Occupational Science & Technology

Occupational Therapy Program

Occupational Therapy is a profession as diverse, unlimited, and creative as the people it serves. When you work as an Occupational Therapist, you use the "occupations" of work and productive activities, play, leisure, social participation and self-care to teach skills to physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabled clients, leading them to full participation in independent, satisfying lives. You'll design therapies as basic as bathing, dressing or eating, or as complex as operating a computer with modified control switches. As diverse as these therapies are, they will all share two common goals; promoting full engagement in everyday life and preventing disease and illness.

Many occupational therapists work in hospitals, but you might choose a career in the growing areas of occupational health, prevention and wellness programs, community-based programs, and technology. In a school, you could serve children with disabilities, improving their performance as students. Working within home health organizations, you could help people function more independently in their homes after illness or injury. In industrial settings, you could assist injured workers in returning to their jobs, or contribute to the prevention of injuries through job design. In a community setting, you could design services to promote health, participation, and function in an aging adult's own neighborhood. The rewards and possibilities are endless!