PSYO.BS - 3+3 BS in Psychology/OTD

3+3 BS in Psychology/OTD

 This program is a collaborative effort between the Department of Psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program in the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. It provides an accelerated pathway to the WNE Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree with guaranteed OTD admission for qualified students who remain “in good standing” following three years of undergraduate study (3+3).

The pathway consists of two phases:

1.  The three-year Psychology Major incorporating prerequisites for the OTD program.

2. The three-year OTD program housed in the Division of Occupational Therapy.

 Students who are accepted into the 3+3 BS in Psychology/OTD program and remain in good standing (as defined below) automatically transition to Phase 2, requiring only a successful interview. In addition, students who successfully complete their first year in the WNE OTD program will receive a BS in Psychology.

 Admission into Phase 1:

Qualified students can be admitted into the Psychology to Doctor of Occupational Therapy 3+3 program through several pathways:

·         As First Year Students. WNE Admissions may accept a student directly into the major for the fall semester of a given year. The admission criteria for the combined degree program mirrors the admission criteria of the general BS in Psychology program with one exception. Students must have a minimum incoming High School GPA of 3.200 (out of 4.000).

·         As existing WNE students. Acceptance into the 3+3 program is possible if at the point of acceptance, the student qualifies for “good standing” in the Direct-entry 3+3 BS in Psychology/OTD program as defined further below based on their WNE course grades, and assuming it remains feasible for the students to complete the psychology requirements prior to the end of their junior year and remain in good standing in OTD pre-requisite course work.

·         As transfer students from outside of WNE. Acceptance into the 3+3 program is possible if at the point of admission to WNE, the student has a minimum overall GPA of 3.200 and a minimum GPA of 3.200 in the required prerequisite coursework for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program based on the course grades attained outside of WNE.

 During Phase 1, students are undergraduate students in the Department of Psychology and are advised by the department’s faculty. In addition, they will be assigned a mentor from the faculty in the Division of Occupational Therapy.

 To be considered “in good standing” in the Direct-entry Pre-OT program and maintain their guarantee for admission into the OTD program, a student must:

1. Complete the 90 credits listed below within three academic years

2. Complete at least 12 credits of the Psychology major at WNE

3. Achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.200 at the end of each academic year

4. Complete all required prerequisite coursework for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program and achieve a minimum GPA of 3.200 in these courses (see OTD Admissions webpage for the list of courses)

5. Earn course grades of at least a “C” in any required prerequisite coursework for the OTD program

 A student who no longer maintains "good standing" for any reason will no longer have guaranteed admission into Phase 2. They may remain in the Psychology program and apply to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program during their third year.

 Transition to Phase 2 – PSY to OTD

Students in good standing in the 3+3 BS in Psychology/OTD program are eligible for admission to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree program during their junior year after December 1. Candidates must also successfully complete an admissions interview and writing sample. Select candidates may have the admission interview and/or writing sample waived by the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program admissions committee.

In addition to fulfilling all of the requirements of the 3+3 BS in Psychology/OTD program, all candidates applying to OTD degree program (including direct-entry) must successfully complete all other OTD admission requirements as listed on the OTD admissions. Students applying through any 3+3 pathway are not required to apply through the OTCAS system.

Students who either (a) do not meet the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree program admission requirements outlined above, or (b) elect not to apply for admission to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree program at that time, remain eligible to apply for admission to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree as part of the general applicant pool following completion of a bachelor’s degree.

 Phase 2 – OTD program

Once a student enrolls into the OTD program after completing the three-year Psychology program, they will move into the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (COPH), and they will be advised by COPH faculty. Students will be held to the same standards as outlined in the OTD Student Handbook. After successfully completing the first year of the OTD program, students will be awarded a BS in Psychology assuming all degree requirements have been met. Students who fail to fulfill these requirements in their first year of the OTD program will be disenrolled from the OTD program and given the option to return to the College of Arts and Sciences to complete the degree requirements of the BS in Psychology.

Students are eligible to request reinstatement to the OTD program following completion of their BS in Psychology; reinstatement will be determined by the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences’ Academic Standards Committee and the OTD Admissions Committee, and reinstatement is not guaranteed.

3+3 BS in Psychology/OTD - Suggested Sequence of Courses

First Year - Fall Semester

Subtotal: 16 cr.

First Year - Spring Semester

Subtotal: 15 cr.

Sophomore Year - Fall Semester

Subtotal: 18 cr.

Sophomore Year - Spring Semester

Subtotal: 18 cr.

Junior Year - Fall Semester

Subtotal: 16 cr.

Junior Year - Spring Semester

Subtotal: 16 cr.

Senior Year = 1st Year of OTD program

Subtotal: 24 cr.

Total Credit Hours: 120