Messiah College News Archive

Messiah College students now have four new academic programs available to them, including a bachelor of fine arts in studio art, two 3+2 programs in occupational therapy in conjunction with Thomas Jefferson University School of Health Professions and a 3+4 doctoral level pharmacy program with University of the Sciences (USciences). These four new programs round out Messiah’s more than 55 undergraduate majors in the liberal and applied arts and sciences and three graduate programs.

Allied health programs
The addition of three, new 3+ programs provides students with the opportunity to complete three years of coursework at Messiah College towards a bachelor’s degree before completing a prescribed number of years of graduate-level study at a partner institution. In the 3+2 program in occupational therapy, students majoring in either biopsychology or health and exercise science (health and fitness concentration) complete a tightly choreographed course of study in their major at Messiah followed by an additional two years in the entry-level master’s program in occupational therapy (EMOT) program at Thomas Jefferson University’s School of Health Professions, a program ranked 13^th in the United States by “U.S. News & World Report.” At the completion of these programs, Messiah students will receive both an undergraduate degree from Messiah in either biopsychology or health and exercise science (health and fitness concentration) and an EMOT from Thomas Jefferson University’s School of Health Professions. 

The second new allied health offering is a 3+4 doctor of pharmacy program (PharmD) with USciences’ Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, the first and one of the most prestigious schools of pharmacy in the United States. In this program, a student majoring in biochemistry (B.A. track) will complete three years at Messiah and four years in the PharmD program at USciences. After two years at USciences, the student will receive their undergraduate degree from Messiah and two years later the Pharm.D degree from USciences. 

These new programs offer highly motivated Messiah students the option of completing their education and entering their professional careers one year earlier than they otherwise would.

“For students to be able to graduate in a compressed timeframe with both a bachelor’s degree from Messiah and a graduate-level degree from a prestigious university is a tremendous benefit,” says Martha Smith, coordinator of pre-health professions advising at Messiah College. “Getting into strong graduate programs is challenging, and these partnerships give Messiah students the assurance that they will not only gain admission, but that they will also save one year in the process.”

These new programs join Messiah’s existing 3+2 masters of science in public policy and management offered in partnership with Carnegie Mellon University.

Bachelor of fine arts major
The bachelor of fine arts in studio art is an intense art program designed for students who wish to become professional artists. The degree requires 78 credits in art, 21 more than necessary for the bachelor of arts in studio art offered at Messiah. Students in either program can concentrate in two dimensional studies, mixed media studies, or design and digital media. “Students enrolled in the bachelor of fine arts program will take more studio courses, giving them broader training in the making of art and allowing them to gain greater depth in their chosen area of art,” says Richard Roberson, dean of the School of the Arts. “Of course, receiving this in-depth professional training in the context of the liberal arts will also give our students outstanding preparation for life as an artist.”

About Thomas Jefferson University
Thomas Jefferson University, composed of Jefferson Medical College, Jefferson College of Graduate Studies, Jefferson Schools of Health Professions, Nursing, Pharmacy and Population Health, is regarded nationally as one of the best universities offering a range of comprehensive programs for the education of health professions. More than 2,900 future physicians, scientists and healthcare professionals are enrolled at the University, which partners with Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, its education and clinical care affiliate. Jefferson is located in Philadelphia, Pa.

About Messiah College
Messiah College, a private Christian college of the liberal and applied arts sciences, enrolls more than 2,900 undergraduate and graduate students. Established in 1909, the primary campus is located in Grantham, Pa., near the state capital of Harrisburg. A satellite campus affiliated with Temple University is located in Philadelphia.