At the University of Southern Indiana, we promote academic and professional excellence by preparing students to become credentialed occupational therapy practitioners at the entry level. At the time of their graduation the student will have acquired an educational founded in liberal arts and sciences and has been exposed to a variety of service models and systems that are commonly used in the current occupational therapy service delivery. The student will have an understanding of the importance of diversity in the delivery of interventions to assigned populations. The student will be articulate in adherence to ethical standards, values and attitudes of occupational therapy practice.

ACOTE Standards

B.10.0. FIELDWORK EDUCATION
Fieldwork education is a crucial part of the preparation of the occupational therapy assistant and is best integrated as a component of the curriculum design. Fieldwork experiences should be implemented and evaluated for their effectiveness by the educational institution. The experience should provide the student with the opportunity to carry out professional responsibilities under supervision and for role modeling. The academic fieldwork coordinator is responsible for the program’s compliance with fieldwork education requirements. The academic fieldwork coordinator will...

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Program Philosophy

The faculty members of the Occupational Therapy Program at the University of Southern Indiana hold the following beliefs about the person, occupational therapy, and education. These beliefs are congruent with the mission of the University of Southern Indiana and serve as the foundation for the curriculum and selection of instructional methods and practices.

Each person is a unique, active, and complex being of worth and dignity. Human behavior consists of a dynamic interaction between the individual, the environment in which he/she functions and occupational demands. An individual is holistic in nature and shares with other human performance skills, patterns, and areas of occupation (activities of daily living, work and productive activities, and play or leisure) across a variety of contexts...

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Partnership in Education

Fieldwork is an important component to our OTA student’s academic experience.
Sites collaborate with the USI OTA program and facilitate learning by:
• Building on the previous levels of knowledge and coursework provided by offering practical hands on experiences to students.