Courses

This course introduces the students to OT, OT history, philosophical principles, current issues, and emerging practice areas, along with global perspectives. Students will understand the transition from student to practitioner, OT roles and responsibilities, relationships, practicing legally and ethically, and about OT professional organizations. Introduction to the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF), OT across the lifespan, treatment settings, and models of care will be explored. Additionally, service management functions, OT process, theories of practice and frames of reference, intervention modalities, therapeutic relationships, and therapeutic reasoning will be covered.

Students begin to define the components and unique nature of occupation. Topics covered include health and wellness, sleep, life transitions and their effects on occupation and occupational balance for health promotion, wellness, prevention, and quality of life. Students begin to understand globalization, population health, chronic disease management, and at-risk populations. Spirituality, diversity, and cultural perspectives are included throughout the course. Students learn how policy effects occupation and the importance of teaching and learning. Other areas taught are interprofessional competency, health literacy, deprivation, justice, disparity, and social injustice. Students start to incorporate the OTPF, client-centered and evidenced-based practice, progressing to task and activity analysis. Adaptation and grading of occupations are also explored as well as safe performance of tasks within various contexts.
Prerequisites: EX 287, OT 100, and PY 230

Students will begin to interpret and demonstrate an understanding of the OT Practice Framework as it applies to OT practice. Students will be introduced to occupational therapy terminology and the interactions between the areas of occupation, performance skills, performance patterns, activity demands, context and environment and client factors all within different frames of reference, models of practice, and theoretical frameworks. Focus will be given to the therapeutic alliance, special environments of care, patient/client safety and dignity, mobility, and ensuring the use of purposeful and meaningful interventions. This course provides examination of the OTA/OTD collaborative relationship, including roles and relationships, shared decision-making, using evidence-based practice, scope of practice, ethics (AOTA Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice), liability, communication, and ethical conflict resolution. Students will learn to assess physiological status, safe patient positioning, physical transfers, wheelchair management, mobility devices, bed mobility, use of adaptive equipment for compensatory strategies, safe seated mobility, and safety in the workplace.
Prerequisite: OT 200

This course explores the role and skills of the OTA when working with specific symptoms and pathologies of psychiatric diagnoses and behavior disorders. Evaluation tools, frames of reference, treatment interventions and approaches, communication and interactions skills and documentation methods are practiced and learned. Therapeutic use of self and group dynamics are developed as part of the intervention process.
Prerequisite: OT 200

Students will demonstrate knowledge of the social determinants of health for persons, groups, and populations with or at risk for disabilities and chronic health conditions. Sociocultural, socioeconomic, and diversity factors, along with advocacy skills are experienced through participating and engagement in service-learning activities in our local communities.
Prerequisite: Acceptance into the OTA Program

This course emphasizes the application of concepts of human anatomy (particularly the musculoskeletal system) and physical law to the study of human movement and skill analysis.
Must be taken concurrently with OT 311L.
Prerequisite: OT 306

Concepts of physics and kinesiology are applied through practical therapeutic analysis and assessment from a predominantly biomechanical frame of reference.
Must be taken concurrently with OT 311.
Prerequisite: OT 306

Pediatric assessment and intervention strategies incorporating theoretical strategies and evidence-based practice are applied to youth and children. These concepts are examined across the span of developmental stages of children and youth in relation to their occupational performance.
Must be taken concurrently with OT 312L.
Prerequisite: OT 306

Strategies for screening, assessment, and interventions are applied to youth and children through various play and evidence-based interventions.
Must be taken concurrently with OT 312.

