Utah Occupational Therapy Degrees

By allied health world contributing writer
Published: January, 21 2010

Education Requirements for Occupational Therapists in Utah

To enter into an occupational therapy program in Utah, applicants must have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in prerequisite Utah occupational therapy courses.  Some of the prerequisite courses include Human Anatomy with a lab or Human Physiology, Human Growth and Development, Physics, Advanced CPR, Psychology, Sociology, Statistics, Technical Writing, Medical Terminology, and Studio Arts, plus fieldwork.

Additional courses, which aren’t required, but are recommended, include Kinesiology or Biomechanics, word processing and Internet usage.
  
While the specific courses included in an OT curriculum can vary from institution to institution, a sample curriculum might be 30-32 hours each year and include:
           
First year – Senior year of BS degree in Occupational Therapy which can include “The Body as a Component of Occupation,” “Conditions that Impact Occupation,” History & Foundations of OT,” “Neuroanatomy,” “Occupation Performance & Psychosocial Issues,” and Research in OT.”  This year usually includes Professional Seminars.
              
Second year – OT and Practicum Theory, Skills and Evaluation, “Applied Research,” additional Professional Seminars and a Clinical Internship.
              
Third year – “Tech as Part of Occupation,” “Occupational Aging & Wellness,” “Leadership & Management in Practice,” “Cognition,” “Disability Studies,” an OT Graduate Project, Professional Seminars and another Clinical Internship. 
  
Check out the course catalog for the course offerings at each specific university.