Help Others Regain Quality of Life
Occupational therapists help people of all ages regain their quality of life through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. They help children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, help individuals recovering from injury to regain skills, and provide support for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes.
Shenandoah’s graduate program in occupational therapy prepares you to help clients reach their greatest level of quality of life and independence by serving as a caring and effective occupational therapist. Close mentorships with faculty, combined with the program’s small class sizes and practical learning experiences, prepare you to enter the field as a professional dedicated to service, ethics and leadership.
Information For Students
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
Shenandoah’s 75-credit Master of Science in Occupational Therapy is delivered in a flexible, hybrid format, with much of the content delivered online. Students attend classes on campus one day per week and fieldwork experiences are completed on non-campus days and during normal working hours. Additionally, students are expected to engage in hands-on experiences in their home communities as directed by faculty. The learning model requires students to think critically and act professionally in independent, interpersonal and community-based problem-solving experiences. Graduates of this program enter the field as skilled and compassionate occupational therapists, serving a diverse range of patient populations in a variety of health care and community-based settings.
Faculty Mentors Make the Difference…
Our caring faculty serve as mentors beyond the classroom. As a team, they prepare you to be a compassionate provider, critical thinker and ethical leader. You’ll benefit from small class sizes that enable faculty members to provide individualized attention and nurture your academic and professional development.
Real-World Experience
You’ll gain invaluable hands-on experience through extensive fieldwork experiences. Working with faculty members, physicians and fellow students from Shenandoah’s pharmacy, physician assistant and physical therapy programs, you’ll provide invaluable medical services, making a difference to underserved populations at home and around the world.
Hybrid Learning
The program’s hybrid learning format combines online coursework with once-weekly, on-campus meetings, providing flexibility for both traditional and non-traditional students. You’ll gain additional experience through faculty-directed experiential learning in your home community and apply these experiences to the classroom and online learning environments.
Key Features to Our Program
- Hybrid curriculum model
- Full-time and part-time tracks available
- Graduates earn an average starting salary of $50,000–$60,000
- 98 percent licensure exam pass rate
- Accessible faculty mentors
- Hands-on learning experiences with clients
- Online coursework offers flexibility for non-traditional students
- Provide service through community and international experiences
- Faculty are actively involved in health care advocacy and policy development
Community-based experiences are offered every semester. Students, with the help of faculty and other local therapists, will engage in a variety of learning activities in their home communities. Students learn to work hands-on with clients, consult with other professionals, educate clients and families, and advocate for the rights of people with disabilities.
Shenandoah University's Occupational Therapy program is accredited through:
ACOTE
c/o Accreditation Department
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200
Bethesda, MD 20814-3449
(301) 652-2682 or 301-652-AOTA
www.acoteonline.org/