Health Science/Pre-Occupational Therapy (BS/MS)

Dominican University of California offers a five-year program leading to the Bachelor of Science in Health Science and the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy with a transfer option.

Occupational Therapy Overview

Occupational therapy is a licensed health and human service profession using occupation, or activities of daily living, to help people achieve optimal independence. Occupational therapists work in hospitals, clinics, schools, and community settings, helping clients learn skills to enhance or resume their daily lives.

Occupation is universal, facilitates healthy participation in life and requires adaptation. Injury, illness, developmental delay, or less than optimal social conditions require that humans adapt their daily occupations to achieve satisfying lives. It is the task of the occupational therapist to promote occupation as an avenue to increased health and well-being using client-centered interventions.

Curricular Themes

The following curricular themes articulate our core educational philosophies:

Occupation by Design: Satisfying occupations are inherently creative, involving innovation and problem solving, must be freely chosen by the individual and are unique to that individual.

Cultural Responsiveness: Occupations are culturally imbedded, and reflect our cultural roles, beliefs, values, and traditions. Appreciating diverse cultural perspectives is essential for effective occupational therapy practice.

Socio-Political Contexts of Occupation: All persons and their occupations are shaped by the opportunities afforded or denied them in socio-political contexts. Occupational therapists have a responsibility to work for social and political change to increase occupational choice for all.

Community Occupations: Community is a binding force in our society. In communities, we construct the meaning of our lives through our occupations. Occupational therapists promote community integration for persons with disabilities.

Curriculum Design

The OT curriculum is a five-year course of study for individuals entering as freshmen, and also offers a transfer option. The concept of adaptation as a continuum, from curiosity through exploration, competence, and achievement, is applied to the occupational therapy curriculum.