The vision of the Department of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science is to be a national leader in the development of occupational therapy practitioners and occupational scientists who improve the health and occupational lives of individuals, communities and populations.
The Department of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science cultivates competent, ethical, and empathic occupational therapists and occupational scientists who are leaders, scholars and advocates. This is achieved through innovative teaching, active learning experiences, and dynamic community partnerships.
Revised and Approved by Faculty on August 19, 2015
For more than 35 years, Towson University has been graduating successful candidates to become certified occupational therapists. Our graduates are employed in a variety of settings in direct services, consultation, program development, education, research, health policy, and health care administration.
Baltimore is a place of historical significance for the origins of the profession. Students are able to obtain clinical experiences in these historical sites: John Hopkins Hospital (former home of Eleanor Clark Slagle, one of the founders of the profession) and Sheppard Enoch Pratt Hospital (workplace of William Rush Dunton, another founder of the profession).
The Department of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science is equipped with modern classrooms, learning laboratories and a resource center, which includes research software.
Students also have the opportunity to apply skills and knowledge through the College of Health Professions Institute for Well-Being (I.W.B.) at 7400 York Road in Towson. The Occupational Therapy Center in the I.W.B. opened in September of 2012. The Center provides services for community members to enhance their independence and quality of life. It offers programs that extend services beyond those found in a traditional medical system.
1974 - Occupational Therapy Department opened (BS OT)
1982 - Post-Professional MS Program initiated
1990 - Professional Master's Program initiated
2000 - Doctoral Program in Occupational Science (ScD) launched
2001 - Combined Bachelor's/Master's Program initiated
2018 - Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate launched
2019 - Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate initiated
Our applied doctoral degree in occupational science is designed to prepare graduates to assume key roles in teaching, research, and/or clinical practice. The emphasis is to enhance the health of society through the application of knowledge gained through the advanced study of occupational science.
The program prepares individuals through in-depth study of human occupation for use in supporting advances in clinical practices, including therapeutic intervention, teaching and research. Full- and part-time study is available.