Professional documentation skills are developed and critiqued to meet regulatory and reimbursement requirements. Emphasis is on effective communication in oral, nonverbal, written, and electronic methods. Students learn and apply the principles of OSHA, HIPPA, and telehealth/medicine.
Prerequisite: OT 306

The pediatric or psychosocial fieldwork I is directed observation and participation through clinical immersion. Students apply classroom learning pertaining to pediatric or psychosocial issues that limit engagement in occupation. Students participate in client-centered practice with a health care or wellness practitioner to develop professional behaviors and communication skills. Upon completion, students will be able to demonstrate appropriate competencies for the population.
Prerequisites: NU 305, NU350, OT 300, and OT 302

Adult and older adult assessment and intervention strategies incorporating theoretical strategies and evidence-based practice are applied for individuals, groups, and populations. These concepts are examined across the lifespan of the adult and progressing to end-of-life. Concepts related to these populations are explored such as productive aging, health and wellness, aging in place, and end-of-life care.
Must be taken concurrently with OT 400L.
Prerequisites: OT 311/L, 312/L, 313, and 314

Strategies for screening, assessment, and interventions are applied to adults and older adults addressing various roles and evidence-based practice.
Must be taken concurrently with OT 400.

The role of the OTA is defined regarding principles of leadership and management, agency/state/federal regulations, legislation, and reimbursement. Best practices regarding conflict resolution and ethical practice are also discussed and applied. Students will begin to develop and understand implementation of various business aspects of practice, including business plans, financial management, program evaluation models, and strategic planning. Students will develop an understanding of instructional design and teaching and learning from an academic standpoint.
Prerequisites: OT 311/L, 312/L, 313, and 314

The application and implementation of technology within occupational therapy practice is used to adapt and modify occupation for various populations. Students construct custom orthoses to address various human physical needs, understand the scientific principles behind the use of therapeutic modalities and develop the ability to choose and implement the modality as they would in OT practice. The utilization of technology to enhance occupational performance is incorporated across a variety of settings across the lifespan.
Must be taken concurrently with OT 400.
Prerequisites: OT 311/L, 312/L, 313, and 314

The pediatric or psychosocial fieldwork I is directed observation and participation through clinical immersion. Students apply classroom learning pertaining to pediatric or psychosocial issues that limit engagement in occupation. Students participate in client-centered practice with a health care or wellness practitioner to develop professional behaviors and communication skills. Upon completion, students will be able to demonstrate appropriate competencies for the population.
Prerequisites: OT 311/L, 312/L, 313, and 314

The Baccalaureate Project I course provides an in-depth learning experience in one or more of the following areas: clinical practice skills, administration, leadership, advocacy, and education. The course is founded on an individual or group project, which allows students to demonstrate application of knowledge gained throughout the OTA program. The course provides the students the opportunity to study, in depth, an area of interest. Students work with an assigned faculty advisor to create specific project objectives that are applied in OT 440 Baccalaureate Project II.
Prerequisites: OT 311/L, 312/L, 313, and 314

Fieldwork IIa is an 8-week, full time opportunity to carry out professional responsibilities under the supervision of a qualified occupational therapy practitioner serving as a role model. Students apply occupational therapy theory, research, assessments, treatment interventions, and evidence-based practice in the clinical or community setting to address physical and psychosocial factors.
Prerequisites: OT 400/L, 401, 402, 414, and 415

Fieldwork IIb is an 8-week, full time opportunity to carry out professional responsibilities under the supervision of a qualified occupational therapy practitioner serving as a role model. Students apply occupational therapy theory, research, assessments, treatment interventions, and evidence-based practice in the clinical or community setting to address physical and psychosocial factors.
Prerequisites: OT 400/L, 401, 402, 414, 415, and 420

This course is a continuation of OT 415 Baccalaureate Project I. Students continue to work with their assigned faculty advisor as they further study in depth their area of interest and work toward meeting the objectives of their individual or group project. The course culminates with students providing a presentation of a report of the individual or group project.
Prerequisites: OT 400/L, 401, 402, 414, and 415

An individualized study of a problem, a research paper or a project related to the occupational therapy field.
Prerequisite: Consent

A cooperative off-campus experience in an occupational therapy-related organization through which curricular knowledge and skills may be actively applied.
Prerequisite: Consent