The entry-level M.S. in Occupational Therapy program at Philadelphia University is offered in an intensive weekend format. Classes meet on Friday and Saturday, two weekends per month. Between sessions, students complete assignments and participate in learning activities off-campus, through distance education technology. The M.S. in OT can be completed within 3 academic years.

CURRICULAR THEMES
Through a closely integrated sequence of courses and seminars, four broad curricular themes are emphasized:

Enabling Participation

The occupational therapy faculty embrace the view that the unique purview of the profession is to enable participation – by enhancing the fit between individuals, their environments, and the occupations in which they engage.

Assisting individuals to participate as fully as possible in all the occupations that are important to them, regardless of their health condition or developmental status, is the primary focus of occupational therapy.

Multiple courses and projects interspersed throughout the curriculum address this theme. The most notable is the portfolio client project that begins in the first semester and continues throughout the student’s academic program. The portfolio client project culminates in a capstone experience where students demonstrate their integration of concepts by articulating and defending their practice platform.

Applying Evidence & Clinical Reasoning to Practice

The hallmark of a professional lies in using evidence and clinical reasoning to inform practice decisions. Each semester, increasingly complex principles related to critical thinking are introduced.

Students learn how to search for and apply evidence to clinical decision-making in multiple courses. They begin by working with practitioners in the field to develop real-world clinical questions. They proceed to answer the questions by examining the literature and applying evidence-based practice methods. This process is repeated in assessment and intervention coursework as well as during fieldwork.  During these experiences students also learn the importance of contributing to the profession’s body of knowledge through clinical practice and research.

Fostering Collaboration & Innovation

Through classroom and virtual small group learning activities, students learn to collaborate with each other. In addition, collaboration on client-based projects with students from other fields establishes skills in working with, learning from, and teaching other disciplines.

• Engaging in innovative thinking and product or program development is one of the university’s strategic plan initiatives, and a component of the OT program’s curriculum design. Over several semesters, students are guided through the process of innovation by working alongside their design, textile, fashion, and architecture colleagues to create assistive devices, adaptive clothing, or bathrooms for an aging population. In these collaborative endeavors, students learn to develop ideas and, along with their design partners, transform the idea into a functional outcome.
• As a result of interdisciplinary projects, OT students learn the role of advocate and help their colleagues to better understand issues related to the world of individuals living with disabilities. These experiences support the development of advocacy skills both for the profession and individual clients.

The resulting fabric, rich in design and color, strong and resilient, represents the uniquely prepared Philadelphia University Occupational Therapist who is capable of addressing multiple environments and challenges.