HCN News & Notes

Springfield College Occupational Therapy Master’s Program Accredited

SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield College Occupational Therapy Master’s Program has received 10-year accreditation status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Assoc. This is the maximum length of accreditation time granted by the ACOTE.

Accredited at the master’s-degree level since 1991, the Springfield College Department of Occupational Therapy (OT) is the longest-active OT program in Western Mass.

“National accreditation assures that our graduates enter the workforce with the knowledge and skills they need to be effective occupational-therapy practitioners,” said department Chair Kathy Post. “We’re thrilled that we’ve been granted a 10-year term, the maximum allowed by ACOTE. That gives us time to focus on new initiatives and strategies as our program moves forward with a new generation of students and faculty.”

Encompassing the college’s Humanics philosophy, the OT program emphasizes that health and learning are best gained through an approach that unifies spirit, mind, and body. The overarching goal of the program is to foster in each student a strong sense of professional identity embracing the basic tenets and ethical practices of the profession.