Occupational Therapy Department

The Occupational Therapy program at Clarkson is committed to fostering therapists who are prepared to respond to both current and emerging societal needs that influence individuals' occupations.

• We integrate experiential learning to help students develop internalized working models for practicing occupational therapy in culturally diverse, innovative practice settings.
• We have a state-of-the-art Smart Simulation Lab and Assistive Technology lab, both of which offer simulated living experiences and cutting edge technology. Between the labs, we can simulate an actual living space and incorporate high-tech solutions to everyday challenges, such as low vision supports, adaptive driving equipment, simulators, assistive technology devices and environmental controls.
• We have a vigorous science-based curriculum that gives students in-depth knowledge of the human body through cadaver dissection and classroom instruction. 
• We have a robust research program affording students the opportunity to engage in practical, clinical research that holds promise of impacting clinical practice.
• We partner with our engineering colleagues to design new products for clients in the community.

The Occupational Therapy Department at Clarkson University in Potsdam, N.Y., serves the health needs of the community by preparing you to engineer occupational therapy solutions that enable health and well-being throughout an individual’s lifespan.

Clarkson's Occupational Therapy's  "curricular threads" represent the themes that are interwoven throughout all of the coursework. They reflect the values and priorities of our department, as well as the unique philosophy and mission our University.

• Professional Identity - Students will value and assume an identity of service and contribution, by promoting occupation and participation in multiple contexts through the identification of barriers to and providing supports for occupational roles and performance patterns.
• Innovation - Students will develop the ability to meet the needs of local, regional, and global society, including a focus on rural communities, through research and scholarship.
• Technology - Students will learn to engineer solutions through technology including telehealth, assistive technology, and virtual contexts.
• Education & Research - Students will develop problem-solving abilities through science-driven practice and the use of practice-based evidence, with a focus on occupation as both intervention and outcome.
• Interprofessional Practice - Students will exhibit strong leadership and collaborative skills as they assume roles of advocacy and activism for both clients and the profession.

Each of these components is introduced early in the curriculum and reinforced in subsequent courses. The curriculum emphasizes the importance of collaboration during the learning experience; since OT's do not work in isolation, we believe they should not learn in isolation either.