. Two full-time twelve-week Level II Fieldwork experiences give the student many opportunities to apply classroom training in real life situations. Upon successful completion of all degree requirements, the student will be eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for Occupational Therapists. Those who complete the program and pass the exam are awarded the title of Occupational Therapist Registered. Employment is available in a wide variety of settings in the areas of physical disabilities, pediatrics, and geriatrics, as well as in mental health and wellness programs.
ACCREDITATION STATUS
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, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. AOTA's phone number is (301) 652-AOTA. Upon successful completion of the accreditation process, 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 a Registered Occupational Therapist (OTR). Most states, including Rhode Island, require licensure in order to practice. State licensure is usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification or attain state licensure.
Published Philosophy of the Profession:
“Man is an active being whose development is influenced by the use of purposeful activity. Using their capacity of intrinsic motivation, human beings are able to influence their physical and mental health and their social and physical environment through purposeful activity. Human life includes a process of continuous adaptation. Adaptation is a change in function that promotes survival and self-actualization. Biological, psychological, and environmental factors may interrupt the adaptation process at any time throughout the life cycle. Dysfunction may occur when adaptation is impaired. Purposeful activity facilitates the adaptive process.”
“Occupational therapy is based on the belief that purposeful activity (occupation), including its interpersonal and environmental components, may be used to prevent and mediate dysfunction, and to elicit maximum adaptation. Activity as used by the occupational therapist includes both an intrinsic and a therapeutic purpose” (American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), 1995. p. 1026).
View of Humanity:
Human beings have an occupational nature that is seen throughout the life span. Put simply, this means that people of all ages want to do things. The things we do shape our lives and make us individuals. Human development provides a context in which individual characteristics are developed and roles are identified. Human development is influenced by the culture, education, experience, beliefs and value system of the individual.
The mind, body and spirit are essential components of each person. All people are intrinsically motivated to master challenges within the environment. Each individual is viewed as functioning within a system that is both interactive and intrinsically and extrinsically adaptive. Occupation drives one to achieve mastery of daily life challenges and self-actualization. Individuals attempt to achieve a balance in work, self-care and leisure activities. When dysfunction occurs in any area of one’s life, the balance may be disturbed. Balance is restored through adaptation and regaining a sense of purpose in one’s life through participation in occupations.
Program Philosophy:
The NEIT OT faculty is dedicated to the centrality of occupation as both a means and an end in the delivery of OT services. Our beliefs about occupation are organized by the Model of Human Occupation (Kielhofner, 2008). The Model of Human Occupation is a good fit with the program’s overall goal of creating occupational therapists who are critical thinkers and problem solvers who can assess, predict outcomes and plan service delivery. The Model of Human Occupation provides a broad and holistic view of the way people engage in their desired occupations. It gives us a general framework for dealing with the real-life complexities of OT practice and allows more specific practice models to be used to further inform service management decisions. We believe that our students, like all humans, are continually evolving and changing over time. The change process is significantly influenced by the environments in which we function and the experiences we have. The OT master’s program places students in actual and virtual environments that are supportive and interactive, yet provide challenges that help build new knowledge, skills, and attitudes. As Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants, students entering the OT program will be habituated in their professional roles. Motivation, which Kielhofner (2008) describes as part of the volition subsystem, should be a strong factor for these adult learners. The OT program will provide new knowledge and skills to enhance performance capacity for the role of registered occupational therapist.
Beliefs about Learning
The faculty believes in the abilities of adult learners to direct their own learning and connect new knowledge with their previous education and practice as occupational therapy assistants to become both intentional and reflective practitioners. Fink describes a taxonomy of Significant Learning which further delineates these ideas and provides a framework for the curriculum. Fink emphasizes teaching knowledge, skills and attitudes that are useful to students in their future careers. This concept is key to the mission of the College and the OT master’s program.
Learner-centered teaching strategies will be both interactive and independent and include problem solving, dialogical learning, and experiential learning. Students in this program are familiar with the field of occupational therapy and are ready for the challenges of a new degree and new responsibilities. The students come to the program with some knowledge of how they learn best, and what they want and need to learn to master the roles and responsibilities of the OT. The faculty believe in emphasizing student strengths while working to enhance weaker areas.
The faculty expects that students will engage in independent and group projects and experiences throughout the program to build on their established interests and practice areas. The introduction of new theories, skills, and behaviors will expand their view of the OT profession and how they can contribute to it. The faculty of the NEIT OT program believes that graduates will help shape the future of the profession through critical thinking and problem solving for OT service management and program development. The ultimate goal is to produce occupational therapists who are well-rounded critical thinkers who can respond to the varied needs of our community by encouraging all people to participate in their desired occupations to the fullest extent possible.
References
American Occupational Therapy Association. (1995). The philosophical base of occupational
therapy. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 49, 1026.Reviewed by COE and COP in 2004.
Kielhofner, G. (2008). Model of Human Occupation: Theory and Application, (4th ed.).
Philadelphia: Lippincott, Williams & Wilkins.
Mission of New England Institute of Technology
The mission of New England Institute of Technology (NEIT) is to provide specialized associate’s, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs which prepare students for specialized careers. Through the combination of professional courses and an integrated liberal arts core, the programs emphasize the relevance of continuous learning to personal and professional growth. Upon successful completion, graduates are prepared to enter the workforce or to continue their education.
As an institution primarily devoted to teaching and through its open admission policy, NEIT provides opportunities for students from diverse educational backgrounds and with varying levels of ability to study in a variety of fields.
Mission and Outcomes of the Occupational Therapy Program
The mission of the NEIT Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) Program is to provide a specialized Master’s degree program to prepare certified occupational therapy assistants to become occupational therapists who are leaders in critical thinking and problem solving for service management in health care and community programs. As occupational therapists, graduates will take on various leadership roles in the healthcare field. Through a combination of classroom, laboratory and fieldwork experiences students build on their professional knowledge and experience to provide occupational therapy services to individuals and populations who strive to live productive and fulfilling lives.
Student Outcomes
By the end of the occupational therapy program, students will:
Demonstrate a depth and breadth of understanding of OT theoretical knowledge and its practical application for all aspects of service management.
Demonstrate command of foundational skills in communication, math, science and social science to inform their critical thinking and problem solving about OT assessment, outcome prediction, and planning of service delivery.
Apply skills in problem detecting, problem solving, and thinking logically, flexibly, and critically about clinical and managerial questions.
Contribute and lead in a rapidly changing society with respect to advances in technology, and changes in legislation, reimbursement, health care delivery and social contexts.
Continuously value and take responsibility for professional development and life-long learning and to encourage these qualities in others.
Consistently demonstrate the highest level of ethics and standards of practice for occupational therapy.