Department of Allied Health

The Department of Allied Health Science encompasses:
     - Occupational Therapy (a Master of Science degree)
     - Health Sciences (a Bachelor of Science degree)

Occupational Therapy Program:

The Occupational Therapy Program was established in 1978 as a baccalaureate program and celebrated 25 years of providing career opportunities to ¾«¶«AV’s students, April 8-9, 2005.  It is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), of the American Occupational Therapy Association, 6116 Executive Boulevard  Suite 200,  North Bethesda, MD 20852–4929; Tel:  (301) 652-2682.  Graduates of program are able to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the:  National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), One Bank Street, Suite 300, Gaithersburg, MD 20878.

The admission process for the Master’s of Science Program was initiated Fall Semester 2002.  ¾«¶«AV offers a 3 + 2 program.  For students entering as freshmen, 3 years of undergraduate course work is required and 2 years of graduate course work.  Prior to the end of their third year, students must make application to the graduate phase of the program.  The pre-professional phase of undergraduate program is designed to develop the knowledge base necessary for entry into the graduate or professional program.  Successful completion of the graduate phase of the program will lead to a professional, entry level Master of Science degree in occupational therapy.

Applicants may start as an advanced undergraduate, or come as a transfer student with a maximum of 80 hours of allowable, undergraduate transfer credit from an accredited college or university.  Students transferring to the program with a Bachelor’s degree will be exempt from the university’s orientation, reading, physical education, and English Proficiency Exam requirements.

The Health Sciences Program

The Health Sciences Program requires 120 hours, which does not include Physical Education and Orientation which are required courses. The Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences begins with the general education curriculum common to all ¾«¶«AV undergraduates in the first two years of study. The final two years of study consist of the concentration component that permits a multidisciplinary investigation of an area, problem, or theme within health sciences that is meaningful to a student’s interest and career aspirations.