Transforming lives through occupation, service, and whole-person care.
Through the therapeutic use of everyday activities or occupations, occupational therapists help people across the life span—from infancy through older adults—to participate in the things they want and need to do. Common occupational therapy interventions include helping children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, helping people recovering from injury to regain skills, and providing support for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes. Practice settings are diverse—hospitals, schools, behavioral health clinics, outpatient clinics, and community sites with at-risk youth and survivors of domestic violence.
Occupational therapy services may include comprehensive evaluations of the client's home and other environments (e.g., workplace or school), recommendations for adaptive equipment and training in its use, and guidance and education for family members and caregivers. Occupational therapy practitioners have a "whole-person" perspective, focusing on adapting the environment to fit the person and considering the person as an integral part of the therapy team.
Following the mission of this University, students immerse themselves in the community, exploring emerging areas of practice including the aging, at-risk youth, domestic violence settings, lifestyle medicine, obesity, and trauma-exposed children.
Occupational therapy is an exciting field with its broad population areas and diverse settings. The American Occupational Therapy Association has identified eight areas of focus: children and youth, evidence-based practice, health and wellness, mental health, productive aging, rehabilitation, disability, and participation as well as work and industry.
Occupational therapy fosters entrepreneurship that promotes health and wellness as well as meaningful occupational participation. Occupational therapists are moving into areas such as health promotion, obesity, telehealth, and domestic violence.
Students are eligible for membership in the American Occupational Therapy Association and Occupational Therapy Association of California—two organizations that foster development and improvement of service and education. Students are encouraged to become members, read the journal, and attend local professional meetings. The national association address is: American Occupational Therapy Association, 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-49294. Website: http://www.aota.org; telephone: 800/729-2682. The state association address is: Occupational Therapy Association of California, P.O. Box 276567, Sacramento, CA 95827-6567. Website: http://www.otaconline.org; telephone: 888/686-3225.
Praveen Injeti
Heather Javaherian
Heather Javaherian
Penny Stack
Heather Roese
Julie D. Kugel
Liane H. Hewitt
Praveen Injeti
Heather Javaherian
Dragana Krpalek
Julie D. Kugel
Sharon L. Pavlovich
Douglas R. Rakoski
Heather A. Roese
Arezou Salamat
Beth Aune
Delilah DeBellis
Erica V. Johnson-Herrera
Joyce Khowdee
Danielle J. Meglio
Harold T. Neuendorff
Diana Su-Erickson
Aaron A. Weis
Christine M. Wietlisbach
Noha Salim Daher
Michael S. Deleon
Lida Gharibvand
Cindy Hoang
Ehren Ngo
OCTH 501. Professional Foundations I. 3 Units.
Provides foundational understanding of the philosophical and historical underpinnings of the occupational therapy profession as well as the unique role and therapeutic use of occupation across multiple settings. Introduces professional paradigms of frames of reference, professional organizations, and occupation in health and society. Initiates the process of therapeutic use of self as a reflective professional.
Prerequisite: AHCJ 510.
OCTH 502. Professional Foundations II: Human Occupation. 3 Units.
Develops an understanding of how occupation, embedded in a diverse social-cultural context, is shaped and changed throughout the human life span. Examines the concept of occupation, as defined in occupational therapy and occupational science, in the context of its historical relationship to human adaptation and health. Explores social participation through individual and group occupations.
Prerequisite: OCTH 501.
OCTH 503. Professional Foundations III. 1 Unit.
Explores service delivery models to meet societal health and participation needs. Includes basic business elements of occupational therapy practice, grant writing, and the teaching and learning process.
Prerequisite: OCTH 501, OCTH 502.
OCTH 504. Professional Foundations IV. 1 Unit.
Continues to explore foundational knowledge in occupational therapy practice. Includes basic elements of grant writing to support scholarship and program development in traditional and innovative areas.
OCTH 505. Occupation-Based Activity Analysis. 3 Units.
Analyzes activities in all areas of occupations based on dynamic interaction of client factors, performance skills, performance patterns, and contexts. Includes in-depth understanding of the kinesiology components of joint mobility, stability, tone, and power. Relates activity demands to their influence on performance in occupations. Applies concepts to grading and adapting activities and occupations.
OCTH 506. Functional Neuroscience. 3 Units.
