Program Description
Tarleton State University’s OTD program proposal reflects the institution’s focus on creating a healthier North Central Texas, especially in rural, underserved communities. Tarleton State University has the distinct honor of being recognized for its commitment to enhance and increase the health care practitioner pipeline for rural communities in Texas as a recipient of $90 million in funding for structural and professional educations (Texas State Bill 52, 2022). The OTD program is part of the healthcare expansion at Tarleton State University. The receipt of these funds reflects a commitment to filling local, state and national jobs and community needs, targeting rural populations specifically.
Tarleton’s OTD program is unique as it will train students to practice, advocate and lead while preparing them to meet rural, underserved health care needs. Graduates trained as OT practitioners at Tarleton State will also have the unique skills to innovate and create new opportunities in health care, service and business within local, rural or underserved communities.
Rural & Underserved Client Focus
As part of the state of Texas’s ongoing commitment to rural health disparities and accessibility challenges, the rural focused course track exists to provide an enhanced, reflective and transformative experience on the needs of those in medically underserved communities. Specific to occupational therapy practice, this four-semester continuous course provides a comprehensive range of experiences to provide deeper understanding and development of strategies for rural health initiatives including access to occupational therapy services and expansion of mental health services in the community. Requirements for study will include understanding health care disparities in rural and/or urban underserved settings, public health and social determinants within rural health care and developing innovative service delivery models with available resources.
Course 1: OTHS 6115: Populations & Context
Course 2: OTHS 6125: Service Delivery & Access
Course 3: OTHS 6135: Groups & Innovation
Course 4: OTHS 6145: Outcomes Measures and Funding
Mental Health & Rural Occupational Therapy Practice
Occupational therapy practitioners are holistic providers of care. As part of the studies at Tarleton State University’s OT Program, the student will engage in coursework that takes a deeper dive into understanding the distinct and unique clients in rural and underserved populations. Over 3 million people live in rural Texas and many live in communities where significant disparities in rural mental health occur (Texas A&M, 2021). Federal authorities designate that 75% of the counties identified as rural in the state of Texas are underserved and have health care shortages (Texas Rural Health Association, 2021)
The students committed to the OTD Program at Tarleton State will be engaged in innovative, meaningful studies in rural health care services, including mental health programming. Courses that will integrate the intentional and targeted instruction and application of rural health service delivery and practice include but are not limited to:
Rural Underserved Population Courses
- Course 1: OTHS 6115: Populations & Context
- Course 2: OTHS 6125: Service Delivery & Access
- Course 3: OTHS 6135: Groups & Innovation
- Course 4: OTHS 6145: Outcomes Measures and Funding
Interdisciplinary Studies Courses
- Course 1: OTHS 6114
- Course 2: OTHS 6124
Program Development & Leadership
- Program Developmental & Wellness
- Occupational Therapy Leadership
Mental Health & Practice Coursework
- OTHS 6304: Mental Illness & Abnormal Psychology
- OTHS 6330: Occupations and Rehabilitation in Mental Health & Community
- OTHS 6233: Mental Health Professional Practice & Fieldwork 1
Interdisciplinary Studies
The OTD Program offers interdisciplinary engagement with various professional students, instructors and providers. A two series course will focus on care coordination, case management, transitions, referrals, and intra and interprofessional collaborations among team members. As part of study, student will have experience in clinical practice communication, conflict resolution, problem solving, critical thinking and clinical reasoning among teams. As part of the coursework, the student will refine communicating and understanding the distinct value of occupational therapy practice in interdisciplinary teams.
Course 1: OTHS 6114
Course 2: OTHS 6124
Electives
Students will have an opportunity to engage in specialty electives based on faculty availability and expertise. Some options for electives are below. Students must complete at least one elective course to meet the required credits for the OTD degree. Electives are offered during the second year of study.
Occupational Therapy Advanced Practice Electives
- OTHS 6234 OTP: School Based
- OTHS 6235 OTP: Acute Care
- OTHS 6236 OTP: Advanced Hands & Orthotics
- OTHS 6237 OTP: NICU
- OTHS 6239 OTP: International Experiential (OT Focused Study Abroad – Spring Break)
Interdisciplinary Focused Elective: Lifestyle Medicine
Tarleton State is proud to offer a course in Lifestyle Medicine that serves as a starting for students seeking to obtain a Lifestyle Medicine Certification upon becoming a licensed professional. This course is formally approved by Lifestyle Medicine to meet the required credentials to receive credit toward certification and serves as the “Academic Pathway Waiver”.
- OTHS 6238 Lifestyle Medicine for Rehabilitation
Curriculum Design
Graduates from Tarleton State University’s OTD program will be uniquely and intentionally prepared, by their experiences at an interdisciplinary facility at the College of Health Sciences, to practice within interdisciplinary teams as leaders and innovators in current and emerging practice settings with a strong focus evidenced-based occupational therapy with underrepresented and rural populations within the community.
