Current Students

Application of the occupational therapy perspective on human movement towards functional performance including analysis of static and dynamic forces, anatomical mechanics, as well as kinematics including performance qualities specific to the context and environment. Application of these concepts for use in occupational therapy assessment and intervention is addressed to determine patterns of dysfunction and facilitating optimum performance during task directed activity, including prevention, adaptation, and modification within life role contexts. Prerequisites: Admission to the OTH program.

An advanced musculoskeletal anatomy course that emphasizes the functional relationships between musculature, nervous tissue, vascular components, and the skeletal system of the extremities and trunk. Cadaver dissection laboratory experiential is used to enhance the understanding of anatomical relationships within body regions that contribute to successful physical task performance. Unique perspective is provided towards understanding the material in terms of occupational performance addressed in occupational therapy. Prerequisites: Admission to the Occupational Therapy program.

Explores the three basic tenets of occupational therapy through the profession, the practice, and the practitioner. The profession of occupational therapy is analyzed through the framework of the profession and models of occupation. The professional responsibilities of the practitioner are explored through roles and ethical responsibilities.

Intended to ground students in the occupational therapy process of selecting and administering clinical measurement tools used to guide evaluation and assessment a client’s occupational performance. Students will learn to use a client-centered approach to clinical assessment including the use of: formal and informal interviewing techniques and skilled observation of occupational performance skills and patterns. Prerequisites: successful completion of clinical conditions competency exam; OTH 6101 Occupational Performance I: Movement Capacities and Abilities; OTH 6105 Functional Anatomy

Designed to ground students in an understanding of and appreciation for the concept of evidence-based practice. Students will develop fundamental scientific inquiry skills related to gathering, reading, understanding, and critically appraising the rehabilitation research literature in order to become evidence-based occupational therapists. Appreciating the value of life-long learning as future occupational therapists as well as developing the skills to carry this out in challenging and changing clinical environments is emphasized. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all previous course work.

The analysis of occupational performance is done from an understanding of how performance capacity and abilities integrate to result in activity completion. The relationship between these capacities and abilities and occupational performance will be explored by understanding how capacities and abilities manifest in task performance. Beginning level skills for facilitating occupational performance through interventions of occupation and preparatory methods will be developed. Prerequisites: successful completion of OT Conditions competency exam and courses OTH 6105 Functional Anatomy, OTH 6101 Occupational Performance I: Movement Capacities and Abilities, OTH 6210 Basic Tenets of OT, and OTH 6220 Assessment of Occupational Performance I.

Provides students with opportunities to build beginning-level professional skills through exposure to different clinical settings and client populations. Students will practice careful observation, clear communication, therapeutic use of self, and task analysis through scheduled visits to community settings. Students begin their professional development as a generalist by completing assignments in the community guided by faculty led discussion and self-reflection of these experiences. Students are challenged to expand their current understanding of human occupational performance and gain insight to working with diverse client populations. Prerequisites: Successful completion of OTH 6105 Functional Anatomy and OTH 6101 Occupational Performance I: Movement Capacities and Abilities.

Broadens understanding of occupation-based practice to include core components of intervention selection including: application of a model or a frame of reference; analysis of the activity, the client and the environment; and effectively matching client capacities and the challenge of the task through gradation and adaptation of meaningful occupations. Therapeutic mechanisms of behavior management, building rapport and client learning are emphasized. Prerequisites. Successful completion of all previous coursework.

Designed to help occupational therapy students apply their knowledge about evidence-based practice to clinical experiences and the development of new evidence for clinical practice in occupational therapy. Students will build on basic concepts learned in EBOT I (OTH 6233) by examining more advanced quantitative and qualitative data analysis techniques that will be applied to both clinical and research experiences. Topics include knowledge translation in the clinical setting, collecting and analyzing data on outcome measures in the clinic, statistical analysis using computerized software, and research ethics. Students will work with a faculty mentor to develop a prospectus for original research. Prerequisite: Successful completion of all previous coursework.

Explores life roles of individuals and the contexts and environments in which they engage in those life roles. The activities of daily living and some instrumental activities of daily living central to the care of self will be analyzed with development of intervention strategies for various populations. Further, an individuals’ sense of accomplishment and enjoyment through self-enhancement occupations of play and leisure will be analyzed and intervention strategies will be developed. The performance patterns of individuals including activities, habits, and routines are analyzed throughout the occupational therapy process. Prerequisites. Successful completion of all previous coursework, specifically OTH 6101 Occupational Performance I: Movement Capacities and Abilities and OTH 6240 Occupational Performance II: Integrated Capacities and Abilities.

Focus is on selection and administration of specific screening and assessment tools that include three main areas: abilities and capacities; roles and competence; and environmental factors affecting an individual’s function and participation in a range of occupations and contexts. The use of evidence from the scientific literature, client values, and clinical reasoning will be emphasized in making decisions when selecting assessments for clients. The importance of developing and utilizing outcome measures that document the effectiveness of OT services is also emphasized. Prerequisites. OTH 6240 Assessment of Occupational Performance I; successful completion of all previous coursework.

