The focus of occupational therapy is the development of adaptive skills and performance capacity for individuals whose abilities to function are threatened or impaired by developmental deficits, the aging process, physical injury or illness, or psychological and social disability. Occupational therapy serves a diverse population in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation facilities, long-term health care facilities, schools, extended care facilities, sheltered workshops, camps, private homes, housing projects, and community agencies and centers.
Occupational therapists practice in collaboration with health, education, and medical specialists.
The program is designed to prepare the individual to function as an occupational therapist in practice settings in accordance with the standards set by the American Occupational Therapy Association. The primary objective of the Occupational Therapy Program is to assist students in attaining the knowledge, skill, and attitudes required for the practice of occupational therapy. Because physical and occupational therapy are closely allied health professions, a second major objective is to provide an interdisciplinary education and experiences so that students will understand and respect the goals and skills of related professions within the health care environment. Occupational and physical therapists provide services to individuals with disabilities experiencing inability to attain optimal function. The occupational therapist is concerned with helping the individual independently perform life tasks related to work, self-care, and leisure.