Langston University signs agreement with Arkansas Colleges of Health Education to create new program providing pathways to degrees in occupational therapy, physical therapy
Langston University and Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (ACHE) signed an education affiliation agreement on Thursday to establish the Early Assurance Program, which will create two pathways for Langston students to attend ACHE to study occupational therapy and physical therapy.
Through the new program, LU students who meet ACHE’s general and program-specific admission requirements can choose to follow one of two paths into either the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OT) program or the Doctor of Physical Therapy (PT) program. The first pathway will guarantee a student’s placement in their program of choice while the second pathway will allow students to bypass ACHE’s initial screening process and receive a guaranteed interview for their program of choice.
“It’s so important to us that we create opportunities for our students and that when they’re here they are getting the content knowledge, the professional competency, and the personal confidence to go out and be able to evaluate options,” said Dr. Ruth Ray Jackson, President of Langston University. “Our mission is rooted in access and opportunity. We believe that this kind of partnership promotes what we were founded to do.
“The students who are here seem to have a drive that is rooted in purpose, so finding careers where they can improve the lives of other people, make the world a better place, it’s just something that I have found to be synonymous with the Langston experience. If you’re fortunate enough to receive some of our students, you’ll get to see that too.”
LU juniors can apply for the Early Assurance Program through the Office of Academic Affairs. If accepted into the program, students must complete all pre-requisite courses for the OT or PT programs and enroll at ACHE within two years.
Students pursuing the guaranteed placement pathway, in addition to meeting all admissions requirements, must also participate in the ACHE Mentoring and Achievement Preparation Program (MAP). This program, established in 2023 by the ACHE School of Occupational Therapy, School of Physical Therapy, College of Health Sciences Admissions and the Office of Diversity, is designed to educate, encourage, equip and engage diverse students from underrepresented and underserved populations considering careers in occupational therapy or physical therapy.
Students pursuing the guaranteed interview pathway must meet all ACHE admissions requirements for their given program, which can be found on the ACHE website.
“As Dean of the School of Occupational Therapy at Arkansas College of Health Education, I am thrilled for this relationship between Langston University and Arkansas College of Health Education,” Dr. Jennifer Moore said. “I have come to understand more and more in working with Langston the kind of students they have. The student from Langston has a sense of purpose, and a desire to serve their communities and to serve others, and that’s exactly the kind of student we’re looking for, and it fits our mission.
“To see that these two institutions are now collaborating is just going to be added value on both sides and frankly, I am thrilled to think about the caliber of students that Langston is going to give us in our program because it will only strengthen the School of Occupational Therapy. It will strengthen the profession of Occupational Therapy, and it will be of great value to those they serve.”
