BS Premedical And Health Studies/MS or MEd in Occupational Therapy From Springfield College (Professional Pathway)
Boston
This articulation agreement with Springfield College provides a vehicle for students interested in occupational therapy to earn the Bachelor of Science degree (BS) from MCPHS and a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Springfield College in just five years.
Students complete the first three years of the curriculum in premedical and health studies at MCPHS. If they have met the academic criteria they then enroll for two years in the master of science or master of education degree program in occupational therapy at Springfield College. Students earn a bachelor degree in premedical and health studies from MCPHS after their fourth year (first year at Springfield College) and their master degree after successful completion of Springfield’s requirements in the fifth year.
The first three years at the MCPHS provide a blend of liberal arts, pre-health sciences, and health perspectives courses which prepare the student for professional study. The two years at Springfield College offer students a highly integrated academic and clinical education that is rooted in the College’s humanistic philosophy: the occupational therapy programs emphasize that health and learning are best gained through an approach that unifies spirit, mind, and body. The entry-level course of study includes the theory, skills, and administration of occupational therapy across the life span. Students learn to work with individuals whose abilities to engage in the everyday tasks of living or the mastery of self and the environment are challenged by developmental delays, mental or social disabilities, physical dysfunction, chronic illness, or age. Students benefit from lectures, seminars, group projects, and hands-on experience in supervised laboratories, and work with clients in service delivery setting s under the direction of experienced therapists. The occupational therapy program at Springfield College has been fully accredited as an entry-level master degree program since 1991 by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).
Admission to Springfield’s occupational therapy program is contingent upon the student achieving a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00, a 3.00 cumulative required physical, biological, and social science courses, and a successful interview at Springfield College. Students in this pathway must substitute Anatomy and Physiology I and II for Physiology/Pathophysiology I and II in the third year premedical and health studies curriculum at MCPHS. They must also complete their humanities elective in the second year.