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.)

More Information About OT

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.

Statistics - Occupational therapists who responded to the American Occupational Therapy Association's 2006 Workforce Study reported earning, on average, over $50,000/yr. in Minnesota. The range of averages, by State, was $41,000 to $66,000.

 OT Job Postings

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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 Arts 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 Tract, to guarantee admission to the program after three years of undergraduate work, if they meet the plan criteria.

Occupational Therapy Program Prerequisites:
Verebrate and Anatomy and Physiology I, BIO 2110, 4 credits
Verebrate and Anatomy and Physiology II, BIO 2120, 4 credits
Pathophysiology, BIO 3020, 4 credits
Medical Terminology, HSC 2209, 2 credits
Physics, PSC 1501 or 1201, 4 credits
Lifespan Developmental Psychology, PSY 2208, 4 credits
Research Methods, PSY 3330, 4 credits
Statistics, PSY 3331, 4 credits
Abnormal Psychology, PSY 3423, 4 credits

CHM 1020/1030, is now CHM 1021, 1025, CHM 1035, and BIO 1110. Incoming freshman (the 2010 OT Master's Program applicants) take only BIO 1110 from that grouping, PSY 1105 and a choice of SOC 1125, SOC 2433, HON 2125 or HIS 2231. Starting with Fall 2007 freshman, Group Dynamics, PSY 3325, will be recommended but not required.

See the OT schema for other recommended but not required courses.

Accreditation

The Occupational Therapy Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220.

AOTA's phone number is (301) 652-AOTA and their web site is www.aota.org.

Graduates of the program will be able to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). Most states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.

All Occupational Therapy practitioners must pass the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam in order to practice. The graduates of the Occupational Therapy Department at The College of St. Scholastica have a very high pass rate as shown below.

NBCOT Exam Pass Rates 

	2004 graduates pass rate	2005 graduates  pass rate	2006 graduates pass rate
First time test takers	15/16 (94%)	10/10 (100%)	11/11 (100%)
Repeat test takers	1/1	-	-
Total pass rate	100%	100%	100%

Athens Project

As the healthcare industry is being transformed by health information technologies of this type, students must be prepared to effectively use these tools in their future healthcare workplaces. 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 to gain confidence and competence in using this type of information technology as a tool to enhance the quality of their professional practice. For more information about this unique aspect of health professions' education at St. Scholastica,

visit the ATHENS project Website.

Occupational Therapy Courses

The first year of the Occupational Therapy graduate program includes OTH 5501 - Foundations of OT, OTH 5502 - Life Span Occupational Performance, OTH 5503 - Motor Functioning, OTH 5505 - Functional Anatomy, OTH 5515 - Neuroscience, OTH 5521 - Biomechanical OT, OTH 5522 - Psychosocial OT, OTH 5544 - Documentation, OTH 5552 and 5553 Level I Fieldworks A and B, and OTH 5331 Research I. 

Second year graduate courses include OTH 6332 and 6333 - Research II and III, OTH 6522 and OTH 6523 - Neurorehabilitation OT and Clinic, OTH 6524 - Gerontic OT, OTH 6545 - Leadership Issues or HSC 6700 - Health Sciences Leadership, OTH 6525 and 6526 - Pediatric OT and Clinic, OTH 6543 - Administration and Supervision, OTH 6546 - Critical Analysis in OT, OTH 6554 - Level I Fieldwork C, and OTH 6555, 6556, and 6557 (opt.) - Level II Fieldwork.      [See the Curriculum Schedule.]

Occupational Therapy Clinic

Students receive beneficial supervised "hands-on" opportunities to work directly with adults and children as part of their occupational therapy coursework.

For more information, see the OT Clinic Website.

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

If you would like more information about our program or financial aid contact:

Admissions Office
The College of St. Scholastica
1200 Kenwood Avenue
Duluth, Minnesota 55811
(218) 723-6046 or 1-800-447-5444
TTY/TDD (218) 723-6790
e-mail:admissions@css.edu

Visitors are always welcome! To help us best plan for your visit, please call us in advance.

The College of St. Scholastica is an equal opportunity educator and employer.