Four curriculum threads are intertwined and integrated into the OTD program at Tarleton State. 1) Occupational Framework and Practice, 2) Holistic, Community Based Service, 3) Ethical Professional Behaviors and 4) Knowledge Translation. The four curriculum threads organize and guide learning outcomes that are essential within the profession for our learners.
Learners are provided with a broad-based foundation for entry level, generalist practice (AOTA, 2023). The program’s education goals prepare students in basic social, human and mathematical foundations required to build clinical skills and competencies needed to practice evidenced-based occupational therapy services. Through personal and professional reflection and transformative experiences, learners advance towards professional, leadership and scholarly identities. Coursework is organized to prepare learners to identify and predict occupational needs, interventions and outcomes using an occupation-centered approach (AOTA, 2017). As learners advance in coursework, they begin to develop specialized skills to strengthen understanding and integration of evidence and ethical practice.
Learning activities and classroom experiences highlight interdisciplinary teams and the unique contribution occupational therapy provides. Learning activities focus on introduction and practice within the OT Practice Framework and understanding the client’s complexities through occupational identity. Various experiential learning, fieldwork and capstone experiences allow students to participate firsthand in environments and contexts, including traditional and emerging practice settings. Using a transformative learning approach, faculty incorporate numerous teaching methods in their courses including, but not limited to: active learning, engaging discussions and reflective practice, technological integration and use, multi-modal assessments, and inspiring inquiry through experiences.
All classrooms are created using supportive learning environments with learner-centered course content.
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). (2017). Philosophical base of occupational therapy. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 71(Suppl. 2).
Technical & Practical Standards for OTD Students
Generalized Occupational Therapy Job Description
“Within the AOTA OTPF–4, occupational therapy is defined as the therapeutic use of everyday life occupations with persons, groups, or populations (i.e., the client) for the purpose of enhancing or enabling participation. Occupational therapy practitioners use their knowledge of the transactional relationship among the client, the client’s engagement in valuable occupations, and the context to design occupation-based intervention plans. Occupational therapy services are provided for habilitation, rehabilitation, and promotion of health and wellness for clients with disability- and non–disability-related needs. These services include acquisition and preservation of occupational identity for clients who have or are at risk for developing an illness, injury, disease, disorder, condition, impairment, disability, activity limitation, or participation restriction” (AOTA, 2020).
Technical & Practical Requirements
As a student in the Tarleton State OTD Program, the listed requirements can provide guidance for students as they consider any necessary, reasonable accommodations. A reasonable accommodation is intended to reduce the effects that a disability may have on a student’s performance. Accommodations do not lower course standards or alter degree requirements. After reviewing the Technical and Practice requirements, it is student’s responsibility to initiate the accommodations process via Tarleton State’s Disability Services.
The listed skills should be performed effectively, efficiently, safely and reliably in the classroom, lab, community and/or fieldwork site.
The provided list reflects multiple, collaborative sources that summarize a general understanding of OT student and practitioner expectations. This list is not exclusive and additional behaviors may be required in OT practice and classroom settings.
References to “client” are representative of the OTPF definition.
Communication & Professional Behaviors
The student must perform communication and professional behaviors effectively, efficiently, safely and reliably in the classroom, lab, community and/or fieldwork site.
- Demonstrate effective and clear communication in all communities – adjusting communication based on environment, setting and message
- Collaborate effectively and respectfully with a variety of team members and clients.
- Engage in supervisory roles effectively and appropriately.
- Demonstrate openness to adjust behaviors or communication based on feedback of others.
- Use appropriate language for client or classroom groups to facilitate discussion, interviewing or engagement.
- Employ therapeutic use of self and therapeutic communication, as appropriate, when engaging with clients
- Assert oneself to communicate personal needs, client needs, or client engagements.
- Establish clear boundaries and expectations within client and teams.
- Demonstrate competencies needed to use technologies as effectively and efficiently to communicate required expectations (classroom and clinic).
- Identify and present one’s self identity as a professional – including dress, appearance, confidence, demeanor.
- Consistently engage in appropriate professional behaviors including: flexibility, dependability, punctuality, preparedness and other required workplace behaviors.
- Cope and adapt to stressful or challenging situations.
- Effectively work in environments with a variety of client including but not limited to exposure to: communicable diseases, psychiatric illness, body fluids, response to pain, grief, stress, terminal illness, disability, etc.
- Observe and obtain relevant client information to complete evaluation, intervention and discharge processes – including non-verbal communication
- Maintain and exercise ethical practice and behaviors.
- Manage time and produce all work as expected within work setting, including classroom, fieldwork and capstone settings.
Performance Skill Requirements: Motor & Sensory
- Sustain upright position for two hours at a time for 8-10 work period.
- Tolerate, engage and endure physical activity for 8-10 work period.
- Demonstrate balance, strength and coordination necessary to manipulate client’s whole body during the OT process.
- Tolerate physical contact and physical interventions/manipulation with other humans. Respond appropriately to instructional feedback, as needed.
- Demonstrate efficient and effective mobility and movements to navigate instruction, treatment, or community areas.
