• UNM 2012-2013 Catalog
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• »Graduate Program

Graduate Program

Admission Requirements

Up to 24 students are admitted each year into the Occupational Therapy Graduate Program. Highest consideration is given to residents of New Mexico and WICHE states (Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Montana, and Wyoming). A strong academic record is essential, but does not guarantee acceptance. The application deadline for Fall admissions is December 1. Students are admitted once a year, with classes beginning in the fall semester. Students must have a baccalaureate degree and have at least a 3.0 GPA on the last 50 credits taken. Prerequisite courses must be completed within the past five years. Students may apply while enrolled in undergraduate courses to complete a baccalaureate degree or prerequisite courses if all courses will be completed by the end of the spring semester prior to beginning the program. Six basic areas are considered in the selection process:

1. Earned baccalaureate degree
2. The student’s academic record (grades for prerequisite courses and grade point average of the last 50 credits completed)
3. Three letters of reference (one from a health professional)
4. Life experiences including volunteer/work experience and community involvement
5. Writing ability
6. Personal interview and professional communication

The top candidates will be invited to the Occupational Therapy Graduate Program for an interview and an extemporaneous sample of their writing ability. The selection process does not discriminate against any student on the basis of gender, marital or parental status, race, color, religion, age, sexual orientation, national origin or disability.

If you wish to apply to the UNM Occupational Therapy Graduate Program, you must apply online through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service, known as OTCAS. Applicants for the 2012 entering class will need to apply online using the OTCAS application beginning in August 2011. To learn more about the OTCAS application process, please go to the OTCAS website at www.otcas.org. The UNM Occupational Therapy Graduate Program reviews applications after they have been processed by OTCAS.

In addition to OTCAS, applicants must apply and be accepted into graduate studies by the University of New Mexico Office of Graduate Admissions at http://www.unm.edu/apply/.

Pre-Professional Curriculum

Prerequisites provide a general foundation in behavioral sciences and are essential for success in the Occupational Therapy Graduate Program. Applicants must complete all prerequisite courses with a minimum 3.0 grade in each course by the end of the spring semester preceding entry into the program. All prerequisites must have been successfully completed within the past five years. 

 Additionally, ENGL 219 Technical Writing, is strongly recommended.

Professional Curriculum

Master of Occupational Therapy–minimum 82 credit hours

The Occupational Therapy Graduate Program offers the master’s degree under Plan I (Thesis) and Plan II (Project). The student must submit a written research document that is approved by their committee, and successfully complete the Occupational Therapy Student Performance Assessment (OTSPA). Occupational therapy course work is taken in a designated sequence.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition and fees are subject to change without notice. Tuition is determined by the Board of Regents each April for the following school year beginning in Fall. To verify current tuition, log onto http://www.unm.edu/%7ebursar/tuitionrates.html. Additional expenses, including course fees, health insurance, books, and supplies, recur annually. See our website for a detailed breakdown of these expenses. For financial aid information, contact the financial aid department at (505) 272-8008.

Scheduling

The Occupational Therapy Graduate Program offers a traditional 2.5-year schedule which involves an intensive, full-time load taken in a designated sequence. It is not recommended that students work while in the traditional program. Students who choose to work part-time need to understand that work schedules cannot conflict with required courses or fieldwork assignments.

The part-time track is designed to be completed in 9 consecutive semesters. A maximum of 10 semesters is allowable. The required 6 months of Fieldwork Level II is included in the 10-semester maximum. Please note that the third year of the part-time track is essentially full-time, and that Fieldwork Level II must be completed on a full-time basis.

* Plan I Master’s Thesis (6 credits, continuous enrollment in OCTH 599)
** Plan II Master’s Project (minimum 3 credits of OCTH 594, plus 3 credits Elective)
*** Will be offered either Summer or Fall

Graduation Requirements

Graduation requires successful completion of a minimum of 82 credits including required didactic course work, assessments, and Master's Examination. Students must complete all Office of Graduate Studies requirements including Plan I or Plan II requirements with a minimum 3.00 GPA.

