Occupational Therapy (OTH)

This course provides an orientation to the Occupational Therapy Profession, AOTA’s Vision, and the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework–Domain and Process for the study of occupational therapy and occupational science. The course will examine occupational therapy theories, practice guidelines, frames of reference, models of practice, principles of teaching and learning, and activity analysis. Students will develop skills in task analysis, activity modification and adaptation based on models of occupational performance.

This course provides study in development across the lifespan, from childhood to emerging adulthood, adulthood and late life maturity. The focus is on age-associated changes in sensory, motor, cognitive, emotional, and psychosocial functions and their implications for self-care, play leisure, school, and work occupations in the context of occupational therapy services for health and wellness, prevention, adaptation and compensation.

This course examines the functional performance of all aspects of the human nervous system. Specific congenital and acquired nervous system conditions will be introduced and their impact on health and wellness, learning, behavior, and adaptation across the lifespan to complete occupational performance components in environmental contexts will be reviewed and analyzed.

This course and its purpose laboratory components focus students to explore human movement across the lifespan during the performance of activities (kinematics) and understand the forces influencing movement (kinetics). Students are prepared to apply an understanding of body structures/functions to determine their impact on human movement in a manner that is foundational for learning of assessments and interventions for prevention, adaptation and compensation processes.

This course focuses on the learning experience and development of professional communication skills with clients, colleagues, other health providers, and the public. It integrates diverse interprofessional perspectives to prepare students for effective practice as collaborative team members. Introduces basic principles and skills of effective interpersonal communication in dyadic interactions and in groups. Emphasis on effective listening, interviewing, and principles and concepts of inter-professional practice. Lectures, readings, class discussions, role-playing, and in-class exercises comprise learning experiences that focus on professional competencies. Permission of Program Director required to register.

This course focuses on occupational therapy process, theories, principles, assessments, and interventions for clients across the lifespan with psychosocial dysfunction. Mental health medical conditions related to occupational therapy are reviewed. The influence of how psychiatric pathology impairs daily life tasks and routines, and engagement in societal participation are also examined. Students will develop clinical reasoning skills for occupational therapy intervention planning and services for clients who experience psychosocial dysfunction.

This course examines theoretical information underlying occupational therapy practice in physical disabilities. Practice models, guidelines for practice and frames of reference are discussed with regard to theoretical base, assessments, principles of intervention, and applicability to specific client populations. Students will design occupation based interventions, and develop therapeutic skills to implement, and to plan for necessary monitoring of the interventions for health and wellness through prevention, adaptation and compensation for those who will be served in a wide variety of contexts.

This seminar emphasizes the application of occupational therapy skills pertinent to use with adults and aging adults. Students gain an enhanced appreciation of the physical, psychological, cognitive, cultural, and social factors that influence engagement in occupation. This one hour seminar provides a problem based learning context for the development of clinical reasoning skills in occupational therapy, translating lessons from the classroom to clinical examples to enhance observation skills and intervention planning processes. This course requires a fieldwork level 1 placement, one day/week for 7 weeks or a minimum of 35 hours.

This course provides an overview of the assessment and intervention roles and responsibilities of occupational therapists working with older people in a variety of settings for the development of prevention, adaptation, and compensation programs to enhance health and wellness. Students examine the influences of physical, social, cognitive, psychological, cultural, and societal functioning on occupational performance. Strategies to address the impact of age-related changes on engagement in activity, activity limitations and participation will be addressed along with how societal ramifications of aging can be influenced.

This course focuses on the biomechanical and neuro-rehabilitative approaches to assessment and intervention for neurological diseases, traumatic and non-traumatic injuries and diseases that affect the skeletal and peripheral systems in individuals across the lifespan. Students will learn how the assessments covered will yield information about the client’s occupation across the levels of function that impact activity and participation. Students will learn to design occupation based assessments and interventions for prevention, adaptation, and compensation; and to develop therapeutic skills to implement and to monitor change. The course will also focus on the designing and fabrication of orthotic devices to support healing and to allow for day to day engagement in occupation.

This course provides an introduction to methods of scientific inquiry for the occupational therapist, including how scholarly activities are used to contribute to the development and the refinement of the body of knowledge relevant to the OT profession. It focuses on qualitative and quantitative research designs, methods, data collection and analysis as well as interpretation for occupational therapy practice. Qualitative and quantitative data analysis software will also be explored.

This second course in the four-part research course series is designed to increase the students' confidence in using research as an integral part of the clinical decision-making processes and for the development of skills required for proposal writing. Emphasis is on the development of critical thinking skills to evaluate the research literature, and ways to integrate research into clinical decision making, which involves formulating clear clinical questions, finding the evidence, evaluating the evidence, and applying evidence to a clinical problem. Students will develop skill in proposal writing and will work in small groups with a faculty-research advisor for the development of a proposal.

