The National Commission on Orthotics and Prosthetics Education (NCOPE) board of directors voted to allow certificate level programs to continue to enroll extension-of-credential students only for an additional 2 years, according to a press release.
In 2007 NCOPE informed all currently accredited programs of the timeline for transition to a minimum of a master’s degree. All currently accredited programs are to transition by 2012. Programs were informed that if they award a post-baccalaureate certificate they should have students enrolled on or before December 31, 2012. The NCOPE board voted to extend the date by an additional 2 years only for those individuals who were educated and certified with a post-baccalaureate certificate in just one discipline and are interested in extending their credential in the other discipline.
Programs are not required to offer this pathway, but may do so at their discretion.
