Occupational therapists work with people of all ages who need specialized assistance to lead independent, productive, and satisfying lives due to physical, developmental, social, or emotional problems.
Occupational therapy is a form of therapy for those recuperating from physical or mental illness that encourages rehabilitation through the performance of activities required in daily life.
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 mentorship 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.
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.
Learn More About This Program
Shenandoah University’s unique hybrid occupational therapy program has provided me with a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience during face-to-face learning, online discussion and opportunities within the community. Beyond the flexibility of the program and the relationships I have developed with my professors and peers, I truly value the multidisciplinary approach. In addition to the general curriculum to prepare students for collaboration with clients and other health care professionals, the program has equipped me with both leadership and effective team management skills to use in future practice.”
—Stephanie Jackson, MSOTS
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
http://www.acoteonline.org/
Career Possibilities
Ashley Lankford ‘11 ‘13 works as an occupational therapist at Cecil County Public Schools in Elkton, Maryland. This experience increased her understanding of biopsychology, which in turn has assisted in her day-to-day work with students. Lankford’s advice to future students is, “Continue to challenge yourself and take every opportunity you can. Be creative, and don’t be afraid to fail.”
Autumn O’Hara ’11 is the executive director for Ride-On Ranch Equine Assisted Therapies. “The mission of Ride-on Ranch is to provide therapy to people with cognitive, psychological and physical disabilities. “With a master’s degree from Shenandoah University comes a network of health professionals as well as the education needed to pursue my dreams. There is so much information out there and so much that occupational therapists can do and be involved in. Research all there is out there, find your passion, and then pursue your passion.”
Classes
At first I was very nervous about going into a hybrid program because I really value learning face-to-face in the classroom, but the courses are structured so that you get a great balance of online and face-to-face learning. My favorite part of the program is that we are getting involved in the community in potential OT settings within the first month of starting classes.”
—Ryan Parker, MSOTS
One of the things I love most about the Shenandoah’s OT program is the flexibility it offers. We have class once a week, which gives me six days to complete homework, spend time with my family, and have a job. The faculty and staff understand that things happen and work with you, because they want to see you succeed and grow into great occupational therapists!”
—Darlena Poling, MSOTS
Semester 1 (Fall)
Ot 522 Foundations Of Occupational Therapy – 4 Credits
Ot 523 Therapeutic Occupation – 2 Credits
Ot 524 Occupation And Movement – 4 Credits
Ot 525 Fundamentals Of Scholarly Inquiry – 3 Credits
Ot 526 Foundational Case Groups I – 1 Credit
Ot 527 Community Application With Individuals – 2 Credits
Total– 16 Credits
Semester 2 (Spring)
Ot 531 Scholarly Inquiry: Design And Analysis – 3 Credits
Ot 532 Neuro-occupation – 5 Credits
Ot 534 Analysis Of Health And Occupation – 2 Credits
Ot 535 Management And Systems In Ot Settings – 3 Credits
Ot 536 Foundational Case Groups Ii – 1 Credit
Ot 537 Community Application In Systems – 2 Credits
Total– 16 Credits
Semester 3 (Fall)
Ot 621 Scholarly Inquiry: Program Development And Evaluation – 2 Credits
Ot 623 Ot In Biomechanical And Neurological Practice – 4 Credits
Ot 624 Ot In Mental Health Practice – 3 Credits
Ot 625 Occupational Performance And Participation: Children – 4 Credits
Ot 626 Basic Case Groups – 1 Credit
Ot 628 *basic Level 1 Fieldwork – 1 Credit
Total – 15 Credits
Semester 4 (Spring)
Ot 630 Scholarly Inquiry: Application – 3 Credits
Ot 631 Specialization: Ot With Children – 3 Credits
Ot 633 Environmental Intervention – 3 Credits
Ot 634 Policy And Advocacy – 3 Credits
Ot 635 Specialization: Ot For Adults – 3 Credits
Ot638 *bridge Level 1 Fieldwork – 1 Credit
Total – 16 Credits
Semester 5 (Summer)
Ot 640 *level 2 Fieldwork – 6 Credits
Ot 641 *level 2 Fieldwork – 6 Credits
* All Fieldwork Experiences Are Completed On Non-campus Days And During Normal Business Hours.
Ot 640 *level 2 Fieldwork – 6 Credits
Ot 641 *level 2 Fieldwork – 6 Credits
* All Fieldwork Experiences Are Completed On Non-campus Days And During Normal Business Hours.
Faculty
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.
Christine Colwell
Full BiographyApplication Information
SUDOT requires potential students to go through OTCAS for the application process. This is an online centralized application service located at www.otcas.org which has a thorough and accurate list of all required documents and prerequisites for the program. For a list of the prerequisites, please go to Shenandoah University that can be found on the list of participating programs located on OTCAS.