Fieldwork education is highly valued in the Cox College Occupational Therapy curriculum.
Level 1 and level 2 Fieldwork offers students a wide variety of essential hands-on learning opportunities that supplement seated classroom learning. All Level 1 and Level 2 fieldwork experiences are within the DOING curriculum thread.
Level I Fieldwork experiences are directly linked to the specific sequence of clinical topics and courses. In the MSOT program, Level II Fieldwork experiences occur after completing all seated coursework. Doctoral students have some coursework and Capstone work after their level 2 fieldwork. Both the MSOT and the OTD level 2 fieldwork experiences are full time internships at selected sites that are 2 twelve week rotations. Student also participate in an online synthesis course while in fieldwork. This course is designed to further prepare students to synthesize classroom learning with fieldwork.
Prior to level 1 fieldwork, DOING experiences begin with courses offered the first semester. For example, students practice basic, hands-on skills including soft skill development, patient interactions, patient handling, and professionalism in Professional and Therapeutic Use of Self. This course precludes level 1 fieldwork and is designed to promote professional and therapeutic behaviors in simulated and real world environments. Students are challenged to complete assignments that occur in the community to ensure real world, active participation learning and to prepare students for the next semester which includes level 1 fieldwork.
Level I Fieldwork occurs in conjunction with seated courses with related topics to strengthen the relationship between course content and interactions with a wide scope of related populations. Level I-A has a focus on social, sensory, and psychological person factors which impact occupational performance. This rotation occurs one day a week spaced out over part of the semester at a mental health facility. Level I-B has a focus on physical disability, or related area that affects occupational performance across the lifespan. The level I-C fieldwork experience has a focus on working with older adults in multiple settings. Level 1-D is a one-week experience with youth populations.
Cox College maintains cooperative agreements with a determinably adequate number of fieldwork sites locally and nationally. Agreements are maintained in iContracts software with access for faculty, staff, and legal counsel. Cox College and each site have agreeable terms and learning objectives appropriate for student learning experiences within the occupational therapy curriculum.
Accreditation
The Cox College Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s web address is AcoteOnline.org.
The Cox College Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program has gained applicant accreditation status and is on track to have an accreditation visit in 2024/2025. Status updates will be updated at acoteonline.org
Professional Licensure
Successful completion of the program will confer either a degree of Master of Science in Occupational Therapy or a Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy . Graduates of the will meet all of the educational requirements to be eligible to sit for the national certification examination, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). The NBCOT Program data results can be found hereLinks to an external site.. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination and/ or attain state licensure. Professional licensing varies by state/ territory and it is the program applicant’s/student’s/ graduate’s responsibility to thoroughly research specific licensing requirements in the state they wish to practice. To review state licensure eligibility requirements, go hereLinks to an external site..
The state professional licensing boards make the ultimate decision as to whether or not an individual will be eligible to sit for licensure based on the rules and regulations in place at the time the individual submits their application for licensure. The Missouri Occupational Therapy Practice Act can be found hereLinks to an external site..
Cox College occupational therapy graduates are encouraged to register nationally and also apply for licensure.
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