Thomas Jefferson University Offers New
Master’s And Doctorate Programs Starting Fall 2007

University expands its academic offerings in nursing,
couple and family therapy and occupational therapy

PHILADELPHIA — January 10, 2007 — Thomas Jefferson University’s Jefferson College of Health Professions is undertaking a major expansion this fall with the addition of three advanced healthcare degrees. The programs, which include a master’s in family therapy, a doctorate in nursing practice and a doctorate in occupational therapy, will expand the College of Health Professions while furthering the University’s initiative to promote interdisciplinary education.

In response to the demand for couple and family therapists, Thomas Jefferson University has partnered with the Council for Relationships to offer a master’s degree in family therapy (MFT). The Council for Relationships, the nation’s most respected couple and family therapy center, specializes in treating individuals, couples and families through counseling and education. The Department of Couple and Family Therapy will be the sixth department within the College. “Adding Couple and Family Therapy not only highlights the importance of the patients’ emotional and spiritual well-being, it also provides the opportunity to expand the College’s relationship with the Medical College’s Department of Psychiatry,” notes James B. Erdmann, PhD, Dean, Jefferson College of Health Professions.

In addition, Jefferson has expanded the continuum of educational opportunities for nurses from Associate of Science in Nursing through the practice doctorate with the addition of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. The new degree is in line with the AACN’s recommendation that advanced practice nurses should be doctorally prepared by 2015. This includes nurse practitioners, certified nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists and nurse midwives. The university also offers a combined MSN/DNP program, which will enable students with a BSN to complete both degrees in two to three calendar years of full-time study.

Jefferson is also offering the clinical doctorate of occupational therapy (OTD) beginning this fall. Jefferson’s new OTD program is the first of its kind in Philadelphia. With the addition of the program, Jefferson has created an OT career ladder which offers students entry-level degrees, an advanced master’s degree and now a practice-based, post-professional clinical degree. The OTD is designed to provide occupational therapists with advanced skills and knowledge to enhance their skills and prepare them to become leaders in both emerging and established areas of practice.

“The introduction of these programs is an exciting development that broadens the educational purview of the College in an exciting and important way,” notes Dean Erdmann. “Preparation for being a part of an interdisciplinary team is a result of the collaboration that naturally occurs at Jefferson. The disciplines throughout the College collaborate in the classroom, on research projects and in community service.”

Thomas Jefferson University is an academic health center comprised of Jefferson College of Health Professions, which includes the Schools of Health Professions, Nursing and Pharmacy; Jefferson Medical College; and Jefferson College of Graduate Studies. In addition to the new Department of Couple and Family Therapy, the Jefferson School of Health Professions includes the Departments of Bioscience Technologies, General Studies, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Radiologic Sciences. Jefferson students learn in a community of clinicians, physicians, researchers and educators and have access to world-class facilities and learning opportunities.

For more information about Jefferson’s healthcare degree programs, visit www.jefferson.edu/jchp/ or call 1-877-JEFF-CHP.

Contact: Jane Clinton
215-503-9865
jane.clinton@jefferson.edu

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