Occupational Studies, B.S.
Contact
Caryn Husman, M.S., OTR/L
Director, Occupational Studies
chusman@une.edu
Mission
Our mission is to develop caring, collaborative scholars through a dynamic, student-centered, occupation-focused educational program.
Vision
Our vision is to address society's occupational needs by fostering excellence in health, wellness, and occupational studies through teaching, scholarship, and service.
Major Description
The Occupational Studies program gives students a broad education that will prepare them for a variety of career paths. Students are prepared for opportunities including application to graduate programs in occupational therapy, physical therapy, counseling, special education, public health, or related health professions — as well as professional careers as an assistive technology professional, wellness coach, wellness coordinator, activity director, health educator, case manager, medical salesperson, or paraprofessional in mental health and educational settings.
The curriculum is grounded in a holistic conceptualization of health and wellness that teaches students to assess health from both a macro and micro level. Students gain depth in understanding a wide variety of determinants of health through the study of health science, public health, and human occupation. Students also gain practical skills applicable to a variety of paths through training in motivational interviewing, wellness assessment, health literacy, stress management, health education, and program development, implementation, and evaluation. Thus, Occupational Studies students learn how to work with people by understanding where they come from and employing tools to help them take the next steps toward a healthier life. Further, students are encouraged to find their passion by using flexible electives to concentrate their studies in their unique interests, explore a wide range of topics, elect for an internship in health and wellness settings, or take experiential electives. Service learning, active learning, and interprofessional education are embedded into the curriculum with themes of resilience, advocacy, and wellness across the lifespan.
Occupational Studies students also have the opportunity to pursue a Minor in Assistive Technology. The minor prepares students to make a difference in the lives of people who have disabilities by recommending and training people to use health-related technical assistive devices. Students develop skills in promoting independence in the use of devices and equipment, thereby supporting engagement in meaningful activities, occupations, and enhanced quality of life for people across the lifespan.
Transfer Credit
See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.
Admissions
See Undergraduate Admissions for more information.
Financial Information
Tuition and fees for subsequent years may vary. Other expenses include books and housing. For more tuition and fee information, please consult this catalog’s Financial Information section.
Curricular Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Nor'easter Core Requirements | ||
| Nor'easter Core Requirements 1 | 40 | |
| Program Required Courses | ||
| BIO 104 & 104L | General Biology and General Biology Lab | 4 |
| BIO 208 | Intro Anatomy & Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO 209 | Intro Anatomy & Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO 309 | Pathophysiology | 3 |
| EXS 180 | Motor Learning & Performance | 3 |
| IHS 150 | Health Promotion Studies Seminar | 1 |
| IHS 310 | Ethics for Interprofessional Practice | 3 |
| MAT 120 | Statistics | 3 |
| or MAT 150 | Statistics for Life Sciences | |
| OS 201 | Foundations of Assistive Technology | 3 |
| OS 305 | Introduction to OT & Related Fields | 3 |
| or NUTR 220 | Nutrition | |
| OS 313 | Occupational Media | 3 |
| OS 315 | Assessment for Wellness Consultation | 3 |
| OS 316 | Research Methods | 3 |
| OS 341 | Health/Wellness/Aging Society | 3 |
| OS 405 | Occupational Science | 3 |
| OS 414 | Stress Management | 3 |
| OS 424 | Health Edu: Theory to Practice | 4 |
| OS 432 | Disability Studies and Inclusive Communities | 3 |
| OS 434 | Substance Misuse & Prevention | 3 |
| PHY 125 | Introduction to Biomechanics | 4 |
| or PHY 110 | General Physics I w/Lab | |
| PSY 105 | Introduction to Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 205 | Abnormal Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 250 | Lifespan Dev in Context | 3 |
| PUB 200 | Foundations in Public Health | 3 |
| SOC 150 | Intro to Sociology | 3 |
| Open Elective Courses (Students complete open elective credits as necessary to meet the University’s 120-credit minimum for graduation. The total number of elective credits required will depend on the student’s completed program, core, and other degree requirements.) | ||
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- 1
Some courses fulfill both core and program requirements, the credits earned do not count twice towards the minimum total required credits for the degree.
Academic and Technical Standards
All students in the Occupational Studies major are subject to the UNE WCHP undergraduate grading policy (see undergraduate academic policy) and progression guidelines.
Progression Guidelines
OS Follows the WCHP Common Curriculum Academic Progression Guidelines
The requirements laid out below for the first two years of enrollment apply to any undergraduate program of the Westbrook College of Health Professions. Beginning with the Fall semester of the third year, students will be held to their program-specific progression guidelines.
In keeping with the guidelines of the University of New England, all students must achieve a minimum cumulative semester-end grade point average as follows:
- Failure to maintain the minimum GPA requirements will result in academic probation as described in the Catalog of the University of New England.
- Students must achieve a minimum grade of C- in all required math and science including the following courses: MAT 120 Statistics/MAT 150 Statistics for Life Sciences, PHY 125 Introduction to Biomechanics/PHY 110 General Physics I w/Lab, BIO 104 General Biology/BIO 105 Biology I: Ecology/Evolution, BIO 208 Intro Anatomy & Physiology I, BIO 209 Intro Anatomy & Physiology II, and BIO 309 Pathophysiology.
- Students must achieve a minimum grade of a C- in all OS prefix courses.
- Failure to achieve the above-referenced minimum grades will result in program-level probation and the need to retake the course, therefore affecting academic progression.
- Students may enroll in any of the courses referenced above a maximum of two times. Receiving a W in a course is not considered officially enrolled and will not result in an academic penalty.
- Failure to achieve the above-referenced minimum grade a second time in a course will result in dismissal from the major.
Learning Outcomes
At the conclusion of the program, the Occupational Studies student will:
- Critically analyze concepts of health and wellness through application at the personal (micro), population (meso), and societal (macro) levels.
- Synthesize biological, psychosocial, and educational theories that influence human behavior and occupational participation.
- Assess the influence of disease and disability with respect to health promotion and occupational well-being.
- Model compassion as an essential attribute in understanding diverse occupational engagement across the lifespan.
- Collaboratively engage in integrative leadership in occupational media, research, and science in preparation for inter-professional endeavors.
- Be prepared to apply for graduate study in the field of occupational therapy or a related health profession.