ALBANY, NY—Maria College’s president, Dr. Thomas Gamble, announced today that the associate degree program for occupational therapy assistant (OTA) has been recognized as one of the best in the nation by The Community for Accredited Online Schools (AccreditedSchoolsOnline.org). As a leading resource for higher education and college accreditation information, the site released its annual ranking for the 2016-2017 school year, honoring Maria College as the 20th nationally ranked school.
“We wanted to highlight schools like Maria College, who are striving for excellence in education,” said Doug Jones, CEO and Founder of the Community for Accredited Online Schools. “These colleges offer an exceptional educational experience, upholding rigorous accreditation standards and showing an overall commitment to maximizing student success.”
Scott Homer, M.S., OTR/L Maria Health Sciences Chairperson and OTA Program Director stated, “Maria’s OTA program is based upon the compassionate values shared by the OT profession and the College’s founders and sponsors, the Sisters of Mercy. Maria students work with individuals of all abilities, ages, and from various cultural and socioeconomic groups and both organizations acknowledge the value of human differences and individuality. We are very proud that our graduation rate exceeds 85% for a three-year period and Maria is one of only two weekend OTA programs in the nation.”
Maria College also offers a bachelor’s degree in Health and Occupational Sciences offering OTA graduates a pathway to advanced education in the OT field or those who wish to work in the health care and health services industry. Dr. John Kowal, Vice President for Academic Affairs, stated, “We are very proud that Maria is recognized in a top 20 national school rankings. The College has been a leader in nursing and health sciences for almost 50 years and we are continuing to build upon our core strengths with new health science programs to prepare students to enter the rapidly growing health care field and fulfill Maria’s mission to help students achieve a better life while serving others.”
In order for universities to qualify for this ranking they must hold public or private not-for-profit status and carry institutional accreditation. Top schools are determined by using a value-based methodology that analyzes more than a dozen qualitative and quantitative data points. For a complete list of occupational therapy programs for 2016-2017 and more information on the methodology used to rank each school, click here.
Get more information on Maria’s OTA program.
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About Maria College:
Founded in 1958, Maria College is one of 16 colleges and universities in the United States sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. The private, co-educational, Catholic college in Albany serves almost 1,000 students in a variety of degree and certificate programs that make a difference in the lives of others by combining strong academic study with caring service. Maria College has a reputation for excellence in health related programs of nursing, occupational therapy assistant, health care management as well as programs in liberal arts.
About Accredited Schools Online: Founded in 2011 to provide students and parents with quality data and information about pursuing an affordable education that has been certified by an accrediting agency. Resources span topics such as college accreditation, financial aid, and opportunities available to veterans, people with disabilities, as well as online learning resources acknowledging colleges with highly trained faculty, new technology and resources, and online support services to help students achieve educational and career success.