Provides a foundational understanding of neuroscience—including anatomy and function of the central and peripheral nervous systems, neurological conditions related to anatomical structure and function, and relationship of the nervous system to engagement in occupation.
OCTH 508. Splinting. 1 Unit.
Design and fabrication of splints, with reference to various populations across the life span. Emphasizes safety precautions and monitoring.
Prerequisite: OCTH 505.
OCTH 509. Design and Technology. 2 Units.
Introduces a broad spectrum of assistive technologies which address the gap in occupational performance. Examination and assessment of theoretical and societal issues, population and policy trends, scientific advances, environmental constraints, and funding opportunities. Explores principles of universal design and public policy that support engagement in home and community environments.
OCTH 510. Functional Kinesiology. 1 Unit.
Applies anatomical and mechanical fundamentals of human motion to conduct muscle testing and goniometry. Emphasizes upper extremity. AHCJ 510.
OCTH 511. Conditions in Occupational Therapy: Orthopedic. 4 Units.
Common orthopedic and rheumatological disorders, and the implications for participation in occupations across the life span. Introduces safety issues surrounding these disorders, as well as the influence of contexts.
Prerequisite: AHCJ 510; OCTH 510.
OCTH 512. Conditions in Occupational Therapy: Neuroscience. 4 Units.
Reviews common neurological disorders and the implications for participation in occupations across the life span. Examines guiding theories and evidence-based practice. Introduces safety issues surrounding these disorders, as well as the influence of contexts.
Prerequisite: OCTH 506.
OCTH 513. Professional Foundations III: Documentation. 1 Unit.
Introduces occupational therapy billing, codes, reimbursement, and documentation in traditional and non-traditional settings to prepare students for billable services in various settings.
Prerequisite: OCTH 501, OCTH 502.
OCTH 514. Conditions in Occupational Therapy: Behavioral Health. 4 Units.
Examines common disorders and guiding theories related to behavioral health and the implications for participation in occupations across the life span. Explores roles and how occupations and roles are related, resulting in healthy emotional connections and occupational participation. Discusses safety issues surrounding these disorders, as well as the influence of context.
OCTH 515. Conditions in Occupational Therapy: Infants, Children, Youth. 4 Units.
Reviews common disorders and conditions, along with implications for participation in occupations for infants, children, and youth from individual and family perspectives. Examines guiding theories, evidence-based practice, federal laws, and policies related to these populations. Introduces safety issues surrounding these disorders, as well as the influence of contexts.
OCTH 516. Conditions in Occupational Therapy: General Medicine. 4 Units.
Reviews common general medicine disorders and the implications for participation in occupations across the life span in both traditional and nontraditional settings. Examines guiding theories and evidence-based practice. Introduces safety issues and standard protocols surrounding these disorders, as well as the influence of contexts.
Prerequisite: OCTH 510.
OCTH 517. Introduction to Physical Agent Modalities. 1 Unit.
Prepares the student for use of physical agent modalities with differential diagnoses in multiple practice settings. Discusses treatment goals and use of physical agent modalities within practice guidelines, assesses common practice techniques, explores regulations and safety, and reviews the process for obtaining advanced practice certification in physical agent modalities.
OCTH 521. Analysis and Intervention: Orthopedic. 3 Units.
Assesses common orthopedic conditions, including safe transfer techniques as well as training in the use of adaptive equipment. Emphasizes evaluation of findings and safety considerations of the client's condition and contexts in planning treatment.
OCTH 522. Analysis and Intervention: Behavioral Health. 3 Units.
Introduces assessments for common behavioral health diagnoses. Emphasizes designing and coordinating occupation-based and client-centered interventions. Demonstrates ability to facilitate groups, and implements de-escalation strategies. Applies wholistic approach in working with clients to promote health and participation in a variety of contexts.
OCTH 523. Analysis and Intervention: Neuroscience. 3 Units.
Introduces assessment of clients with common neurological disorders such as changes in cognitive, visual/perceptual, balance, and coordination skills. Includes conditions’ impacts on participation in occupations. Addresses safety and adaptation of tools, techniques, and the environment to client needs. Emphasizes treatment planning based on the synthesis of evaluation findings and safety considerations of clients’ conditions and contexts.
OCTH 524. Analysis and Intervention: Infants, Children, Youth. 3 Units.
