This Semester Message from the Chair of the Occupational Therapy Department History of the Occupational Therapy Program as part of the School of Medicine Accreditation Purpose Mission Statement Return to the OT Homepage Message from the Chair of the Occupational Therapy Department Welcome to our web site.
Occupational therapy is an exciting and dynamic profession.
We work with people of all ages and from all walks of life. Occupational therapists are uniquely qualified to identify and assess the functional limitations of individuals with disabilities and to develop strategies to compensate for those limitations. These strategies include ways to overcome attitudinal and environmental barriers and to identify and improve access to assistive technology and services. At the University of South Dakota preparation for a career in occupational therapy includes a two and one-half year curriculum, which combines didactic and clinical teaching, leading to the Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. Graduates of our program are prepared to pursue careers in traditional and emerging areas of practice as well as to become educators or researchers.