Pre-Occupational Therapy

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Occupational therapists are health care professionals trained to empower individuals to reach their own goals and to maximize their independence in personal care, work, school, play and leisure activities. They work with individuals of any age and in a variety of settings from neonatal intensive care units and other hospital settings, to community locations such as schools, work sites and homes. Occupational therapists are uniquely qualified to identify and assess the functional limitations of individuals with disabilities and to develop strategies to compensate for those limitations. These strategies include ways to overcome attitudinal and environmental barriers and to identify and improve access to assistive technology and services.

The pre-occupational therapy curriculum is designed to prepare students for admission to the USD, entry-level, Master of Science degree program in Occupational Therapy. Students are free to major in the discipline of their choice and complete the prerequisite coursework as part of their Bachelors degree work at USD. All students must have a strong foundation in the biological and behavioral sciences, excellent communication skills, and knowledge of the field of occupational therapy.

Additional information regarding the USD Occupational Therapy program is available by contacting: Department of Occupational Therapy, Room 309, Sanford Vermillion Medical Center 677-5600 (http://www.usd.edu/med/ot); Graduate School, 677-6287, (Slagle Hall, Room 107); Academic Advising Center, 677-5381 (Arts and Science, Room 20); or Health Professions Advisor, 677-5156 (Julian Hall).

http://admissions.usd.edu/academics/majors/pre-health-professions.cfm

RECOMMENDED CURRICULUM

Pre-Occupational Therapy students must complete the following USD prerequisite coursework or their equivalent for enrollment in the USD Occupational Therapy Program. A minimum of 18 of the 27 required semester hours must be completed prior to application. One course may not fulfill the requirement for multiple prerequisite courses. All prerequisite courses must be completed prior to matriculation into the program.

Official scores from the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) are also required. A minimum combined score of 950 is preferred. The results of the GRE may not be more than 5 years old.

Biology (6 semester hours):

Human Physiology for Allied Health Professionals (6 semester hours with lab):

Introductory Sociology or Anthropology (3 semester hours)

Statistics (3 semester hours):

Physics (4 semester hours with lab)

Recommended but not required.