A clinical Level I fieldwork experience intended to integrate occupational therapy theory into practice. Hands-on learning experiences occur within the occupational therapy process, while providing client-centered care in a supervised and mentor-based setting. Prerequisites: Successful completion of all previous OTH coursework.

A 35 to 40 hour fieldwork experience scheduled in the summer following the first year of the Occupational Therapy Program. Students may request sites from a variety of traditional and emerging practice settings throughout the United States, and will be assigned based on availability. This fieldwork experience reinforces clinical skills, professional behaviors and professional relationships, clinical reasoning skills, ethical issues, and how to integrate occupational therapy theory into practice. In addition it is designed to familiarize students with various intervention settings and clinical conditions. Students may be provided initial hands-on experiences under direct supervision when determined to be appropriate by the clinical supervisor/educator. Upon completion of the clinical hours, the students attend a seminar to discuss various aspects of the experience.

Designed to expand the student's ability to consume scientific evidence and contribute to the body of knowledge in occupational therapy. Students will further develop searching, appraisal, and scholarly writing skills by completing a thorough review of the literature in order to justify and clarify the purpose of their project idea developed in EBOT II (OTH 6333). Students will complete the research proposal by writing a methods section that will set the stage for data collection in subsequent EBOT IV (OTH 6533). Additionally, students will write an application to receive approval to conduct research from the Institutional Review Board.

Home and environment management includes focus on creating interventions to address life skills related to community mobility including driving rehabilitation, management of areas for medication, communication, finance, home, safety, and health, care of others, and shopping. Interventions to address social participation as a self-enhancement area of occupation with community, peer, and family will be developed. Designing group process for client learning to address social participation and areas of home and environment management will be included followed by implementation of those group processes. Opportunities to evaluate various practice settings to determine influences and considerations in occupational therapy process will occur.

Facilitates the student’s progress toward contributing to the body of knowledge in occupational therapy. Students will build on work completed in EBOT III (OTH 6433) by collecting data and performing the appropriate statistical analyses needed to answer their research questions. Students will summarize their findings narratively and graphically into a results section.

Through the transformative engagement process, students will integrate prior learning with personal reflection and current theories related to concepts of supervision, management and leadership. Application of leadership and management theory, professional ethics and behaviors and the importance of professional relationships is facilitated through clinically-based scenarios. Students evaluate administrative structure and service delivery within health facilities, organizations and agencies with respect to occupational therapy's role. Students will create and evaluate a set of outcomes related to evidence-based practice, documentation, peer review, reimbursement, service provision and organizational change.

A clinical fieldwork experience intended to integrate occupational therapy into practice. Designed to provide application of clinical knowledge and skills, professional behaviors and relationships, clinical reasoning, and ethical decision making. Hands-on learning experiences of the occupational therapy process and providing client-centered care in a supervised setting.

A clinical fieldwork experience intended to integrate occupational therapy into practice. Designed to provide application of clinical knowledge and skills, professional behaviors and relationships, clinical reasoning, and ethical decision making. Hands-on learning experiences of the occupational therapy process and providing client-centered care in a supervised setting.

Facilitates students’ progress toward contributing to the body of knowledge in occupational therapy. Students will build on work completed in EBOT IV (OTH 6533) by writing a formal discussion section that explains and interprets their findings and places the main findings within the context of previous research. Students will discuss options for disseminating their findings.

Students are eligible for Level II Fieldwork upon completion of all academic requirements. Each fieldwork experience will reflect current practice with clients from across the life span and with a variety of diagnoses. Two Level II fieldwork Affiliations are required for a minimum of 24 weeks full-time and may be completed on a full-time or part-time basis, but may not be less than half time. All students complete one Level II experience in physical disabilities and a second may include but is not limited to occupational therapy practice in physical dysfunction, developmental disabilities, pediatrics and/or psychosocial dysfunction.

Self-advancement occupations of education and work are fully explored along with advanced practice settings including hand therapy, work/industry, neonatal intensive care unit, education, emerging practice, and non-traditional areas of practice. Alternative healing practices and advanced skill areas will be the focus of interventions.

Capstone course designed to integrate theory, knowledge of pathologies and intervention strategies with an understanding of human performance and adaptation. The course focuses on students’ abilities to integrate and articulate the role of the occupational therapist in a variety of complex situations and practice settings involving individuals and populations. Specific issues in global health care including public policy, access to service, at-risk populations and advocacy are addressed. Personal reflection of transformative engagement through leadership, management and professional development are emphasized.

Students are eligible for Level II Fieldwork upon completion of all academic requirements. Each fieldwork experience will reflect current practice with clients from across the life span and with a variety of diagnoses. Two Level II fieldwork Affiliations are required for a minimum of 24 weeks full-time and may be completed on a full-time or part-time basis, but may not be less than half time. All students complete one Level II experience in physical disabilities and a second may include but is not limited to occupational therapy practice in physical dysfunction, developmental disabilities, pediatrics and/or psychosocial dysfunction. The fieldwork experiences will be completed under the supervision of a "currently licensed or credentialed occupational therapist who has a minimum of one year of practice experience subsequent to initial certification, and is adequately prepared to serve as a fieldwork educator".