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Webber Offering Degrees in Occupational Therapy & Assisting; Health Services Administration; and Sports Performance, Health & Fitness
w by JULIE GMITTER
WEBBER INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY knows the importance of a relevant education and degrees that keep up with trends in up-and-coming fields. In fall 2019, Webber began offering three new Health Science majors: Occupational Therapy and Assisting; Health Services Administration; and Sports Performance, Health & Fitness. The addition of these programs brings the total number of bachelor’s degree options at Webber to 16. Associate, bachelor’s, and master’s level degree programs are all available and offered in in-person courses as well as complete online courses. Webber is proud to offer its rapidly growing list of Education and Business degrees that make it an extremely well-rounded university with a multi-disciplined student population.
Occupational Therapy and Assisting
Occupational Therapy and Assisting is a rapidly growing field that trains for a high-demand career that boasts a high rate of job placement. Webber University’s Occupational Therapy and Assisting bachelor’s degree, with a minor in Health Sciences Administration, will train, educate, and prepare students to enter the field of occupational therapy. As it is a relatively new major, some prospective Webber students may not know exactly what Occupational Therapy is, although it encompasses an integral part of their lives and the lives of their family. The Occupational Therapy and Assisting program consists of 120 credit
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hours, as well as a minor in Health Services Administration. The first two years focus on general education requirements, and the third and fourth years will focus on integrating the general education and HSA courses with more specialized, major-centric Occupational Therapy courses. We caught up with Saritza Guzman-Sardina, director of the baccalaureate Occupational Therapy and Assisting program, to discuss the new opportunities at Webber,
as well as the Occupational Therapy Program. Guzman-Sardina was born and raised in Puerto Rico and brings her experience as the former program director of the OTA Program at thenPolk Community College to Webber International University. GuzmanSardina has a bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy and a master’s degree in Education. After two years of retirement (from 2016 to 2018), she returned to academia to collaborate with Webber International University on its newest project, developing the Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy Assisting (BSOTA) with a minor in Health Services Administration in the state of Florida. She worked extensively in the areas of academia, mental health (including inpatient forensic mental health services treating male inmates referred from high security prisons throughout the state of New York), and acute care for adolescents and adults with various psychiatric conditions. Additional areas of expertise include treating developmental disabilities, orthopedic and neurological conditions at skilled nursing facilities, hospital setting, outpatient, and home health. The first BSOTA Program in the State of Florida is pursuing accreditation by the American Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) will begin official enrollment in Aug 2021 upon approval of Candidacy Application. Two cohorts (24 students each) will be admitted every year. Students will learn many clinical, leadership, managerial, and research skills that will prepare them
www.webber.edu
