The purpose of the professional program is the preparation of competent occupational therapists who, by virtue of their graduate professional education, can enter the health care field primarily as practitioners, with beginning skills in research, administration, indirect service, and education.  The curriculum is based on the premise that students attain competence by learning in collaboration with their peers; by applying what they learn in a classroom to practice settings; and by developing skills for life long learning.

Students come into this program with a strong foundation in the liberal arts, including the humanities and sciences.  Professional education builds on and refines this knowledge base and develops skills in concept formation, analysis, synthesis, and problem solving.

The professional occupational therapy program leads to the degree of Master of Science and is directed toward the development of master practitioners and leaders in the field by providing an opportunity for the establishment of a generic foundation followed by the acquisition of basic concepts of administration, supervision, and education, and by development of concepts and techniques in the scientific method.

The professional curriculum focuses on the study of normal development throughout life, including age-related, role-specific activity, and the structure and function of interrelated biological behavioral systems. The program then leads to coursework in pathology and psychopathology, which gives learners an understanding of the conditions that contribute to performance deficits in each unique lifestyle. Course content provides both a theoretical rationale and an effective methodology for intervening at all stages of the life cycle to (1) effect appropriate change, and (2) to assist individuals with problem identification, resolution and coping strategies.

The average student can expect to complete this program in twenty-four calendar months of full-time effort in classroom work, fieldwork experience, and independent study.  Students choosing the three year option can expect to complete the program in thirty-six months of uninterrupted academic and clinical work.  Since a number of courses have prerequisites, the three-year option student must follow the course of study determined by the program to assure a logical sequence of content.

The program is planned to enable the student to gain a mastery of knowledge in occupational therapy, and to practice skills and competencies required of the practicing therapist in this field.  Students complete coursework and clinical experiences in all the major practice areas, including mental health, physical disabilities, pediatrics, and the older adult. In addition, the student examines the principles and methods of leadership roles in health policy, supervision, education, and research.  Faculty members work with the students as developers of learning environments and as resource people in collaborative problem solving.

The program overall is focused on the development of the practitioner’s role as well as in the development of leadership skills in administration, supervision, research, and education.  These areas can be emphasized according to personal preference, as students have opportunity to select occupational therapy elective courses, as well as focus their fieldwork in specialized areas. Opportunities are available to build the desired competencies through two levels of field experience:

• Level I, part-time fieldwork, is scheduled each term as concurrent experiences with the academic learning of a particular course.  Two different patterns are followed, depending on the objectives and/or content of a course: (1) students are assigned individually or in pairs to a facility throughout the term; or (2) students are assigned to a setting where they assume greater responsibility in determining the need for occupational therapy services.  Each Level I fieldwork pattern is designed to demand sequentially higher skills of application.
• Level II fieldwork is generally scheduled as a full-time experience following completion of all academic work for the school year.  Level II fieldwork must include a minimum of three months in a mental health setting, and three months in a physical rehabilitation setting.  An optional level II fieldwork experience can be pursued in an additional area of interest. After faculty review, students are eligible to take their first Level II fieldwork either in the summer following the completion of all the first-year requirements or at the end of the second year.  The remaining level II experiences are completed after the completion of all academic coursework.

A unique approach to the completion of a master’s degree research project has been developed by the occupational therapy faculty.  Students work collaboratively with a small team of students on a faculty driven research study.  Students also have the option of pursuing their own path of inquiry, under the supervision of faculty.  Students interested in the Ed.D. program may begin a research inquiry that can be further developed in the doctoral program.   The research sequence begins during the first semester, as students are prepared in foundation of research methods and scientific inquiry, as well as reading and evaluating research reports.  During the second semester, they begin their work in teams in collaboration with a faculty advisor.  During the second year, they implement the project, analyze data, and complete their written report.  Every student also participates in an Interdisciplinary Research Symposium sponsored by the Programs in Occupational Therapy.

The Occupational Therapy Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education. (http://www.aota.org/Educate/Accredit.aspx). Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy  (http://www.nbcot.org).  [NBCOT has additional eligibility requirements, including the requirement that applicants meet standards of professional conduct.  Please refer to their website for details, including how to request an early determination review.]   Successful completion of the examination qualifies the graduate to be nationally certified as an Occupational Therapist, and use the designation O.T.R.  Each state has its own regulatory mechanism, such as state license.  State licenses are usually based on the results of the certification examination.  This examination is held throughout the country at designated times of each year.  The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) (http://www.aota.org) is the national professional organization of occupational therapists that represents the interests and concerns of both practitioners and students.  Inquiries may be directed to: The American Occupational Therapy Association, 4720 Montgomery Lane, Bethesda, MD 20824, (301) 652-2682.