Advance To Your Graduate Degree With NOVA Community College’s Articulation Agreement Into Shenandoah University’s Occupational Therapy Program.

This articulation agreement is designed for applicants who have completed the prerequisites and will be obtaining a OTA AAS from NOVA Community College. This agreement is available to all students who have passed the NBCOT COTA exam and submitted proof of certification.

Admission Requirements

For admission and entry into the Doctorate of Occupational Therapy Program or the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Program through this articulation agreement, candidates must complete the following for priority status eligibility:

1. Submit a completed admission application available through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS). The OTCAS admissions cycle begins mid-July and interviews will be held monthly from September through February.
   • Submit all official transcripts
     • Possess a minimum grade-point average of 3.2 (in a 4.0 system)
   • Two letters of reference, which must come from a licensed occupational therapist, an academic professor, and/or an employer, must be submitted via OTCAS instructions. Shenandoah University Division of Occupational Therapy requires that you designate the following individuals as evaluators:
     • One from a licensed OT
     • One from an academic professor (from NOVA Community College)
2. Complete all prerequisites required for admission to the program.
   • A minimum grade-point average of 3.2 (in a 4.0 system) for all prerequisite courses.
     • 3 credits: General or Introductory Psychology
     • 3 credits: Abnormal Psychology
     • 3 credits: Statistics Course (content must include descriptive and inferential statistics)
     • 6 credits (minimum): Two sequential courses in Human Anatomy & Physiology. Content must include lecture and laboratory sections to include human structure and function, including the musculoskeletal system and an overview of the nervous system. For all courses taken after Spring 2022, labs must be completed in person; no online labs will be accepted).
     • 3 credits: General or Introductory Sociology
     • 3 credits: Sociology or Anthropology (Intermediate or Advanced Level)
     • 3 credits (minimum): Life Span Human Development from infancy to the elderly (Course content covering infancy to the elderly and including physical development; students may have to take more than one course to meet this requirement)
     • 3 credits: Medical Terminology course. In class and online courses are accepted with evidence of completion. (CEU courses/certificates are not accepted)
     • No more than 9 outstanding credits of prerequisite course work permitted at time of application
     • No AP Credit or CLEP credits are accepted for prerequisites
3. Submit a writing sample as indicated in the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application System (OTCAS) application.
4. Completing a successful interview with program faculty.

The application deadline for the program is published on the program specific page in OTCAS.

Admissions Process

Up to a total of five students/graduates per year from NOVA Community College, who meet the criteria for admission through the Articulation Agreement will be granted priority status for admissions to the Division of Occupational Therapy at Shenandoah University. As with all other applicants, priority applicants must have an on-site interview prior to admission and receive an interview score of acceptable or above.

If more than five students meet the application deadline and qualify for priority status, Shenandoah University’s Division of Occupational Therapy will rank-order all priority applicants based on consideration of the full set of application materials and the evaluations from the admissions interview. The additional students will enter our regular applicant pool.

All decisions for Admission into the Doctorate of Occupational Therapy Program or the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Program are made by the Admissions Committee for the Division of Occupational Therapy. Final decisions for all applicants are based on consideration of the full set of application materials and the evaluations from the admissions interview. Applicants who have been interviewed will be notified in writing of the Admissions Committee decisions within 30 days of their visit.

Students can be given provisional acceptance indicating that some of the admissions requirements need to be completed prior to matriculation into the program. Provisional acceptances are generally offered to those students completing final prerequisite courses prior to the program entry. These students receive a letter from the Division as well as from the Admissions Office that describes/outlines which courses, materials, or other requirements (e.g. – desired level of competency for remaining prerequisites) that need to be completed.

Nothing in this agreement is intended to negate the usual process of student evaluation or supersede final decisions on admissions. After successful completion of the curriculum in the Division of Occupational Therapy, Shenandoah University awards a Doctorate of Occupational Therapy Program or the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Program.

This agreement is intended to be a long-term arrangement. Each party may continue or discontinue this agreement on a yearly basis with notice. Shenandoah University requires two year notice for changes in prerequisites to provide adequate protection for students in pre-occupational therapy program.

 

Explore the Pre-Health Program at Shenandoah

 

Contact Us About This Articulation Agreement

Additional questions about Shenandoah’s pre-health pathways, articulation agreements and advising may be directed to:

DIRECTOR OF PRE-HEALTH

Dr. Kate Divine | kdivine@su.edu