Curriculum

Each student begins with six core courses focused on developing advanced knowledge to critically analyze research, effectively lead and manage organizations, and advocate for and affect change within current delivery systems. Students will explore the interaction of public health and occupational therapy to build the capacity to provide equity-minded, culturally-relevant, and community-centered services to individuals and populations across the lifespan.

Students can select any 3 of the available elective courses to fulfill the 9-credit elective requirement. By taking all three courses within one practice area, students can earn an academic concentration that will appear on their transcript.

Pediatric Concentration

Students in this concentration explore the crucial role of occupational therapy in promoting development, participation, and well-being in pediatric populations. The curriculum builds upon foundational knowledge, focusing on the appraisal and application of evidence-based practices and current approaches in various settings, including early intervention, school-based practice, and with individuals with autism spectrum disorder. The concentration emphasizes health equity and sociocultural considerations to ensure occupational therapy services are inclusive, client-centered, and strengths-based.

Adult Rehabilitation Concentration

This concentration delves into the effects of physical disability and chronic disease on participation and quality of life. Students analyze rehabilitation and health promotion theories, trends, and evidence to enhance service delivery for adults and geriatric populations. Courses focus on evidence-based interventions for adults post-stroke, strategies to improve or maintain motor performance, and enhancing quality of life for those with physical disabilities. A socioecological and health equity perspective frames the study of these services, which aim to support independence and continued engagement.

Health Informatics Concentration

This concentration provides students with the skills to leverage data and technology to improve occupational therapy services. The curriculum covers a range of topics including an introduction to health informatics, healthcare data visualization, and the application of healthcare information systems. Students learn about clinical decision-making and the standards for health information and interoperability, preparing them to navigate the evolving landscape of digital health and apply data-driven insights in practice.

Teaching & Learning in Higher Education Concentration

Designed for students interested in academic careers, this concentration focuses on the theory and practice of teaching within occupational therapy education. Students gain a deeper understanding of effective teaching and learning practices, including methods to promote active and inclusive learning. The curriculum culminates in an applied teaching and learning practicum, providing hands-on experience and preparing students to become effective educators and leaders in higher education.

Two-course sequence that help students complete a culminating project within their selected area of specialization (known as the Innovation Project). It is intended to address an identified gap in occupational therapy practice or education. Projects can emanate from a student’s workplace, a volunteer site, or as part of a larger study. Students are supported by a faculty advisor as they develop a comprehensive proposal, implement the project, conduct a formal outcomes assessment, and prepare materials to disseminate information about the project.

Students will develop advanced skills to critically analyze research to determine the level of evidence, clinical value and importance to occupational therapy practice. Students will use these skills to enhance evidence-based practice in their current clinical area after using clinical reasoning skills to determine validity and effectiveness of interventions reviewed. Students will complete and submit a Critically Appraised Paper (CAP) to the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Evidence Exchange.

This course explores critical factors of leadership, focusing on general principles of healthcare leadership and leadership in the occupational therapy profession. Topics covered include leadership theories along with personal readiness, leadership vs. management, the fiscal side of leadership, leadership to manage change, ethics in leadership, outcome measurement in leadership along with the intersection of leadership with the specialized skills of intercultural competency, critical thinking, as well as anticipating the future and building learning organizations. The course highlights the manner in which occupational therapists can leverage this knowledge to meet today's demands in occupational therapy, while positioning the profession for its future success. Students will reflect on personal and professional development while contributing to the future advancement of the profession.

Students explore the historical roots, current features and evolving trends in health care delivery in the United States, with a special focus on implications to provision of occupational therapy services. Students will also explore how the political process affects the provisions of occupational therapy services. The importance of advocacy will be highlighted as a method for potential future improvements to health care delivery and access to occupational therapy services in the United States.

Students will expand on core concepts from their entry-level occupational therapy education to analyze the influence of cultural, ethnic, gender and socioeconomic background upon access to health care and upon responses to disability, illness or developmental delay. Students will also reflect on their own values, presumptions and biases in occupational therapy practice and formulate strategies to enhance their effectiveness as occupational therapy practitioners for a diverse variety of clients and families.

Community-based OT practice refers to concepts, values and skills that extend beyond traditional practice settings. Students will expand upon their knowledge from entry-level occupational therapy education to analyze underlying paradigms for community- based OT interventions, explore the interaction between public health and occupational therapy, and apply a new framework for expanding their provision of community-centered occupational therapy.

 

Students explore a variety of opportunities for professional growth, advanced practice, and entrepreneurial activities that are available to occupational therapists. Students develop individualized professional goals and detailed plans for achieving these goals.

Student develops a comprehensive proposal for a, following a designated protocol, for a culminating doctoral capstone project. The capstone project can be either: (1) development, implementation, and evaluation of a occupational therapy intervention at the student’s current place of employment or in a community-based setting OR (2) a significant contribution to an existing research agenda, under the direction of a SUNY Downstate OT faculty member. The student also completes preparatory activities to ensure effective implementation of the capstone project.

Students implement the project and conducts a formal outcomes assessment, using statistical analysis or recognized qualitative assessment methods. The student also prepares materials to disseminate information about the project and the outcomes. The capstone project can be either: (1) development, implementation, and evaluation of an occupational therapy intervention at the student’s current place of employment or in a community-based setting OR (2) a significant contribution to an existing research agenda, under the direction of a SUNY Downstate OT faculty member.

