Eight New Academic Programs to Launch in Fall 2018

Kean University is expanding its academic offerings with eight new undergraduate and graduate-level programs that will be introduced in Fall 2018.

The new programs include a Doctor of Occupational Therapy, a Ph.D. in Counseling and Supervision, as well as a master’s-level special education program and five bachelor’s degree programs in pre-law, business and the health fields.

“We know our students want to launch successful careers after they graduate and our goal is to help them succeed,” said Dawood Farahi, Ph.D., president of Kean University. “These new programs will set them on a path to excel in a wide variety of growing fields.”

The new academic programs at Kean University are:

• Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) – The first OTD program in New Jersey, it is an entry-level doctoral degree open to anyone with a bachelor’s degree who wants to prepare for a career in occupational therapy and also wants to develop advanced skills in one or more of the following areas: clinical practice, research, administration, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education and theory development.

  The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association in Bethesda, Maryland.

• Ph.D. Counseling and Supervision – The 58-credit program is the first in the country to integrate trauma-informed counseling in a scholar-practitioner-advocate model. The program will apply for the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP) accreditation in 2019.
   
• M.A. Special Education, Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Option – The 39-credit program will lead to obtaining a master’s in special education (non-teacher certification) with a concentration in ABA/ASD. The successful completion of the program will enable graduates to take the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (BACB) exam in ABA and upon passing, serve as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) in schools.
   
• B.S. Community Health Education – The program prepares students for careers in community and public health education. With advisement, students can use this program as preparation for graduate study in public health and selected health professions. 
   
• B.A. Therapeutic Recreation – The program prepares students for jobs as Recreation Therapists in a variety of therapeutic settings, working with children and adults with disabilities, or for graduate-level study in the health fields.
   
• B.A. Psychology, Forensic Psychology Option – The program prepares psychology majors for bachelor’s-level forensic and law enforcement jobs in a variety of settings and for application to graduate programs in psychology or law.
   
• B.A. History, Pre Law Option – The program is designed to develop critical thinking and logical reasoning skills to prepare students for law school and other careers in the legal profession. It combines courses in history with political science, communications and philosophy electives to foster original thinking and lifelong learning.
   
• B.S. Management, Human Resources Management Option – The program provides students with the knowledge, skills and experience they need in order to succeed as human resources professionals in a variety of organizations, including business, government, education, military and nonprofit.

“With these programs, Kean is adding to its in-demand academic offerings that prepare our graduates to excel in a competitive job market,” said Jeffrey H. Toney, Ph.D., provost and vice president for academic affairs at Kean University.

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible 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 exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Photo Caption: Kean will offer eight new undergraduate and graduate-level degree programs starting in Fall 2018, including a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD).