About the School of Health Professions

Mission

The School of Health Professions is committed to providing students the opportunity to transform their lives by preparing them for a rewarding career in the health professions. The school is dedicated to providing a high-quality learning environment that fosters a multicultural interprofessional perspective, spirit of scientific inquiry, lifelong learning, and ethical behavior for all students.

Vision

The New York Tech School of Health Professions will be a leading private institution that provides scientific and health-related resources for all ages using cultural competency approaches. As part of its vision, the school will impart its students and community with the knowledge, tools, and inspiration to improve the lives of diverse people and communities with an emphasis on health and wellness. In addition to offering programs in nursing, health sciences, health and wellness, nutrition, exercise science, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and physician assistant studies, curricula focus on the importance of thinking differently about individuals across the lifespan. Through both research and clinical practice, attention to a holistic approach at all stages of life is the basis for curricula, community service, and the development of future resources.

Both the vision and mission of the School of Health Professions are part of the revitalization at New York Tech to provide professional degrees in a global economy.

History

The School of Health Professions is comprised of both undergraduate and graduate programs. On the undergraduate level, the school offers bachelor’s degrees in nursing, exercise science, health sciences, and health and wellness. On the graduate level, master’s degrees are available in clinical nutrition, exercise and sport science, occupational therapy, and physician assistant studies. A doctoral degree (D.P.T.) in Physical Therapy is also offered. The history of the school dates back to as early as 1996, when it began by providing bachelor’s degrees in nursing and occupational therapy. At that time, the nursing program was licensed to provide degrees through the New York State Department of Education. In 2010, it became fully accredited by CCNE. The occupational therapy program became accredited in 1999 and later transitioned to the master’s degree in 2003. We now also offer a doctoral degree (OTD).

The Department of Interdisciplinary Studies houses bachelor’s degrees in health sciences, exercise science, and health and wellness along with a master’s degree in clinical nutrition and exercise and sport science. The undergraduate health sciences program was created in 2009 while the health and wellness program was instituted in 2014. The MS in Clinical Nutrition program was initially approved in 1983 through the medical school. In September 1996, the clinical nutrition program was moved into the school with the other health professions.

The physician assistant studies program also began as an undergraduate bachelor’s degree in 1999 and later moved to a master’s level in 2004. The number of students in that program has grown from 20 in the original cohort to 56 students today.

Finally, the Department of Physical Therapy enrolled its first cohort of students in 1998. This was a bachelor’s program that later transitioned to a master’s degree in 1999 and eventually to the doctorate (D.P.T.) in 2002. Each department has experienced continuous growth since its founding as the demand for skilled health professionals soars.

Departments and Centers

• Center for Global Health is a multidisciplinary collaboration with the College of Osteopathic Medicine to help students engage in global health practice and policy, as well as deliver health services to underserved countries worldwide.
• Ferrara Center for Patient Safety and Clinical Simulation incorporates high-tech training models and real-world health environments to assess student skills and performance across multiple disciplines. In addition to standardized patient actors, the Ferrara Center features high-fidelity robotic patients that simulate a broad array of human ailments.