• Plan I Master's Thesis
52 credits didactic course work
6 credits minimum OCTH 599 (Master's Thesis)

24 credits Fieldwork Level II (two 12 week sessions)

Thesis option requires:

• Continuous enrollment in OCTH 599 (Master's Thesis)
• Defense of the master's thesis and approval by a faculty committee
• Master's Examination: Occupational Therapy Student Performance Assessment (OTSPA)

• Plan II Master's Project
52 credits didactic course work
3 credits minimum OCTH 594 (Research Project)

3 credits graduate level elective
24 credits Fieldwork level II (two 12-week sessions)

 Project option requires:

• Completion of the master's research requirement and approval by a faculty committee
• Master's Examination: Occupational Therapy Student Performance Assessment (OTSPA)

Additional Fieldwork Information
Fieldwork is an important part of occupational therapy education. Short term fieldwork (FW I) is arranged in coordination with specific academic courses. Full-time fieldwork (FW II) follows successful completion of academic course work and the OTSPA.

• Students are responsible for tuition, transportation to and from fieldwork sites, and living expenses while on fieldwork. Fieldwork opportunities are usually available in New Mexico; however, students may be assigned to fieldwork in other states.
• All required FW II must be completed within 24 months of completion of the academic courses.
• Each FW II placement is usually three months in length (total of six months).

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Keys and Symbols Reference

Courses

OCTH 499. Occupational Therapy Independent Study. (1-4)

Self-directed learning in occupational therapy with opportunity to explore an area of interest in depth. Develop experience with designing, revising and implementing a study or project. Students may only complete one independent study for credit.




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OCTH 508. Interdisciplinary Leadership in Family and Community Partnerships. (1)

Provides necessary information and practice to enable students to develop and maintain partnerships between health care practitioners, parents, families, and community organizations in order to ensure the best family-centered care for children with developmental disabilities.

Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

Restriction: acceptance in LEND program and permission of instructor.




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OCTH 514L. Introduction to Occupation and Health. (4)

Introduction to understanding occupation and health as it relates to self, clients, and the occupational therapy assessment and intervention process. The emphasis is on richness of occupation including: motivation, meaning, roles, cultural factors and societal influences.




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OCTH 518. Interdisciplinary Leadership in Advocacy and Public Policy. (2)

This course offers an in-depth view of the operations of the State of New Mexico legislature and provides specific skills to advocate for persons with disabilities and other health care issues.

Restriction: acceptance in LEND program and permission of instructor.




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OCTH 522L. Neuroanatomy. (3)

Anatomy of the brain and spinal cord with emphasis on integration of sensory and motor systems. Synthesis of neuroanatomical, neurochemical and neurophysiological basic science principles relevant to clinical practice in adult and pediatric neurorehabilitation.

Prerequisite: 521L.




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OCTH 524L. Kinesiology of Occupation. (3)

Apply the principles of kinesiology and biomechanics to the study of occupations. Arthrology, tissue mechanics, goniometrics, muscle strength testing, kinesiological and biomechanics analysis of occupations will be presented in lecture lab and problem-based learning formats.




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OCTH 528. Interdisciplinary Leadership in Research. (2-3)

Provides necessary information and practice to enable students to acquire knowledge and experience various aspects of research related to people with disabilities.

Restriction: acceptance in LEND program and permission of instructor.




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OCTH 534. Introduction to Evidence-Based Practice. (3)

Introduction to applied research for physical and occupational therapists. The central focus of this course is how information from physical and social science-based research is gathered, analyzed, reported and used to inform evidence-based practice.




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OCTH 538. Interdisciplinary Leadership in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities-Didactic. (3)

Provides the academic and theoretical grounding upon which the clinical practices are built for working with children with disabilities.

Restriction: acceptance in LEND program and permission of instructor.




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OCTH 544L. Occupation Across the Lifespan. (5)

Review of roles, occupational tasks, models of occupation and developmental theories from infancy to old age. Determinants of occupational performance including cultural influences; physical and social environment; physiological, sensory, neuromotor, cognitive and psychological dimensions are reviewed.




