The College of St. Scholastica

Occupational Therapy

What is occupational therapy? The occupational therapist is an important member of the health care team providing services to people of all ages with physical, mental, or developmental disabilities. The purpose of occupational therapy is to help individuals achieve a maximum level of independent living by focusing on the development of the capacity to function in the activities of daily life. Occupational therapy is needed when an individual's ability to live independently, to care for personal needs and to participate in work, school, family, and community life is disrupted by illness or injury.

Common problems seen by occupational therapists include stroke, developmental disabilities, work injuries, arthritis, traumatic injuries, dementia, other problems associated with aging, and psychosocial barriers to occupational performance such as depression, schizophrenia and personality disorders. In all settings the focus of intervention is to return the client to the highest level of function as possible. This may include performing activities of daily living such as dressing, grooming, bathing and eating. Adaptive equipment and other modifications may be used to enhance performance in personal care, home management, meal preparation, and play or leisure activities. In addition to personal cares, the therapist assists the client in developing the necessary skills to manage everyday situations needed to live in the community and return to work.

Occupational therapists primarily work in schools, skilled nursing facilities, clinics and hospitals, as well as community settings, to help individuals achieve a maximum level of independent living. Occupational therapists also provide support for wellness and prevention concerns. Program faculty have a keen interest in responding to the needs unique to rural practice and exploring alternative service delivery models (i.e., other service providers, prisons, mental health agencies and businesses).



Employment Outlook

The job opportunities in occupational therapy are excellent. Approximately thirty-two percent of occupational therapists work in general, psychiatric, and pediatric hospitals; 19 percent in public and private schools; and 11 percent in rehabilitation hospitals or centers. Others work in colleges and universities, home health agencies, skilled nursing homes, and private practice. Occupational therapists will be in high demand, both in long term care settings and in home health services, as the number of older adults more than doubles between 2000 and 2050. Occupational therapy is one of the fastest growing occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor.

The Entry-Level Master's Program at St. Scholastica

Students may enter the Occupational Therapy Program during the senior year of undergraduate study or as a graduate student upon completion of a baccalaureate degree. All prerequisites must be completed prior to entry in the Occupational Therapy coursework. Upon entry into the program, students will complete two consecutive years of professional Occupational Therapy education, plus six months of clinical fieldwork. Students will earn a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. (Students entering the program during the senior year will also earn a baccalaureate degree in Health Sciences.) Successful completion of all academic and internship requirements allows the student to sit for the national certification examination for occupational therapists.

The professional program in Occupational Therapy involves 2 ½ years of coursework and fieldwork. Since courses provide graduate level instruction offered by the same faculty and require the same level of effort, equipment, supplies, and facilities, the College's Board of Trustees has adopted the policy that the tuition rates charged will be at the graduate rate for the 2 ½ years of the program.

The Occupational Therapy Program is also offered on a part-time basis. The part-time option extends the professional program to 3 ½ or 4 ½ years, depending upon student needs.

Freshmen may apply for early application to the Occupational Therapy Program by following FACT, the Freshman Admission Criteria Track, to guarantee admission to the program after three years of undergraduate work, if they meet the plan criteria.

Admissions

First-year and transfer students, who have not met the prerequisites for the Occupational Therapy Program apply to Admissions as undergraduates. Undergraduate and Bachelor degree holding students, who will meet the prerequisite requirements by Fall Semester, apply to the Occupational Therapy Program through Graduate Studies.

Strengths and Highlights of the Occupational Therapy Program

The St. Scholastica Occupational Therapy Program is noted for the following strengths and initatives:

a. Graduates have a first-time pass rate of over 90% on the NBCOT Natonal Certification Exam compared to the national average of 80-85%.

b. Based on surveys of employers and feedback from fieldwork supervisors, St. Scholastica graduates are praised for their clinical readiness and background knowledge.

c. Graduate surveys, one-year post graduation, indicate between 97% and 100% of graduates are employed as occupational therapists. Many students have employment offers prior to graduation.

d. An occupational therapist guides the students in staffing a community clinic. Students receive beneficial supervised "hands-on" opportunities to work directly with adults and children as part of their occupational therapy coursework.The clinic represents an advanced form of student centered learning and serves a community need.

e. Students in the Occupational Therapy Program at The College of St. Scholastica have significant levels of hands-on experience using a state-of-the-art electronic medical record system (Athens) to gain confidence and competence in using this type of information technology as a tool to enhance the quality of their professional practice.

f. Occupational therapy students are actively involved in community service to local nursing homes, community mental health centers and homeless shelters. Each year students and faculty liberally contribute many hours of volunteer service.

g. The Program maintains clinical contracts with fieldwork sites throughout the United States. Students have the opportunity to complete their clinical education in health care settings representing a wide variety of service delivery models, geographic areas and experience.

 

The Occupational Therapy Department faculty and staff are available to answer questions about occupational therapy, for contact information see OT Department Information.