Program Information
Occupational therapy is a health and rehabilitation profession. Occupational therapists provide services to individuals of all ages who have physical, developmental, emotional, and/or social deficits. Occupational therapists practice in public and private schools, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, hand therapy clinics, home health agencies, and in private practice.
USAHS offers an alternative path to the MOT degree through the Flex MOT format. This format combines online coursework with virtual and on-campus labs in an entry-level program designed for the student who is unable to attend classes on campus during the week per the Residential format.
The Flex format represents an expansion of the campus-based Residential MOT format currently in place at USAHS. The Residential and Flex formats share a common mission and curriculum while the delivery format, length of program, and number of credits per term differs. The Flex prerequisites, admission requirements, academic calendar, and policies are the same as the campus-based format.
Mission Statement
The mission of the University’s Flex MOT program is to graduate occupational therapy practitioners who have the skills necessary to analyze human occupation and to implement science-driven and evidence-based interventions that promote quality of life for the clients who they will serve.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the Flex MOT program, graduates will demonstrate the ability to
- implement strategies consistent with being a reflective practitioner when developing personal and professional goals;
- apply competencies for effective interprofessional, intraprofessional, and community stakeholder collaborations;
- design programs and interventions that address occupational barriers through effective clinical reasoning;
- demonstrate effective verbal and written communication of occupational therapy services;
- practice principles of inclusive, ethical, and professional behaviors;
- demonstrate leadership skills needed for effective advancement of the profession;
- apply knowledge of current evidence to effectively inform the therapeutic process.
Program Prerequisites
See Admissions, Records, and Registration for prerequisites and application information.
Delivery of Coursework
The Flex MOT format is 93 credits and offered over nine trimesters. More than 50% of the coursework is delivered online. The online courses consist of web-based text with extensive graphics, videos, and audio clips. There are opportunities for faculty-to-student and student-to-student synchronous and asynchronous interactive collaboration. Assessment of online learning outcomes includes a variety of evaluation tools depending on the course outcomes, such as (1) regular quizzes completed online, (2) graded bulletin board assignments, (3) case reports, (4) group projects, (5) research papers, and (6) article critiques.
Austin, TX and Miami, FL Campuses
In courses with a lab component, students come together on campus for up to 16 hours of laboratory classes per selected weekends during a 15-week trimester. The campus lab sessions provide an avenue for teaching activities not well suited for online delivery, such as the hands-on learning that is vital to occupational therapy education, as well as oral presentations, lab practical testing, and socialization activities. These sessions are complemented with a limited number of virtual weekend labs in some trimesters. Additionally, students are expected to make arrangements for other academic activities, including online exams and office hours, at times other than during lab weekends.
St. Augustine, FL and San Marcos, CA Campuses
In courses with a lab component, live virtual sessions are held up to two weekday evenings each week, and students come together on campus twice per trimester for extended three- to five-day weekends. The campus lab sessions provide an avenue for teaching activities not well suited for online delivery, such as the hands-on learning that is vital to occupational therapy education, as well as oral presentations, lab practical testing, and socialization activities. Additionally, students are expected to make arrangements for other academic activities, including online exams and office hours, at times other than during lab weekends.
All Campuses
At the end of the program, students in Flex MOT complete two full-time fieldwork experiences that are each 12 weeks in length. Generally, this portion of the curriculum is completed with full-time attendance by the Flex MOT student although alternate arrangements can be made when this is not possible. Flex MOT students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of all prior didactic portions of the program.
The University reserves the right to delay the start of the cohort group by one trimester to combine with the following group.
For further information about accreditation contact Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, Telephone (301) 652-6611, www.acoteonline.org.
Degree Requirements
Students must meet the following program requirements to complete the MOT degree and be eligible for graduation:
Students must submit an application for graduation by the deadline for the term in which they anticipate completing all degree requirements. Students should see Commencement Ceremony and Graduation for information on University graduation requirements, participation in commencement, and degree conferral.
Standard Occupational Classification codes for which program is intended to prepare graduates: Occupational Therapist (29-1122); Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary (25-1071)
California OT Licensure
As of the date of publication of the catalog/handbook, in order to be eligible for professional licensure as an Occupational Therapist in California, Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) or Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program graduates must hold a degree from an accredited Occupational Therapy program. MOT/OTD graduates that are applying for licensure in the state of California are required to submit the CA application for OT licensure, application fee, Proof of Passing Exam from the NBCOT and submit an official transcript showing MOT or OTD degree to the California Board of Occupational Therapy.
Washington State Residents
The Flex MOT program satisfies the educational requirements for licensure in Washington state.
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