School of Occupational Therapy: Program
Established in 1984, Pacific University is the first and only professional occupational therapy school in the state of Oregon. The School of Occupational Therapy offers a 31 month entry-level master's degree program.
The curriculum consists of academic and laboratory experiences integrated with both part-time and full-time professional fieldwork. Entrance to the program is in the fall semester only; all courses and fieldwork are taken sequentially and completed prior to graduation.
After successful completion of all requirements for the degree, the student is eligible to take the National Board of Certification for Occupational Therapists (NBCOT) certification examination. Upon successful completion of this examination, the examinee becomes a nationally registered occupational therapist, certified for practice and eligible for state licensure.
The School of Occupational Therapy's distinctive clinical education program involves three components beginning with practicum experiences in the community and progressing to Level I and Level II fieldwork experiences(over 32 weeks of full-time fieldwork education). The three Level II fieldwork experiences are opportunities to apply academic learning to the practice of occupational therapy in a variety of practice arenas such as developmental disabilities, mental health, physical rehabilitation, home health, and geriatrics.
The School of Occupational Therapy affiliates with numerous facilities within the Portland Metropolitan area, Oregon and the United States. Students collaborate with the faculty to select their Level I and Level II fieldwork experiences. New clinical sites are continually added in order to provide variety and quality to the student's clinical experience.