Introduces analysis and treatment planning for common diagnoses and conditions of infants, children, and youth. Emphasizes design and coordination of evidence-based, client-centered interventions. Design and coordination of groups and family-centered care. Applies wholistic approach in working with clients to promote health and participation in a variety of contexts.
Prerequisite: OCTH 502.
OCTH 527. Analysis and Intervention: General Medicine. 3 Units.
Student synthesizes evaluation and assessments to develop intervention plans for clients with general medicine conditions, and to promote participation in occupations. Student demonstrates ability to safely transfer clients and to provide patient and family training; as well as ability to adapt tools, techniques, and environment.
OCTH 530. Introduction to Neuro Theories and Techniques. 3 Units.
Includes evidence-based current rehabilitation trends and best practices relevant to adult neurological rehabilitation. Emphasizes sensorimotor approaches to rehabilitation, CIMT, NDT, PNF, Rood, Brunnstrom, and clinical decision-making. Integrates neurologic and orthopedic rehabilitation strategies through activities of daily living.
Prerequisite: OCTH 506.
Corequisite: OCTH 512, OCTH 523.
OCTH 534. Introduction to Sensory Processing. 1 Unit.
Explores Ayres Sensory Integration theory and practice, assessment, and intervention to enable understanding and implementation of sensory integration and sensory processing through life span. Provides skill sets that occupational therapy practitioners use to promote roles and participation in areas of occupation such as activities of daily living, play, sleep, and education.
OCTH 535. Therapeutic Use of Technology. 1 Unit.
Broadens understanding of the varied terms for technology, with emphasis on virtual context of the occupation. Applies creative thinking to increase occupationally based treatment options, using technology through cases and hands-on use of everyday technology. Explores ways to join traditional and contemporary intervention strategies with everyday technologies within the virtual context.
OCTH 536. Lifestyle Medicine. 1 Unit.
Develops an understanding of the principles of lifestyle medicine and applications to the practice of occupational therapy in various settings to address chronic disease. Explores the pillars of lifestyle medicine and key interventions to optimize healthful living.
OCTH 537. Interprofessional Collaborations to Support Best Practice. 1 Unit.
Emphasizes the important roles of various health-care professionals in supporting client care and optimal functional outcomes. Explores interprofessional collaboration in various settings, scope of practice, and possibilities for entrepreneurial collaboration.
OCTH 545. Current Trends in Occupational Therapy Practice. 2 Units.
Provides an overview of current trends in the field of occupational therapy and health care. Topics may include issues related to health-care funding, policy, emerging practice areas, and health disparities.
OCTH 551. Occupation, Lifestyle, and Wellness. 2 Units.
Provides an understanding of the connections among occupation, occupational therapy practice, health management, lifestyle, and wellness by critically investigating research and theoretical perspectives. Leads to a better understanding of the uniqueness of an occupational perspective of health to support lifestyle and wellness in daily living.
OCTH 552. Professional Transition. 3 Units.
Provides the student with an opportunity to explore a variety of topics relevant to transitioning into occupational therapy professional practice. Preparation for national certification examination.
OCTH 560. Occupational Therapy Advocacy and Leadership. 3 Units.
Introduces business for occupational therapy practitioners, including financial statements and budgetary processes, marketing, management, and consultation. Emphasizes the use of strategic planning for decision-making processes of program development, productivity, and accountability. Introduces roles and responsibilities of leadership; and explores standards of practice, supervision, and advocacy options for populations and the profession.
OCTH 570. Critical Inquiry and Evidence-Based Practice I. 1 Unit.
Defines evidence-based practice (EBP) and its relevance to occupational therapy practice and professional growth. Describes steps to complete EBP and discusses common statistical methods used in occupational therapy research. Includes philosophical approaches to scientific inquiry, range of research designs, roles of variables, and ethics.
OCTH 574. Critical Inquiry and Evidence-Based Practice II. 3 Units.
Student develops and implements a scholarly research proposal by systematically identifying and investigating a problem, issue, or question of relevance to occupational therapy practice. Emphasizes writing skills and critical analysis in preparation of literature review, purpose, conceptual framework, proposed methodology, and data analysis for the Institutional Review Board proposal.
OCTH 575. Critical Inquiry and Evidence-based Practice III. 2 Units.
