Home > Academics > LCHS > Occupational Therapy >

Occupational Therapy Department

What We Do:

Occupational therapy is a client-centered profession that promotes health and well-being of clients through personally meaningful occupations. Students learn the physical, psychological and cognitive foundations of human performance, and gain the skills to help people who have limitations caused by illness, injury, developmental delays or normal aging.

Our Mission: The Department of Occupational Therapy at The University of Scranton aspires to develop leaders of occupational therapy to meet societal needs. Aligned with the Catholic and Jesuit traditions of The University of Scranton, future occupational therapists are educated in the liberal arts and practice their profession guided by intellectual, moral, and ethical values embedded in a framework of social justice. Life-long learning and the ongoing pursuit of knowledge and wisdom are fostered through reflection and contemplation in action.

How We Stand Out:

Excellent professional program within a Jesuit liberal-arts university
State-of-the-art facilities with well-equipped practice labs
Extensive research labs
Clinical experience embedded in the academic program
Strong community partnerships
Diverse and dedicated faculty

Programs:

Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy

The 5 ½-year MS degree program accepts students at the freshman level which allows students time for academic preparation, professional socialization, and development of a strong professional identity. Our graduates are well prepared for any entry-level clinical position.

In addition to the generalist areas of pediatrics, mental health practice, and physical rehabilitation, our students are immersed in specialty areas of hand, low-vision, cognitive rehabilitation, geriatrics and community-based practice.

Clinical fieldwork is embedded within the curriculum enabling students to integrate classroom learning with real world experiences. We have contracts with numerous facilities through the northeast and across the country to allow the best placements for each student’s needs.

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Students enrolled in the Occupational Therapy Program have the option of applying for entry into the OTD program at the end of their junior year. This program is 6 ½-years (6 academic years and two summers). In addition to a robust clinical education, the OTD program prepares students for leadership positions including program development, research and teaching.

Both the MS and the OTD are entry-level clinical degrees and graduates are eligible to take the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Examination and for licensing in every state.

Meet Our Faculty:

Carol Coté, Ph. D., OTR/L

Chair

Department Chair and Program Director, Associate Professor

B.S., Kean University of New Jersey

M.S., Montclair State University

Ph.D., Rutgers University

Phone: 570-941-4125
Send an email

Karen Brady, D.Ed., OTR/L

Assistant Professor

B.A., Mansfield University

M.S., Misericordia University

D.Ed., Pennsylvania State University

Phone: 570-941-6565
Send an email

Deborah Budash, Ph. D., OTR/L

Assistant Professor

B.S., University of Pittsburgh

M.A., Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Ph..D., Northcentral University

Phone: 570-941-6265
Send an email

Stephanie DeNaples, OTD, OTR/L

Faculty Specialist

B.S., University of Scranton

M.S., University of Scranton

O.T.D., Rocky Mountain University

Phone: 570-941-4616
Send an email

Carrie A. Griffiths, OTD, OTR/L

Faculty Specialist

B.S. Mount Aloysius College

M.S. University of Scranton

O.T.D. Gannon University

Phone: 570-941-6923
Send an email

Elyse Kay, OTD, OTR/L

Faculty Specialist, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator

B.S., DeSales University

M.S., Philadelphia University

O.T.D., Gannon University

Phone: 570-941-7386
Send an email

Lisa A. Kozden, PhD, OTR/L, CHT, COMT

Faculty Specialist

B.A., Muhlenberg College

M.O.T., Nova Southeastern University

Ph.D., Nova Southeastern University

Send an email

Courtney W. Lancia, OTD, OTR/L

Faculty Specialist, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator

Phone: 570-941-4134
Send an email

Marlene J . Morgan, Ed.D., OTR/L

Associate Professor

B.S., Pennsylvania State University

M.S., Texas Woman’s University

Ed.D., Temple University

Phone: 570-941-5879
Send an email

Julie Ann Nastasi, ScD, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, FAOTA

Associate Professor

B.S., The University of Scranton

M.A., Tufts University

O.T.D., Boston University

Sc.D., Towson University

Phone: 570-941-5857
Send an email
Website

Chandra Ann Nealon, DPT, LPT

Faculty Specialist

B.S., Misericordia University

M.S., Misericordia University

D.P.T., Misericordia University

Phone: 570-941-7932
Send an email

Jennifer K. Whittaker, PhD, OTR/L, CPH, CHES®

Assistant Professor

B.S., The University of Scranton

M.S., The University of Scranton

M.S., Texas Woman's University

Ph.D., Texas Woman's University

Phone: 570-941-4296
Send an email

Patricia A. Wisniewski, Ed.D., OTR/L, CPRP

Faculty Specialist

A.S., Penn State University

B.S., Misericordia University

M.S., Misericordia University

Ed.D, University of South Carolina

Phone: 570-941-4086
Send an email

Laura Zagacki, DHSc, OTR/L

Associate Professor

B.S., Lafayette College

M.S.O,T., Thomas Jefferson University

D.H.Sc., Drexel University

Phone: 570-941-4002
Send an email

Inside the Classroom:

At Scranton we emphasize active and experiential learning which is facilitated through our many specialized labs including an independent living apartment with Streetscape environments, a sensory-motor play environment, hand therapy lab, low-vision lab and gross anatomy/cadaver lab.

Take a Tour of Our Pediatric Lab

Student Research:

Research and scholarship are emphasized throughout the curriculum and all students are involved in faculty-led research projects. Topics of research study are as diverse as our faculty, from pediatric assessment to geriatric low-vision. Each year several students along with their faculty mentor present their work at state, national and international conferences. Some have also been published in professional journals.

Career Outcomes:

Our graduates are employed in hospitals, clinics, schools, camps, rehabilitation and long-term care facilities, home health, community agencies, and private practice. Employment for occupational therapists is strong and is expanding into new areas of practice.

Accreditation:

The MS in OT program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The OTD program is currently under Candidacy status and anticipate full accreditation review by the spring of 2025.

Contact ACOTE: address - 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814; phone number - 301-652-6611; & web address - www.acoteonline.org.

Graduates of the program who have completed all academic and fieldwork requirements are able to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the individual is an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). Candidates will need to provide documentation of all graduation and credentialing requirements, including certification/licensure. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the certification examination or attain state licensure. Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.

NBCOT program performance data can be found at https://www.nbcot.org/Educators/Home#SchoolPerformance.

Retention and Certification

OT MS program stats
Graduation Year	2021	2022	2023	3-Year Average
Students Graduating	57/61	59/64	55/57	*57/61*
Graduation Rate	93%	92%	96%	94%
NBCOT Exam Pass Rate (within 1 year)	97%	98%	99%	98%