This course examines theoretical information, practice models, guidelines for practice, and frames of reference for occupational therapy practice in pediatrics. It will focus on occupational therapy process and services for pediatric clients and their families in various practice contexts and service delivery models. A wide range of pediatric assessments will be introduced. Students will learn to develop occupation and evidence-based intervention plans and strategies based on the needs of the client. Pediatric medical conditions will also be discussed.

This course emphasizes the application of occupational therapy skills pertinent to use with children. Students gain an enhanced appreciation of the physical, psychological, cognitive, cultural, and social factors that influence engagement in occupation. This one-hour seminar provides a problem based learning context for the development of clinical reasoning skills in occupational therapy, translating lessons from the classroom to clinical examples to enhance observation skills and intervention planning processes. This course requires a fieldwork level 1 placement, one day/week for 7 weeks, or a minimum of 35 hours.

This third course in the four-part research course series focuses on the development of knowledge within occupational therapy, both as a professional consumer of research and as a contributor to the growth of the knowledge in the profession. This course provides the opportunity for the students to continue their collaboration with the faculty-research advisor and student group to continue the work begun in OTH 565. During this semester, the students are encouraged to work in small groups of 3-4 to implement the evidence-based proposal.

This course focuses on roles of OT in environmental adaptations, home modifications, and ergonomics. Students will learn and practice evaluation and intervention strategies that enhance and maximize clients’ occupational performance in home, school, and work environments. Factors including client’s characteristics, environment, culture, social, economic and political factors affecting work/work programs, safety, and independence will be discussed.

This course examines role expectations for Occupational Therapy practitioners in various contexts of practice. It prepares students to transition to OT practitioner roles. Strategies for ongoing professional development will be discussed. Students will develop ethical decision making skills guided by the Professional Code of Ethics, Ethics Standards and AOTA Standards of Practice in professional interactions, client interventions, and employment settings.

This course provides students an opportunity to gain basic understanding, knowledge and skills pertaining to assistive and telehealth technologies as well as virtual environments. Students will develop therapeutic skills to assist clients with adaptive methods, compensatory strategies to facilitate completion of daily life tasks. Low and high tech adaptive techniques, equipment and strategies that enrich client’s occupational engagement will be reviewed. Students will learn how to design occupation based strategies and develop therapeutic skills required to provide assistive devices to enhance client’s safe and effective occupational performance. Telehealth and virtual technologies and their applications to OT practice will also be discussed.

This course explores the role of the occupational therapist in emerging areas of practice and discusses current trends in Occupational Therapy. Students will review and analyze factors contributing to the trends in service delivery models and their effect on Occupational Therapy practice.

This is the last course in the research course series. It provides students with an opportunity to expand knowledge and understanding of resources to research professional and current literature and evidence-based practice, and to further develop skills in applying principles of theory and practice to formulating and implementing a research project. Students continue to work in the same group and collaborate with a research advisor and refine skills in professional and scientific writing through the production of a manuscript. A final written manuscript and participation in a formal presentation are required.

This course examines the role of occupation in the promotion of health, well-being, and quality of life, as well as the prevention of disease and disability. Students will explore existing health and wellness programs for individuals, groups, and populations. Students will also use occupational therapy theory and current evidence-based research to develop innovative programs in emerging areas of practice. In addition, this course promotes leadership skills through exploration and application of topics including: the management of occupational therapy service delivery, program development and evaluation, entrepreneurship, advocacy, legislation and regulations, and reimbursement.

This seminar utilizes a case-based clinical reasoning approach and is designed to support a successful transition from academic work to full-time Fieldwork II clinical experiences. Students will explore and discuss strategies for solving problems that may arise during fieldwork II experience. This course will also prepare students for the NBCOT certification examination.

This course provides students the opportunity to develop the leadership skills as well as knowledge needed to plan and manage the delivery of occupational therapy services that are evidence-based and value-based. It examines the emerging occupational therapy practices, program development and the processes associated with entrepreneurship for occupational therapy practice. It explores theoretical bases and professional competencies related to access and costs, health policy laws, service settings, reimbursement mechanisms, regulation, political advocacy, planning, personnel management, fiscal management, and program evaluation. Restrictions/Requirements: Third year students. Occupational Therapy Major Students.

The fieldwork II placement for part A is the first of the two 12-week full-time supervised on-site clinical experiences. This course is designed to provide students opportunities to deliver OT services to individuals, families, groups, communities, organizations, or populations under supervision of a licensed occupational therapist. Students will develop and integrate clinical skills and professional behaviors for competence as an entry-level practitioner.

The Fieldwork II placement for Part B provides students with the second 12-week, full-time supervised on-site clinical experience in a different practice setting from Part A. Students will have opportunities to deliver OT services to individuals, families, groups, communities, organizations, or populations under supervision of a licensed occupational therapist. Students will develop and integrate clinical skills and professional behaviors for competence as an entry-level practitioner. Restrictions/Requirements: Third year students. Occupational Therapy Major Students.