Student finalizes research proposal and implements a scholarly research project by systematically engaging in data collection, data management, and data analysis. Incorporates research ethics.
OCTH 576. Critical Inquiry and Evidence-based Practice IV. 2,3 Units.
Requires students to implement a scholarly research proposal by systematically analyzing data relevant to occupational therapy practice. Emphasizes synthesis of findings and writing a scholarly paper. M.O.T. students register for 3 units and O.T.D students register for 2 units.
Prerequisite: OCTH 574, OCTH 575.
OCTH 580. Capstone Planning I. 1 Unit.
Provides an overview of the capstone experience and project. Discusses the purpose and objectives of the capstone. Initiates the capstone proposal.
Prerequisite: OCTH 516, OCTH 527.
Corequisite: OCTH 721.
OCTH 581. Capstone Planning II: Proposal. 1 Unit.
Develops capstone proposal and alignment with program and profession. Identifies learning objectives and mentor.
Prerequisite: OCTH 580, OCTH 721.
OCTH 582. Capstone Experience and Project I. 3 Units.
Develops capstone experience in an individualized area. Student initiates 14-week capstone experience.
Prerequisite: OCTH 580, OCTH 581, OCTH 721, OCTH 722.
OCTH 583. Capstone Experience & Project II. 6 Units.
Develops capstone experience in an individualized area. Student initiates 14-week capstone experience.
Prerequisite: OCTH 582.
OCTH 584. Education in Occupational Therapy Practice. 3 Units.
Introduces the philosophical foundations of knowledge and learning theory. Prepares health professionals for the roles and expectations of education in academic and practice settings with an emphasis on patient education. Discusses instructional design, curriculum design, teaching skills, course development, patient education, and mentoring.
OCTH 585. Teaching and Learning Lab. 1 Unit.
Applies concepts of education and teaching, providing opportunities to serve as teaching assistants and mentors as well as develop curriculum and engage in assessment. Reviews clinical skills to support future roles as clinician and fieldwork educator.
Prerequisite: OCTH 584.
OCTH 586. Business & Entrepreneurship. 2 Units.
Introduces business for occupational therapy practitioners, including financial statements and budgetary processes, marketing, management, and consultation. Provides foundational skills for entrepreneurship and private practice.
Prerequisite: OCTH 560.
OCTH 598. Occupational Therapy Advanced Specialty Tracks. 1-3 Units.
Presents in-depth practice application in an area of occupational therapy. Opportunity to pursue various topics related to current trends. Develops advanced clinical skills, where appropriate.
OCTH 600. Occupational Science and Health Promotion. 3 Units.
Explores occupational science as an academic discipline and how it supports occupational therapy's role in health promotion. Utilizes theoretical perspectives and research to analyze and understand occupation's relationship to lifestyle, health, well-being, and prevention.
OCTH 601. Spirit of Diverse Abilities I. 3 Units.
Examines perspectives in order to view and understand the disability experience and the role of spirituality and occupational justice in practice. Emphasizes theoretical approaches. Discusses role of occupational therapy in social justice.
OCTH 602. Spirit of Diverse Abilities II. 3 Units.
Explores and discusses the experience of disability and occupational injustice. Explores and applies these concepts in relation to the profession of occupational therapy and the greater society. Students explore issues such as homelessness, diversity, disparity, and ethics.
Prerequisite: OCTH 601.
OCTH 604. Health, Society, and Participation. 3 Units.
Incorporates health and participation to integrate the individual, community, and greater society. Students engage in grant searching and grant writing. Discusses logic models and program. Emphasizes participatory research; program development; needs assessment; healing environments; social justice issues; global issues; World Health Organization; International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; AIDS; culture; and mission work in relation to the profession of occupational therapy.
OCTH 605. Education for Health Professionals. 3 Units.
Explores the philosophical foundations of knowledge and learning theory. Prepares health professionals for the roles and expectations of education in academic and practice settings. Discusses instructional design, media, student assessment, teaching skills, course development, mentoring, and curriculum design.
OCTH 606. Leadership for Health Professionals. 3 Units.
Explores leadership theory, administrative characteristics and strategies, professionalism, team facilitation, clinical reasoning, ethics, and advocacy. Students participate in legislative process and analyze international issues and social justice in relation to professional practice.
