Occupational Therapy Assistant

Occupational Therapy provides opportunities to assist people facing challenges in everyday life. Through guided and goal-directed participation in occupations of leisure, work and activities of daily living, individuals can restore their ability to do the things they need, want, or are expected to do.

Occupational therapy practitioners contribute to improving independence and quality of life for people of all ages in a variety of settings concerned with health care, education, community and social services. Occupational therapy assistants work in collaboration with supervising occupational therapists to serve individuals or groups who experience impairment, loss of activity or ability to participate fully in meaningful occupations due to genetic disorders, chronic conditions, illness, accidents, mental impairment, or social conditions such as poverty and violence.

Study in the major includes topics in biological science, social science, communications, mathematics and technologies. These studies are integrated with core requisites in the major and with community and clinical fieldwork experiences. The major uses a wide variety of state-of-the-art equipment and tools that are reflective of current practice in occupational therapy. Through extensive hands-on laboratory experiences, the student has opportunities for application of knowledge learned in the classroom. Level I Fieldwork experiences provide exposure and practice within clinical environments, schools and community settings. Level II Fieldwork provides a full-time working experience under the supervision of an occupational therapy practitioner in a variety of practice areas, following successful completion of academic course work.