Mission
The Department of OT provides contemporary practice content and innovative instructional approaches to prepare graduates to be leading, inclusive, transformative OT practice scholars who advance the profession and improve community health and wellbeing.
Vision
To produce resilient learners who reflect the diverse populations of Arizona and who will become leaders, change agents, and practice scholars.
Change Agent: A change agent is someone who facilitates innovation to improve the health and well-being of individuals, groups, organizations, or population.
Leader: A leader is a role model who listens empathetically and promotes the development and growth of others.
Practice Scholar: A Practice Scholar promotes scholarly endeavors that will describe and interpret the scope of the profession, establish new knowledge, and apply this knowledge to practice.
Curricular Concepts
The doctor of occupational therapy program is expected to reduce the program length by 1 semester (totaling 2 years plus capstone) pending NAU approval in December, 2024, and publication of the AY25-26 catalog in March, 2025. Please check back for the latest information.
To ensure curriculum outcomes, the six major threads are integrated throughout our curriculum.
1. Foundations of the OT Process Accordion Closed
- The core professional knowledge, philosophies and theories supporting the occupational therapy profession and its practice.
- The fundamental therapeutic skills and strategies underlying the delivery of occupational therapy across contexts.
2. Client Factors & Performance Skills for Participation Accordion Closed
- The fundamental human scientific and medical knowledge supporting the occupational therapy practice.
3. OT Intervention Series Accordion Closed
- Specific evidence-based assessment & intervention approaches that support occupational performance.
4. Scholarship & Leadership for OT Practice Accordion Closed
- The use and creation of scholarly work to inform practice. Includes the development of the transformative practice-scholar roles across a variety of contexts.
5. Fieldwork Education Series Accordion Closed
- A series of hands-on learning experiences through level I and level II fieldwork rotations to ensure readiness for the capstone experience.
6. Capstone Experience Accordion Closed
- The capstone is designed to demonstrate integration of advanced knowledge as transformative practice scholars.