- Demonstrate appropriate control, strength, coordination, and sensory function to be able manipulate and utilize basic occupational therapy equipment, therapeutic activities and intervention methods including self-care, work and leisure; use of limbs and trunk sufficient for balancing, bending, twisting, squatting, kneeling, reaching, crawling, pushing, pulling, holding, extending and rotation in academic learning and client treatment environments.
- Vision and auditory acuity necessary to respond to changes in client responses, environment or be alerted to safety concerns.
- Respond quickly, accurately, calmly and effectively to safety situations, including all motor, communication and sensory skills required.
Performance Skill Requirements: Cognitive
- Acquire, process, retain and apply relevant knowledge through multiple instructional methods.
- Complete readings, assignments, discussions, and major responsibilities in an organized and timely fashion. Analyze journal articles to discover evidence based connections and applications.
- Process and apply large amounts of complex information and theorical concepts in order to engage in the OT process.
- Engage in and process complex, multiple inputs within the classroom and treatment areas (judging safety, moving equipment, fabricating assistive technology, manipulating and supporting patient movements, etc.)
- Participate meaningfully and appropriate in group settings including group process, leadership opportunities, collaborative and cooperative learning.
- Maintain attention and focus for 2-4 hours as a time during an 8-10 hour day.
- Apply and participate in safety protocols and adjust and respond as required given demands.
- Apply and engage in clinical reasoning, critical thinking and judgement required for patient safety and participation in the OT process.
- Create and implement appropriate client plans via the OT process.
- Comply consistently with safety and requirements set forth in labs, classrooms, community and fieldwork.
Sample OTD Course Study Plan
Fixed Sequence of Courses: The sequence of courses for the Entry-level OTD program is fixed. The OTD Program cycle starts in the summer. Professional courses are sequential, integrated among other courses, and offered only once a year. Exact semester dates align with the Tarleton State Academic Calendar.
A student is considered to be enrolled full-time in a semester when the student has registered for 12–15 credits. All courses have OTHS identifiers.
Year 1
Summer Semester 1
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 6100 | Introduction to OT Practice & Science of Occupation | 1 |
| 6101 | Medical Terminology | 1 |
| 6102 | Lifespan Occupations | 1 |
| 6303 | Biomechanics in OT Practice | 3 |
| 6304 | Abnormal Psychology in OT Practice | 3 |
| 6305 | Neuroscience in OT Practice | 3 |
| Total: | 12 |
Fall Semester 2
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 6210 | Occupations, Foundations & Activity Analysis | 2 |
| 6311 | Occupations and Rehabilitation for the Adult Population | 3 |
| 6312 | Assistive Technology & Accessibility for the Adult Population | 3 |
| 6213 | Evidence Based Practice & Scholarship 1: Evidence Synthesis | 2 |
| 6114 | Interdisciplinary Practice 1 | 1 |
| 6115 | Rural Practice: Population & Context | 1 |
| Total: | 12 |
Spring Semester 3
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 6220 | Advanced Occupations, Foundations & Activity Analysis | 2 |
| 6321 | Occupations and Rehabilitation for the Pediatric Population | 3 |
| 6322 | Advanced Assistive Technology and Accessibility for the Pediatric Population | 3 |
| 6223 | Evidence Based Practice & Scholarship 2: Qualitative Studies | 2 |
| 6124 | Interdisciplinary Practice 2 | 1 |
| 6125 | Rural Practice: Delivery & Accessibility | 1 |
| Total: | 12 |
Year 2
Summer Semester 4
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 6231 | Occupational Therapy Specialty Practice | 2 |
| 6240 | Occupational Therapy Entrepreneurship and Business | 2 |
| 6241 | Program Development, Prevention & Wellness in OT Practice | 2 |
| 6242 | Teaching & Learning in OT Practice | 2 |
| 6243 | Occupational Therapy Leadership | 2 |
| 6135 | Rural Practice: Groups & Innovations | 1 |
| Total: | 11 |
Fall Semester 5
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 6330 | Occupations and Rehabilitation in Mental Health & Community | 3 |
| 6233 | Mental Health Professional Practice & Level 1 | 2 |
| 6244 | Fieldwork Preparation & Clinical Competencies | 2 |
| 6232 | Evidence Based Practice & Scholarship 3: Quantitative Studies | 2 |
| 623X | Selected Elective | 2 |
| 6145 | Rural Practice: Outcomes & Funding | 1 |
| 6146 | Capstone Prep 1: Needs Assessment | 1 |
| Total: | 13 |
Spring Semester 6
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 6691 | Fieldwork A | 6 |
| 6251 | Capstone Prep 2: Literature Review | 2 |
| Total: | 8 |
Year 3
Summer Semester 7
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 6692 | Fieldwork B | 6 |
| 6261 | Capstone Prep 3: Project Design Experimental Plan | 2 |
| Total: | 8 |
Fall Semester 8
| Course # | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| 6880 | Capstone Experience | 8 |
| 6280 | Capstone Prep 4: Evaluation & Dissemination | 2 |
| Total: | 10 |
This degree totals 86 credits.