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OCTH 554L. Relationship Centered Care [Person, Family, and System Centered Care]. (2)

Introduction to the importance of person-centered care in occupational therapy assessment and intervention services to develop an appreciation of the therapeutic relationship and skills to interact with clients holistically, recognizing cultural and psychosocial influences.




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OCTH 558. Interdisciplinary Leadership and Team Development. (2-3)

This interdisciplinary course provides information strategies and skill practice to enable students to develop and evaluate team functioning. Students also gain leadership skills through applying didactic and observational leadership activities.

Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

Restriction: acceptance in LEND program and permission of instructor.




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OCTH 564L. Applied Occupations I. (6)

Application of occupational therapy concepts and principles to pediatric and adult populations with physical and orthopaedic conditions is covered along with theoretical foundations underlining person-centered occupations, job analysis and to increase participation in occupations.

Prerequisite: 524L.




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OCTH 594. Graduate Seminar. (1-3 to a maximum of 10 ∆)

A three-semester seminar sequence that provides structure and support for graduate occupational therapy students as they work under the supervision of an assigned faculty to complete projects to meet Plan II Master’s requirements.

Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

{Fall, Spring, Summer}




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OCTH 599. Master’s Thesis. (1-6, no limit ∆)

A six-semester seminar sequence that provides structure and support for graduate occupational therapy students as they work under the supervision of an assigned faculty to complete thesis’ to meet Plan I Master’s requirements.

Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

{Fall, Spring, Summer}




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OCTH 604L. Applied Occupations II. (5)

Application of occupational therapy concepts to pediatric and adult populations with physical and neurological conditions, is covered, along with theoretical foundations underlining person-centered occupations, job analysis, and the OT process to increase participation in occupations.

Prerequisite: 522L and 564L and 634L.




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OCTH 614L. Applied Occupations III. (5)

This course covers psychosocial and behavioral dimensions of occupational therapy practice across the lifespan. This course gives students the opportunity to learn about psychological Occupational Therapy assessments and interventions related to performance.




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OCTH 624L. Advocacy, Communication and Leadership. (3)

Advocacy skills (grant writing, marketing and policy formation), communication skills and leadership skills (professional development, professional presentations and leadership roles) as they relate to occupational therapy are emphasized.




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OCTH 634L. Neuroscience of Occupation. (2)

This course emphasizes the application of systems-level, behavioral-level and cognitive-level neuroscience to understanding: a) occupational development across the lifespan and b) the practice of occupational therapy for persons with activity limitations caused by neuropathological conditions.




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OCTH 650L. Special Topics in Occupational Therapy. (2-6, to a maximum of 6 ∆)

Various current topics in occupational therapy are offered. {Spring}




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OCTH 654. Organization and Administration. (2)

This course will enable students to practice effectively in an increasingly complex health care delivery system. Emphasis is on understanding of organizational systems, including program planning, management and reimbursement, as well as legislation and ethics.




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OCTH 664L. Applied Occupations IV. (6)

Application of the occupational therapy process to functional problems which interrupt or delay normal growth, development and maturation during infancy, childhood and adolescence. Occupational intervention strategies for children and their families are covered.

Prerequisite: 564L and 604L and 614L.




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OCTH 674L. Community Health. (4)

The purpose of this course is for the student to gain an increased knowledge of: community-based health considerations and issues; community health resources; partnerships with community services; interdisciplinary processes; and serving people in community settings.




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OCTH 675. Fieldwork II. (12 to a maximum of 36 ∆)

Experiences with clients, occupational therapists and professionals in the community. Students must participate in two 12-week, full-time clinical internships. Fieldwork is carried out in various settings in New Mexico and surrounding states.

Offered on a CR/NC basis only.

{Summer, Fall, Spring}




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OCTH 690. Independent Study. (1-4, no limit ∆)

Self-directed learning in occupational therapy with opportunity to explore an area of interest in depth. Develop experience in occupational therapy under the supervision of a faculty mentor and community practitioners.

{Fall, Spring, Summer}




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