Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience (BS Neuroscience) and Doctorate in Occupational Therapy (OTD) Dual Degree Program

General Information

The 3+3 BS in Neuroscience/OTD is an accelerated pathway to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree. The prerequisite requirements for the OTD degree have been strategically placed within the requirements of the undergraduate neuroscience 3+3 program. The dual-degree pathway consists of three years of coursework toward a BS in Neuroscience (Course-Intensive Track), followed by the three-year OTD program.

In addition to fulfilling the requirements of the undergraduate Neuroscience 3+3 portion of the program, all candidates for admission to the OTD program must successfully complete all other OTD admission requirements as listed on the OTD Admissions webpage, including an admission interview and submission of a writing sample. Students applying through the 3+3 pathway are not required to apply through the OTCAS system.

Students “in good standing” in the 3+3 BS in Neuroscience program are eligible to apply for admission to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree program during their junior year after December 1. To be considered “in good standing” in the 3+3 BS in Neuroscience program and to secure their admission into the OTD program, a student must:

Complete the required 90 credits listed below within three academic years.
Complete at least 15 credits of undergraduate coursework at WNE counting toward the major course requirements of the BS in Neuroscience.
Maintain (a) a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.200 at the end of each academic year, (b) a minimum GPA of 3.200 in the required prerequisite coursework for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program (see WNE OTD Admissions webpage for the list of courses), and (c) earned no course grade less than “C” in any required pre-requisite coursework for the OTD program.

Students who fall below the minimum cumulative GPA of 3.200 will no longer have guaranteed admission but may remain in a Neuroscience program and apply to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program during their third year.

Students in the 3+3 BS in Neuroscience program that either (a) do not meet the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree program admission requirements outlined above, or (b) elect not to apply for admission to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree program at that time, remain eligible to apply for admission to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree as part of the general applicant pool following four years of University study and completion of a bachelor’s degree. These students would follow the standard OTD Admissions Requirements as listed on the OTD Admissions Requirements webpage.

Once a student enrolls into the OTD program after completing the 3+3 BS in Neuroscience program, they must achieve final course grades of “B-” or higher in all courses in the curriculum. Remediation allowances are outlined in the OTD Student Handbook. Students in the 3+3 BS in Neuroscience program pathway will be held to the same standards as outlined in the OTD Student Handbook. Students who fail to fulfill these requirements in their first year of the OTD program will be disenrolled from the OTD program and are given the option to complete the degree requirements of a BS in Neuroscience.

Students are eligible to request reinstatement to the OTD program following completion of their BS in Neuroscience. Reinstatement will be determined by the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences’ Academic Standards Committee and the OTD Admissions Committee. Reinstatement is not guaranteed.

BS in Neuroscience

After completing the 95 credits of the 3+3 BS in Neuroscience, any 25 credits of first year OTD courses will be accepted to fulfill the general elective requirements of the undergraduate neuroscience degree (120 total required credits). Therefore, after successfully completing the first year of the OTD program, students will be awarded a BS in Neuroscience assuming all degree requirements have been met.

SUGGESTED SEQUENCE OF COURSES

First Year - Fall Semester

PHAR 100	First Year Seminar for COPH	1 cr.
ENGL 132	English Composition I	3 cr.
BIO 107	General Biology I	3 cr.
BIO 117	General Biology Laboratory I	1 cr.
PSY 101	Introduction to Psychology	3 cr.
MATH 109	Precalculus Mathematics	3 cr.
	or
MATH 123	Calculus I for Management, Life, and Social Sciences	3 cr.

Subtotal: 14

First Year - Spring Semester

NSCI 212	Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience	3 cr.
ENGL 133	English Composition II	3 cr.
BIO 108	General Biology II	3 cr.
BIO 118	General Biology Laboratory II	1 cr.
PSY 211	Developmental Psychology	3 cr.
MATH 120	Intro Statistics for the Arts & Sciences	3 cr.
	or
MATH 124	Calculus II Mgt, Life & Soc Sciences	3 cr.

Subtotal: 16

Sophomore Year - Fall Semester

NSCI 224	Sensation and Perception	3 cr.
NSCI 267	Neurobiology	4 cr.
PSY 207	Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences	3 cr.
CHEM 105	General Chemistry I	4 cr.
GUR XXX	GUR – AESTH, CULT, HIST	3 cr.

Subtotal: 17

Sophomore Year - Spring Semester

NSCI 232	Research Methods in Neuroscience	3 cr.
CHEM 106	General Chemistry II	4 cr.
NSCI 2XX-4XX	Neuroscience Elective	3 cr.
NSCI 3XX/4XX	Neuroscience Elective	3 cr.
PH XXX	Ethical Perspective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 16

Junior Year - Fall Semester

NSCI 312	Cognitive Neuroscience	3 cr.
NSCI 405	Seminar in Neuroscience	3 cr.
BIO 215	Anatomy and Physiology I	4 cr.
PSY 326	Abnormal Psychology	3 cr.
GUR XXX	GUR – AESTH, CULT, HIST	3 cr.

Subtotal: 16

Junior Year - Spring Semester

NSCI 385	Neurodevelopment	3 cr.
GUR XXX	GUR – AESTH, CULT, HIST	3 cr.
BIO 216	Anatomy and Physiology II	4 cr.
NSCI 2XX-4XX	Neuroscience Elective	3 cr.
NSCI 3XX/4XX	Neuroscience Elective	3 cr.

Subtotal: 16

Credit transferred back from OTD credits taken after the first professional year of study: 25 cr.

Total Credit Hours: 120

NSCIO.BS - 3+3 BS in Neuroscience/OTD

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