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Human Development and Family Science (B.S.) Pre-Occupational Therapy / Master of Occupational Therapy (M.O.T.)

Program Overview

Occupational therapy is a growing allied health profession that prepares you to work with patients in a variety of health care settings to help restore abilities needed to perform activities of daily living, recovering from disease/injury or adapting environments to meet individual needs.

Messiah’s five-year accelerated program is designed for academically qualified first-year students who are confident they want to become occupational therapists. The program allows entering first-year students to complete undergraduate and graduate degrees at Messiah University, one of the top private Christian schools in the U.S., in less time than would be required to complete both of these degrees separately. Students who pursue this accelerated program earn both a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in psychology) and a Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) degree from Messiah University in five years.

Program Learning Outcomes

Graduates from Messiah’s Human Development and Family Science B.S. program can:

  1. Articulate foundational concepts and apply theory related to:

    1. Families in Society

    2. Internal Dynamics of Families

    3. Human Growth & Development over the Life Span

    4. Human Sexuality

    5. Interpersonal Relationships

    6. Family Resource Management

    7. Parent Education and Guidance

    8. Family Law & Public Policy

    9. Professional Ethics and Practice

    10. Family Life Education Methodology

  2. Conduct, analyze and apply empirically based research.
  3. Demonstrate their awareness and knowledge related to multicultural and diverse individual, couple and family experiences (e.g., socioeconomic, rural-urban, various family structures).
  4. Engage in experiential learning opportunities with individuals, couples and/or families.
  5. Reflect on how their personal attributes and Christian convictions impact their vocational pursuits.

 

Graduates from Messiah’s MOT program can:

  1. Explain the value of engagement in occupation as integral to the health, well-being, and quality of life of individuals, groups, and populations.

  2. Apply theory and evidence to implement the occupational therapy process.

  3. Appraise and apply scholarly activities to support evidence-based practice and the profession's body of knowledge.

  4. Connect Christian faith to service and leadership essential for personal and professional growth.

  5. Utilize therapeutic use of self to promote client-centered care and facilitate positive outcomes in diverse practice settings

  6. Utilize individual and organizational practices to sustain personal well-being and professional fulfillment throughout their careers.

  7. Demonstrate collaborative professionalism and collegiality in all interactions.

  8. Apply ethical principles to complex problem-solving and decision-making.

  9. Utilize the skills of a safe and competent practitioner as defined by the standards of practice.

  10. Deliver equitable occupational therapy services that promote the well-being and belonging of all individuals, groups, and populations.

Major Requirements

Complete the following for your major:

HDFS 101Foundations of Marriage & Family

3
HDFS 142Introduction to Interpersonal Relations

3
HDFS 210Child Development

3
HDFS 244Human Sexuality

3
HDFS 253Community Services for Individuals and Families

3
HDFS 272Research Methods and Analysis in HDFS

3
HDFS 311Adolescent Development

3
HDFS 312Adult Development

3
HDFS 339Dynamics of Family Interaction

3
HDFS 345Parenting

3
HDFS 355Marital and Couple Relationships

3
HDFS 442Strategies of Family Life Education

3
HDFS 494Human Development & Family Science Seminar

3
STAT 269Introductory Statistics

3
PSYC 319Abnormal Psychology

3
BIOL 185Human Anatomy and Physiology I

4
BIOL 186Human Anatomy and Physiology II

4
ATHT 203Medical Terminology & Topics

2

Three credits from the following:

HDFS 378Latino Families

3
HDFS 386Family Ethnicity & Human Services

3

Three credits from the following:

GERO 231Psychology of Aging

3
GERO 232Sociology of Aging

3
GERO 251Biology, Nutrition, and Healthy Aging

3

See graduate catalog for admission and requirements for the MOT program, including the list of graduate courses that can be used as undergraduate electives towards the MOT.

To complete the B.S. and MOT within five years, students must finish coursework for undergraduate major in 6 semesters.

MOT Program Pre-requisites:

*HDFS Majors are approved to substitute HDFS 210 Child Development for PSYC Life Span Development

Graduate requirements counted as UG electives (16 credits)

OCCU 501Foundations of Occupational Therapy

3
OCCU 505Applied Anatomy

3
OCCU 505LLab: Applied Anatomy

0
OCCU 512Developmental and Psychosocial Considerations in OT

4
OCCU 512LLab: Developmental and Psychosocial Considerations in OT

0
OCCU 528Domain and Process

3
OCCU 553Common Conditions in OT Practice

3

General Education Requirements

Experiential Learning requirement   0
General Education requirements   Credits
First Year Seminar IDFY 101/102H  3
Written Communication ENGL 110/110H 3
Oral Communication COMM 105 3
Mathematical and Scientific Ways of Knowing Mathematics (STAT 269) met/major
Science with Lab 3 or 4
Social Scientific Ways of Knowing
 Social Science (HDFS 101) met/major
Cultural/Humanistic Ways of Knowing 24GE History 3
Literary & Aesthetic Ways of Knowing
 Literature or Arts 3
Cultural/Humanistic Ways of Knowing
 Philosophy or Religion 3
Cultural/Humanistic Ways of Knowing 1st and 2nd Level Language 6
Intercultural Perspectives Intercultural Global or International Cross-cultural or 3rd Level Language 3
Bible
 24GE Bible 3
Christian Beliefs
 24GE Christian Beliefs 3
Holistic Wellness
 WELL 1xx 1
Ethics and the Common Good
 24GE Ethics and the Common Good (recommended IDEG 300 section title of Ethics and Families 3
Intercultural Perspectives
 Intercultural U.S. (HDFS 378, HDFS 386) or Domestic Cross-cultural met/major
Common Learning
 Experiential Learning (GERO 232 fulfills ELI)  
General Education requirements   40-41
Major requirements (inclusive of concentration)   61
GR courses counting as UG electives
  16
Free Electives    5-6
Total credits   123