x
  
  
Posted: 12/15/20

TAMIU Adds New Degrees, Undergraduate Pre-Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Program

 

Dr. Marivic Torregosa
 

This year brought the addition of three new degrees now available to students at Texas A&M International University (TAMIU), as well as a Pre-Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy program to prepare undergraduate students for careers in health sciences.

With the addition of these new degree offerings, a total of 95 undergraduate and graduate degree options are now available for prospective students.

TAMIU’s School of Engineering added a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, while the College of Nursing and Health Sciences added a new Bachelor of Science in Public Health, as well as a Pre-Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy program. 

Approved through the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, the new Engineering degrees support bolstering the oil and gas industry, as well as providing options for individuals entering the tech industry.   

“With the addition of these two new degrees, School of Engineering graduates will be able to secure employment in a wide range of settings, including business enterprises, manufacturing plants, state and local government agencies, health-care services and service organizations, among others,” said School of Engineering director Dr. Guillermo Domínguez.

The Bachelor of Science degree in Public Health focuses on educating students from diverse disciplines, cultures, and backgrounds in core public health knowledge areas, explained Dr. Marivic Torregosa, Dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

“With the international response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, no other time in our shared history has seen a greater need for public health professionals. The College of Nursing and Health Sciences is honored to be able to continue its legacy of leadership in public health here,” Dr. Torregosa said.

A new component to the College of Nursing and Health Sciences is the addition of a combined Pre-Physical and Occupational Therapy program, Torregosa explained.

“The Pre-Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy program will prepare incoming students to advance into Doctoral degree programs in Physical Therapy and a Master’s or Doctoral degree programs in Occupational Therapy. The training and preparation will equip students with the knowledge and skills to address the major health care problems in South Texas from the lens of a health science professional,” Torregosa said.

The combined program is set to launch in Fall 2021. Students will need to have completed the University’s Core Curriculum, should have completed all physical and occupational therapy coursework requirements and maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA.

The program will prepare incoming students to become wellness program managers, clinical rehabilitation supervisors, strength and conditioning specialists, personal trainers, exercise physiologists, sports nutritionists and more.

“The University’s Pre-Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy program in Kinesiology has a solid foundation in the physical, social, and behavioral science areas. It also aligns with other BS programs in TAMIU’s College of Nursing and Health Sciences. All these disciplines will work within a multidisciplinary framework to address the acute and chronic health conditions facing Texas and South Texas,” Torregosa noted.

Registration for TAMIU’s Spring Semester 2021 is underway now. Classes begin Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. Late registration continues through Jan. 29.

For more on the University’s story, contact the TAMIU Office of Public Relations, Marketing and Information Services at 956.326.2180, email prmis@tamiu.edu, click on tamiu.edu, follow its social channels on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, or visit offices in the Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library, room 268.