 

Students explore the role occupational therapy plays in Early Intervention (EI) programs, and the unique considerations that must be taken when working with infants and toddlers and their families and caregivers. Students examine childhood disorders and diagnoses, apply models of pediatric practice, explore and reflect upon their clinical reasoning skills, and appraise both quantitative and qualitative evidence of intervention approaches and the lived experience of families and caregivers. Strong focus is on what it means to provide evidence-based, family-centered services during the assessment and evaluation process and while developing and implementing EI intervention plans.

Students will expand upon their knowledge from entry-level occupational therapy education to explore current developments in occupational therapy interventions to promote participation in meaningful occupations for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their families. Students analyze evolving changes in diagnostic criteria as well as emerging research evidence to promote best practices for children with ASD. Assignments are tailored to students’ individual clinical experiences so that the course is appropriate for students who are new to this practice area as well as to students who are currently working with children with ASD and their families.

Students explore school-based occupational therapy in educational systems focused on inclusive learning environments. Students examine issues surrounding the provision of occupational therapy services within natural learning contexts, collaborating with teachers and other service providers, and working from a child-centered, strengths-based perspective. The course focuses on the special education process, including evaluations, Response-to Intervention, Universal Design for Learning, the IEP process, goal writing and progress reporting. Students explore best practices for system-based, population-based, performance-based and activity-based considerations to both support and enhance children’s participation. Students review the current literature and develop strategies for developing supportive, sensory-smart programs and spaces that work within and throughout the classroom and school community, while respecting the wide range of available resources.

Students will explore the impact of health-related quality of life on physiological health outcomes in adults with chronic diseases or disabilities. They will also determine potential roles for occupational therapists in helping these individuals to maximize resilience, develop healthy routines, manage fatigue, anxiety & stress, reduce caregiver burden, and engage in social, physical and community activities. Lifestyle Redesign® will be presented as a prototype that students will use to design a new intervention for clients at their current site of OT practice or local community.

Professional practice guidelines for stroke rehabilitation are updated regularly by the American Heart Association (AHA) Stroke Council and by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Based on systematic reviews of published literature and interpretations from panels of experts, these guidelines provide practitioners with up to date recommendations about the benefits and risks of specific interventions. In this course, students will carefully review both the AHA and AOTA Guidelines to assess their own clinical work with adults-post stroke in the areas of: assessment, prevention of secondary impairments, development of sensorimotor, cognitive, praxis and visual performance skills, and achievement of independent re-integration into community activities. In addition, students will explore primary sources within the current outcomes literature to further inform their clinical practice and future program development.

Students analyze current theories and evidence related to motor control and integrate new concepts and ideas to their interventions with clients. Topics include: posture and balance, functional mobility, arm and hand function, motor planning, and physical endurance during task performance. Students also critically appraise the research evidence related to improving or maintaining motor function in adults with disabilities.

Get a strong foundation in the principles, concepts, and methods of health informatics. This course explores how technology enhances healthcare delivery, covering core topics like artificial intelligence applications, information science methodologies, and the effective use of biomedical data. You will learn to assess current information practices and utilize cutting-edge computational tools to address the technological needs of healthcare.

Learn the critical role of timely and accurate health information sharing. This course provides an in-depth look at health information technology standards and terminologies, such as FHIR and HL7, that are essential for data interoperability and exchange across systems. You'll also be introduced to network architecture and security as it applies to HIPAA regulations, ensuring you can navigate the complexities of secure health data.

This course combines the science of data visualization with the art of graphic design to help you effectively communicate complex health information. Using software like Tableau, you will learn to transform data sets into compelling visual graphics such as charts, graphs, and heatmaps. This will empower you to tell stories with data, make better decisions, and solve real-world health problems.

This course provides a comprehensive overview of healthcare information systems, with a focus on clinical information systems. You'll explore key topics such as EHR project planning, vendor selection, implementation, and maintenance. Through hands-on activities, you'll gain practical experience in clinical workflow analysis and EHR demonstrations, preparing you to manage and optimize healthcare technology operations.

Understand how to model and support decisions in clinical care. This course explores various models of clinical decision-making, from classical theory to clinical decision support systems (CDSS). You'll learn the value of diagnostic tests, the role of artificial intelligence, and how CDSS integrates with electronic health records, gaining core literacy essential for all allied health professionals.

Gain a comprehensive understanding of pedagogical theories and instructional design. This course equips students with the skills to effectively tailor teaching approaches to diverse learner populations and practice settings. Through the critical analysis of learning science and practical module development, you will cultivate the expertise needed to foster engagement and meaningful learning.

This course explores how to integrate Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and active learning strategies into both classroom and clinical instruction. Students will gain practical experience in designing accessible and engaging learning environments that meet the diverse needs of all students, preparing them to create cohesive and inclusive educational experiences.

This culminating course offers a hands-on opportunity to translate advanced teaching theories into practice. Under the guidance of a faculty mentor, students will design, implement, and evaluate a significant educational initiative within a professional setting. This practicum is a critical step for those aiming to strengthen their teaching competencies and advance their careers in occupational therapy education.