Occupational therapists help their patients by teaching them exercises.
Occupational therapists help individuals with disabilities improve their physical and mental state. Practitioners of occupational therapy can aid their patients in a variety of ways, including creating physical exercise plans and creating tasks aimed to help regain short-term memory. Occupational therapists need to become licensed to practice in the field. Many schools across the United States offer programs of study that prepare students to take the necessary exams. "U.S. News & World Report" regularly evaluates the nation's occupational therapy programs and, as of 2008, had ranked the top three.
Boston University
Boston University offers occupational therapy degrees at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Students who enter the school at the undergraduate level can complete the combined Bachelor of Science in therapeutic studies and Master of Science in occupational therapy program, which allows them to achieve both degrees in 5 1/2 years. Graduate programs include a Master of Science in occupational therapy and Doctor of Science in rehabilitation sciences. Boston University's occupational therapy programs include classroom work and six months of full-time supervised clinical placements. Programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education.
Boston University
635 Commonwealth Ave.
Boston, MA 02215
617-353-3188
bu.edu
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis has two degree programs for students interested in occupational therapy, both at the graduate level. The Master of Science in occupational therapy takes 27 months to complete. Students can choose from four areas of concentration, including productive aging and pediatrics. Two weeks of field work are completed during the first year of the program, and during the final semester students complete a full-time field work internship. The occupational therapy doctorate program can be completed in 39 months and students may also opt to concentrate in one of four specializations. Both programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education.
Washington University in St. Louis
4444 Forest Park Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108
314-286-1600
wustl.edu
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California offers six opportunities for study in the field of occupational therapy. Undergraduates majoring in another subject can achieve a minor in occupational therapy, and the university offers an accelerated bachelor's to master's program. In the accelerated program, students achieve a Bachelor of Science in occupational therapy and then move on to the master's program, which they are able to complete in one year instead of the traditional two years. Graduate-level students can achieve a Master of Science in occupational therapy in one year if they are already a certified occupational therapist, or two years if they are entering the program with a bachelor's degree in another discipline. The University of Southern California also has two doctorate-level programs: a Doctor of Occupational Therapy and a Doctor of Philosophy in occupational therapy. Programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education.
University of Southern California
1540 Alcazar St., CHP 133
Los Angeles, CA 90089
323-442-2850
usc.edu
Tags: occupational therapy, Science occupational, Science occupational therapy, Boston University, Master Science