Occupational Therapy (OT)

This course focuses on the therapeutic process, small group dynamics, professional interactions, cultural humility and client-practitioner relationships in occupational therapy practice. Topics include professional socialization, communication skills and exploration of self within the context of personal and professional attitudes, values and beliefs.

This course explores occupational development through the lifespan as experienced by persons, groups and populations in environmental and personal contexts, and associated performance skills and performance patterns. These changes are analyzed as influences on, and as influenced by, engagement in occupations.

Occupation as a fundamental human behavior is explored. The conceptual, historical and philosophical basis of occupational therapy including time, tool use, environmental press, activity analysis, approaches to change and other occupational science concepts are linked to the domain and process of occupational therapy. The professional roles and responsibilities of occupational therapy practitioners in society are analyzed in the state, national and international contexts.

This course addresses the roles and responsibilities of practitioners who are managers, administrators and leaders within organizations that provide occupational therapy services. Considerations of policy, regulation, ethics, program and business planning and development, evaluation, and quality improvement are included. Supervisory issues specific to the occupational therapist are explored.

The occupational therapy process encompasses components of service delivery from provision and documentation of evaluation and intervention to outcomes with persons, groups and populations across the lifespan and practice contexts. Students learn the elements of the occupational therapy scope of practice, including professional reasoning, responsibilities to maintain safety of self and stakeholders, role delineation within practitioner levels, and the influence of regulations on practice.

This course offers laboratory experiences to apply the mechanical principles of human body structure and function to the motor skills underlying occupational performance. Hands-on activities will facilitate analysis, evaluation and synthesis with content from other courses within the program.

This course provides opportunities for the student to gain experience in applying knowledge and values, developing occupational therapy practice skills, and analyzing how environmental factors affect clients' psychological and social factors, and occupational engagement and participation across the lifespan. Fieldwork experiences, including onsite and virtual, and the accompanying seminar are designed to enrich didactic course work through directed observation and participation in selected aspects of the occupational therapy process.

Transactions between sensory and cognitive processing and motor responses help individuals engage in occupational performance in chosen contexts, while challenges in these areas can adversely influence their participation. This course introduces foundations for evaluation and intervention of factors influencing effective and ineffective skilled performance.

The use of therapeutic media has had a profound influence on the practice of occupational therapy. This course addresses the historical, theoretical and contemporary use of therapeutic media across client populations through the lifespan. Methods of adaptation and compensatory strategies to effectively complete activities and occupations will be examined. Contextual factors regarding therapeutic media use will be discussed.

This course examines the determinants and impact of common health conditions on occupational engagement, participation, health and wellbeing for individuals, groups and populations. Included are heritable conditions, acute and chronic diseases, disability, trauma, and injury across the lifespan to provide a foundation on the prevalence, etiology, pathology and prognosis. Common diagnostic and monitoring procedures, treatments, and the roles of various health professionals in health care settings are explored.

This course provides an overview of diverse factors that affect mental health and psychosocial functioning across the lifespan. A historical overview of occupational therapy in behavioral health service provision will be provided to support students' understanding of traditional and contemporary mental health approaches, diverse practice settings and the roles of occupational therapy as well as other members of interprofessional teams. The focus is on developing students' knowledge, skills and attitudes for implementing the OT process to address the mental health of individuals and groups. Students will be introduced to population-level mental health interventions that promote resilience, health and wellness. The course includes both lecture and lab.

This foundational course addresses the various purposes, types, processes and the applications of research in occupational therapy to support evidence-based practice. The ethical responsibilities of researchers are addressed. Principles of measurement, sampling and selection of research designs to address clinical questions are included. In addition to didactic content, students are matched with a research advisor to participate in collaborative scholarly activities.

Tutorial I is a small group case-based discussion seminar, facilitated by a tutor who is an occupational therapist. The seminar format enables students to develop leadership skills required for successful collaboration on intra- and inter-professional teams in practice settings where skill-structured tasks predominate and knowledge-seeking, analysis and synthesis skills are required. The course provides opportunities for student-directed development of professional reasoning, critical thinking, teaching skills and application of the OT process in diverse psychosocial practice settings.

This course provides an overview of policies, laws and best practices for implementation of assistive technology and environmental modifications to support attainment of clients' outcomes across the lifespan in occupational therapy practice. Students will have opportunities to evaluate diverse clients' needs for assistive technology as well as select, design, and adapt technologies and environments in ways that support clients' engagement in occupations, reduce technology abandonment, and promote health, wellbeing and participation.

This course provides an overview of the occupational therapy scope of practice in pediatrics, with emphasis on the child and family context, and effects of disability on children's occupational development, performance and participation. Students will apply the OT process through a variety of theoretical and practice setting perspectives.