OCTH 632. Capstone I: Introduction to Theory & Research. 4 Units.
Introduces theoretical foundations and designs for research. Emphasizes skills necessary to plan and develop an independent research study. Grant-writing instruction for funding of capstone projects. Students design their capstone experience with guidance from the primary course instructor: identification of a focus area, objectives, goals, outcomes, onsite instructor, faculty mentor, and time frame.
OCTH 633. Capstone Proposal: IRB or Program Development. 4 Units.
Reflective discussions of research interests and experiences; and, proposed research design, planning, conceptual framework, methodology, and data analysis as preparation for development and eventual implementation of a research proposal or capstone activity. Focus on Institutional Review Board training and successful proposal submission.
Prerequisite: OCTH 632.
OCTH 634. Capstone II. 3 Units.
Continues the capstone project. Students complete a needs assessment and program development, data collection, data management techniques, and introduction to various data analysis strategies. Individual projects and activities vary.
OCTH 635. Capstone III. 4 Units.
Implements capstone approved in OCTH 634. Critical discussion of experiences and problem solving with classmates.
OCTH 636. Capstone IV. 4 Units.
Completes implementation aspects of capstone. Initiates preparation of a manuscript and participation in online critical discussions with classmates.
OCTH 637. Professional Publication and Dissemination. 4 Units.
A culmination course in which students reflect on their capstone experiences and complete their program development. Students prepare a professional manuscript to be submitted for publication. Critical discussion with peers regarding knowledge transference to impact individuals, society, the profession, and clinical practice.
Prerequisite: OCTH 636.
OCTH 699. Directed Study. 2,3 Units.
Student pursues an area of special interest under the direction of the faculty advisor. Topic must be approved by the occupational therapy department.
OCTH 701. Service in Occupational Therapy Practice. 1 Unit.
Explores philosophy of service and role of service learning to support student learning, reflection, sustainability, and community engagement. Encourages cultural competence and integrity in working with diverse populations. Explores community contexts and needs in regard to health, lifestyle, and wellness.
Prerequisite: AHCJ 510.
OCTH 702. Service Learning I. 3 Units.
Service learning experiences utilize active learning strategies that involve students in experience, reflection, sustainability, and civic engagement. Emphasizes needs assessment. Encourages collaboration with community partners and addresses the needs of the community through the development of the service learning project. Develops critical thinking and team-based learning skills.
OCTH 703. Service Learning II: Level I Fieldwork. 3 Units.
Supervised psychosocial fieldwork experience building on the service-learning project. Emphasizes application of knowledge, intervention planning and implementation, and outcome assessment. Encourages collaboration with community partners, and addresses needs of the community through the development of a service learning project. Develops critical thinking and practice skills.
Prerequisite: OCTH 702.
OCTH 710. Level I Fieldwork Psychosocial. 1 Unit.
Introduces students to the fieldwork experience though observation and supervised interaction in psychosocial settings, helping them apply knowledge to practice and develop an understanding of the needs of clients. Requires a minimum of 35 hours.
Prerequisite: OCTH 514, OCTH 522.
OCTH 711. Level I Fieldwork 1. 2 Units.
Observation and supervised interaction in clinical and/or community-based programs to introduce students to fieldwork experience, apply knowledge to practice, and develop understanding of the needs of clients.
OCTH 712. Level I Fieldwork. 1 Unit.
Observation and supervised interaction in clinical and/or community-based programs to introduce students to fieldwork experience, apply knowledge to practice, and develop understanding of the needs of clients.
OCTH 713. Level I Fieldwork. 1 Unit.
Supervised interaction in a school-based setting to allow student to apply knowledge to practice, and to develop understanding of client needs.
OCTH 721. Level II Fieldwork Experience 1. 8 Units.
A twelve-week (forty hours/week) supervised fieldwork experience in clinical and/or community-based programs. Emphasizes assessment, planning, treatment, problem solving, administration, and professionalism. Successful completion necessary before student is eligible to take the certification examination.
OCTH 722. Level II Fieldwork Experience 2. 8 Units.
A twelve-week (forty hours/week) supervised fieldwork experience in clinical and/or community-based programs. Emphasizes assessment, planning, treatment, problem solving, administration, and professionalism. Successful completion necessary before student is eligible to take the certification examination.
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