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MILLIGAN COLLEGE, TN (March 28, 2008) — Milligan College has partnered with Northeast State Technical Community College (NSTCC) for a program designed for students who intend to apply for Milligan’s graduate level degree program in occupational therapy. The parallel program provides Northeast students with the health-related courses needed for acceptance to the occupational therapy program before they progress to a four-year college or university to complete a bachelor’s degree.
“While we accept applicants with a variety of undergraduate degrees into the occupational therapy program, we do require specific science and health-related courses to be completed prior to entering the program,” said Dr. Jeff Snodgrass, director of Milligan’s Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (M.S.O.T.) program. “The parallel program ensures that students who are interested in Milligan’s M.S.O.T. program are equipped with the necessary prerequisites early on.”
Occupational therapy is a health profession that provides treatment programs to help injured or aging people become more independent and relearn basic living skills. Milligan’s M.S.O.T. program, the only one of its kind in the region, is designed to be completed in two-and-a-half years, including fieldwork experience, with courses meeting three-and-a-half days each week.
“As are most health-related occupations, the demand for occupational therapists is on the rise due the increased health care needs associated with the aging Baby Boomer generation ,” explained Snodgrass. “The U.S. Department of Labor expects employment of occupational therapists to increase 23 percent before 2016, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.”
The transfer program is open to any NSTCC student pursuing an associate of science degree and planning to apply for Milligan’s M.S.O.T. program following completion of a bachelor’s degree. In addition to talking with their advisor, interested NSTCC students may contact the Milligan College Admissions Office at 423.461.8730 or an M.S.O.T. advisor at 423.975.8010 for more information.