Curriculum

The Master of Occupational Therapy program is delivered in a hybrid format, combining online coursework with required on-campus intensive learning 3 weeks per semester. The curriculum consists of 66 credit hours and is completed in 2.5 years.

Shawnee State University’s Master of Occupational Therapy program aims to provide a “flexible learning environment” to develop lifelong critical thinkers and problem solvers. “Learning by doing” facilitates the development of essential knowledge and skills to meet the current and future occupational needs of society. Graduates will value occupation and ethics and use evidence-based practice to holistically serve all people, populations, and communities, demonstrating respect for diversity and actions of inclusion within the profession and the populations served. This unique approach of “learning by doing” is cultivated from the occupational therapy profession’s foundation that “places occupation at the center of all learning” (Hooper et al., 2015).

• The SSU MOT program emphasizes a flexible hybrid learning environment rooted in adult learning theory (Knowles, 1971), and places occupation at the core of teaching and learning.
• The curriculum is built on the core belief in the occupational nature of humans, aligning with the OT profession's philosophy and values.
• Students engage in experiential, hands-on learning (“learning by doing”) integrated with reflection to develop clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills.
• Curricular design is scaffolded to progressively build knowledge, application, and integration across courses and learning experiences.
• Three curricular themes are threaded throughout the program:
  1. Occupational Nature of Humans – foundational to the OT profession and addressed across all coursework.
  2. Evidence-Based Practice – integrated into research and clinical decision-making.
  3. Professionalism – including ethics, advocacy, and cultural competence.

Curriculum:

Curricular Themes & Learner Outcomes

Shawnee State’s MOT program emphasizes a collaborative teaching–learning process that encourages students to actively engage in their own professional development. Course assessments are designed not only to measure understanding but also to promote:

• The development of new knowledge supporting the use of occupation
• The application of evidence-based clinical reasoning
• A commitment to lifelong learning
• The advancement of professional knowledge and skills

At the program level, broad learner outcomes are defined as program outcomes and aligned with the three curricular themes of the curriculum. More specific objectives are embedded within individual courses, ensuring that learning builds progressively toward professional competence.