Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy is a profession as diverse, unlimited, and creative as the people it serves. When you work as an Occupational Therapist, you use the "occupations" of work and productive activities, play, leisure, social participation and self-care to teach skills to physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabled clients, leading them to full participation in independent, satisfying lives. You'll design therapies as basic as bathing, dressing or eating, or as complex as operating a computer with modified control switches. As diverse as these therapies are, they will all share two common goals; promoting full engagement in everyday life and preventing disease and illness.

Many occupational therapists work in hospitals, but you might choose a career in the growing areas of occupational health, prevention and wellness programs, community-based programs, and technology. In a school, you could serve children with disabilities, improving their performance as students. Working within home health organizations, you could help people function more independently in their homes after illness or injury. In industrial settings, you could assist injured workers in returning to their jobs, or contribute to the prevention of injuries through job design. In a community setting, you could design services to promote health, participation, and function in an aging adult's own neighborhood. The rewards and possibilities are endless!

Program Overview

The UWM OT program has a rich history in Occupational Therapy education. Historically, the first OT program in the country was established here in 1918, on what is now UWM campus. Our faculty hold Ph.D. degrees, and five have earned the esteemed Fellow status in the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). US News and World Report has ranked the UWM CHS Occupational Therapy Graduate program among the leading programs in the U.S. Our graduates enter the profession and move into challenging positions with room for advancement.

Students in the BS/MS Professional-Entry Program will first complete the degree requirements for the Occupational Studies Bachelor of Science and will proceed directly into the Professional-Entry Track of the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program. The final two years of the Occupational Studies program combined with the 36 credit MS in OT comprises the Professional-Entry Program, which includes six months of full-time fieldwork and a capstone experience (comprehensive examination, project or thesis). The professional program in occupational therapy is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).

If you are interested in the Occupational Therapy Professional-Entry Program at UWM, College of Health Sciences, please contact undergraduate advisor, Katie Koncki to help you in determining appropriate prerequisite undergraduate coursework and with the application process. She can be reached at katiek@uwm.edu

Degrees & Certificates
B.S. Occupational Studies
M.S. Occupational Therapy
    Professional Entry Track
    Post-Professional Track
Ph.D. in Health Sciences
Certificates
Assistive Technology & Accessible Design
Ergonomics
Therapeutic Recreation