SHP Catalog

Program Director: Warren
Primary Faculty: Barstow, Goodwin, Warren
Adjunct Faculty: Anderson, Burns, Cate, Nobles

The Graduate Certificate in Low Vision Rehabilitation prepares occupational therapists with bachelor's, master's, or doctorate degrees to work in one of the top 10 emerging practice areas identified by the American Occupational Therapy Association. Occupational therapists obtaining the certificate acquire the skills to provide comprehensive, competent intervention to persons with visual impairment from various conditions including brain injury.

Credentials Conferred: The Graduate Certificate in Low Vision Rehabilitation awarded by the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Length of Study: the certificate requires 5 semesters to complete.
Program Entrance Date: Spring semester (begins in January) or Fall semester (begins in August)

Application Deadline: Applications can be submitted anytime and early submission is recommended. Rolling admission begins February 1st and concludes June 1st for students applying for the Fall semester cohort and September 1 for students applying for the Spring semester cohort. Applications received after these due dates will be reviewed for the next admission period.

Application Procedures: The following documents must be submitted by EVERYONE applying to the program:

To the UAB Graduate School

• Complete and submit online Graduate School application (degree seeking) OT LVR;
• Submit Application fee payment
  Domestic $35
• OFFICIAL transcripts from ALL colleges attended.  Two official transcripts are required.  One transcript should be mailed directly to the Low Vision Program and one to: 
  UAB Graduate School
  511 HUC; 1400 University Blvd
  1530 3rd Avenue South
  Birmingham, Alabama 35294-1212

To the Department of Occupational Therapy-LVR Program

• Low Vision Graduate Certificate application (request application package from department);
• OFFICIAL transcripts from ALL colleges attended.  Two official transcripts are required.  One transcript should be mailed directly to the Graduate School and one to: 
  UAB School of Health Professions
  OT Graduate Certificate in Low Vision Rehabilitation
  SHPB 352, 1530 3rd Avenue South
  1530 3rd Avenue South
  Birmingham, Alabama 35294-1212
• Typewritten paper answering questions 1-5 describing your qualifications;
• Documentation of state licensure;
• Current resume; or curriculum vitae.

For more information regarding the application packet or process contract: Sandra Long
Telephone:  (205) 934-3568
E-mail: longs@uab.edu

International Students:

Requirements for Admissions: Applicants are selected based on a combination of factors including practice experience, desire, ability to successfully complete the coursework in the timeframe allotted, commitment to completion of the certificate and potential for employment in the low vision rehabilitation field.

Essential Requirements: Fundamental tasks, behaviors, and abilities necessary to successfully complete the academic and practice of the program and to satisfy licensure/certification requirements, if any, have been outlined and are available upon request from the academic program office. Students requesting disability accommodations must do so by filing a disability accommodation request in writing with Disability Support Services (phone 205-934-4205; fax 205-934-8170; e-mail diss@uab.edu).

After acceptance and prior to enrollment into online programs, students must certify their ability to complete the essential tasks, with or without reasonable accommodation, associated with performing as an occupational therapy student. Reasonable accommodation refers to ways in which the University can assist students with disabilities to accomplish these tasks (for example, providing extra time to complete an examination or enhancing the sound system in a classroom). Reasonable accommodation does not mean that students with disabilities will be exempt from certain tasks; it does mean that the Department of Occupational Therapy will work with students with disabilities to determine whether there are ways to assist the student with completion of the required tasks. After enrollment, a student with a disability who wishes reasonable accommodation contacts Disability Support Services (205) 934-4205 or (205) 934-4248 (TDD) or emails Dr. Angela Stowe at amstowe@uab.edu, provides appropriate and current documentation substantiating the claimed disability, meets the requirements of a disability as described in the ADA, and identifies the needed accommodation. Reasonable accommodation in classroom and in practice settings cannot be provided without the formal request and the required documentation of the ADA defined disability. (Visit http://students.uab.edu/services/show.asp?durki=40136).

Essential Tasks

• Students must meet class standards for course completion throughout the curriculum.
• Students must be able to read, write, speak, and understand English at a level consistent with successful course completion and development of positive client-therapist relationships.
• Students must complete readings and assignments.
• Students must gather decision-making pieces of information during client assessment activities.
• Students must perform evaluation and intervention activities in class by direct performance.
• Students must apply critical thinking processes to their work in the classroom.
• Students must demonstrate appropriate health status prior to enrollment.
• Students must adhere to all policies outlined in the Department of Occupational Therapy Student Handbook which will be displayed in the Resource section of each online course.

Low Vision Rehabilitation Curriculum
The courses must be completed sequentially.
The list shows the course sequence for both student cohorts - one entering the progam in the spring and the other entering in the fall.

Fall Cohort

First Year
Fall
OT 677 Foundations I (3)

Spring
OT 679 Foundations II (3)

Summer
OT 690 Foundations III (3)

Second Year
Fall
OT 689 Foundations in Brain Injury (3)

Spring
Students may take the OT 696 elective or a course in the post professional masters program
OT 696 (2)

Summer
OT 691 Foundations IV (3)

Spring Cohort

First Year
Spring
OT 677 Foundations I (3)

Summer
OT 679 Foundations II (3)

Fall
OT 690 Foundations III (3)

Second Year
Spring
OT 689 Foundations in Brain Injury (3)
Students may also take the OT 696 (2) Elective

Summer
OT 691 Foundations IV (3)


For further information contact:
Program Director
Occupational Therapy Low Vision Rehabilitation Certificate Program
UAB School of Health Professions
SHPB 352
1530 3rd Avenue South
Birmingham, AL 35294-1212
Telephone: (205) 934-3568
E-mail: lvrcert@uab.edu
Website: http://www.uab.edu/lowvision