This course provides a historical perspective on school-based practice including policies, laws and regulations at the federal, state and local levels that influence access to educational and social participation opportunities in early intervention and schools for children from birth to 21 years of age. The occupational therapy scope of practice within intra-, inter- and transdisciplinary teams is examined.

Occupational therapists employ a variety of theoretically-founded and evidence-based approaches in their practice with individuals, groups and populations. This course builds upon foundational and research methodology course work to introduce students to systematic approaches to inquiry, evaluation and evidence creation in national and international professional literature.

This course examines the roles and responsibilities of the occupational therapist in providing services to clients in early, middle and later adulthood who are experiencing or at risk of barriers to occupational performance and participation. The OT domain of practice is analyzed within the OT process. Application and analysis of theory, evidence and health care policy form the basis of professional reasoning throughout the continuum of care in collaboration with clients, other professionals and various stakeholders. This course includes both lecture and lab.

This course provides opportunities for the student to gain experience in applying knowledge, developing skills and analyzing how contexts affect the psychological and social factors, occupational performance, and participation in infants, children, adolescents and young adults. This fieldwork utilizes onsite and virtual experiences coupled with a seminar designed to enrich didactic coursework through directed observation and participation in selected aspects of the occupational therapy process.

This course will examine community-based models of occupational practice to address the health and wellness needs of diverse target populations. Content will include needs assessment, business, marketing, financial planning, staffing, program and professional development, and program evaluation. Students will have the opportunity to develop, implement, evaluate and explore funding for an occupation-based group program to meet community needs.

This course focuses on the role of occupational therapy practitioners in health promotion and the use of complementary health approaches in occupational therapy practice with individuals, communities and populations. The relationships among environmental sustainability, wellness and daily occupation will be explored as they relate to therapist self-care and client health.

This course provides an opportunity for the students to gain experience in a local practice setting that serves clients in early, middle and later adulthood who are experiencing or at risk of decreased occupational performance and participation, often due to acute, chronic or traumatic conditions. This weekly Level I clinical fieldwork experience is designed to complement didactic course work through directed observation and supervised participation in selected aspects of the occupational therapy process. A monthly seminar is held to support students' professional development for practice.

This course examines key policies and regulations at the federal and state levels that influence access to, delivery of, and payment for occupational therapy services with individuals, communities and populations. The structure and process of government for creating laws, roles of constituents and advocacy groups in shaping policy, and the ethical responsibilities of occupational students and practitioners as leaders and advocates are discussed.

This is the first of two supervised 12-week Level II fieldworks that provide in-depth experiences in delivery of occupational therapy services to clients with the focus on application of purposeful and meaningful occupation and research, administration, and management of occupational therapy services. Fieldworks may occur within a variety of contractual settings including health care, education and community-related systems. Professional reasoning and communication skills with clients, supervisors and other stakeholders are enhanced through regular virtual discussion with the academic fieldwork coordinator and classmates. The goal of Level II fieldworks is to develop competent, entry-level, generalist occupational therapists.

This course includes completion of comprehensive examination components required by the Graduate School. Students learn the process for applying for the national board and state licensure, and examine resources and strategies to launch and advance their occupational therapy careers.

This is the second of two supervised 12-week Level II fieldworks that provide in-depth experiences in delivery of occupational therapy services to clients with the focus on application of purposeful and meaningful occupation and research, administration, and management of occupational therapy services. Fieldworks may occur within a variety of contractual settings including health care, education and community-related systems. Professional reasoning and communication skills with clients, supervisors and other stakeholders are enhanced through regular virtual discussion with the academic fieldwork coordinator and classmates. The goal of Level II fieldworks is to develop competent, entry-level, generalist occupational therapists.

In this course students complete the research project required for partial fulfillment of the OT master's degree. Occupational therapy students collaborating as co-investigators will be guided by their research advisor to develop a research topic, complete a literature review, collect data, complete data analysis, finalize the manuscript for either submission to a professional journal or to the program as a final paper and close out all associated research responsibilities as part of their research portfolio.

This tutorial course is a continuance of the small group case-based discussion seminar process facilitated by a clinical tutor who is an occupational therapist. Students research and discuss clinical cases related to content that is integrated from all courses that semester in the occupational therapy program.

This tutorial course is the final case-based seminar facilitated by an occupational therapist. Students apply teaching and learning principles to co-lead and evaluate learning experiences for peers, synthesizing the knowledge and skills that are needed in adult and older adult practice settings. Simulations in realistic contexts provide opportunities to perform, receive feedback on and reflect upon the occupational therapy domain and process.

Continued preparation in anticipation of the comprehensive examination. Course may be repeated as needed.