Occupational Therapy

About the Occupational Therapy Program at Temple University

The Occupational Therapy Program is housed in the College of Health Professions and Social Work at Temple University. Located on the Health Sciences Campus, centered at Broad and Ontario Streets in North Philadelphia. The College of Health Professions also includes the departments of Communication Sciences, Health Information Management, Nursing, and Physical Therapy, Public Health, and Rehabilitation Sciences. CHPSW shares the Health Sciences campus with the School of Dentistry, the School of Pharmacy, and the School of Medicine as well as Temple University Hospital, Temple University Children's Medical Center, and Shriner’s Hospital for Children.

The Occupational Therapy Program has six full time faculty. The department offers two degree programs, the Master of Occupational Therapy (M.O.T.) and the post-professional doctorate in occupational therapy (D.O.T) as well as post-professional specialty certificates. The M.O.T. program is for individuals with a baccalaureate degree in a related field. Accepted students begin the M.O.T. program in July. The post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy program is open to applicants who are certified as occupational therapists and who hold Masters degrees. Information on the admissions process can be found under each program's section of the website.

Temple University's programs in Occupational Therapy have been renowned for the clinical expertise its graduates bring to the professional setting for the past 35 years. We are recognized as a leader in Occupational Therapy education. We are ranked in the top programs in this country, by US News and World Reports.

The entry-level occupational therapy master's degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. ACOTE's telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certificiation examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. 

Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy identifies and addresses the aspects of injury or disability that prevent people from performing essential tasks or engaging in activities that are meaningful to them. Activities and adaptation are used to improve function, performance, independence and quality of life. Graduates of the Master Of Occupational Therapy program are qualified to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy examination leading to the designation Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR).The Master of Science attracts practicing therapists and provide specialized training and research into areas that include assistive technology, pediatrics, gerontology, and disability studies.

Mission

Temple University’s Occupational Therapy Program is committed to excellence and providing an accessible, affordable, professional education to a widely diverse student population. Through a curriculum rich in theory, research, reflective and critical thinking, the Occupational Therapy Program prepares students for clinical leadership, lifelong learning and evolution as professionals responsive to the changing needs of society.

Philosophy

Temple University’s Occupational Therapy Program is based on the belief that humans are occupational beings able to maximize their health and quality of life when engaged in meaningful activity. Throughout the life cycle, biological, psychological, social or environmental factors may interrupt the adaptive occupational process and create dysfunction. Occupational therapy empowers individuals to overcome dysfunction, make choices regarding occupational engagement, and optimize function and quality of life over the life span. The curriculum reflects the spectrum of occupational therapy theory and practice.

Accreditations
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of
the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4120 Montgomery Lane, PO Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220.  ACOTE's telephone # c/o AOTA is 301-652-AOTA (2682).