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School of Health and
Rehabilitation Sciences

Overview

The future of occupational therapy is now. At Pitt, we’re creating agents of change by immersing students in a wealth of innovative theories and approaches. Renowned faculty contribute breakthrough research that becomes best practices, while expanded clinical experiences challenge OTs to take their skills to the next level.

Choose from the best OT programs in the country. Whether you are seeking an entry level program that results in an OTD or a practicing clinician who is looking for advanced knowledge and proficiencies, Pitt OT programs will prepare you for a leadership role in a field that is constantly changing.

Stay connected with Pitt OT. Sign up for the NewsLink to learn more about what is happening with the department, students, faculty and alumni.

Our Mission

The Department of Occupational Therapy’s mission is to:

  • Educate entry-level professional students to practice evidenced-based occupational therapy in a variety of healthcare, community, and educational settings; manage occupational therapy service delivery; and contribute to the profession through service and participation in research;
  • Provide customized courses of study for post-professional students (masters and doctoral), designed to meet their individual learning needs and to enhance their ability to assume leadership roles in practice, education, research, program development, and program evaluation;
  • Provide continuing education for practicing therapists to facilitate their continued competence;
  • Plan and engage in research to advance occupational therapy (and rehabilitation) practice and education; and
  • Serve the University and public and professional communities through participation in University and community service and professional associations.

Our Vision

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Occupational Therapy will be nationally and internationally recognized as a leader in occupational therapy education, a pioneer in occupational therapy research, and a partner in regional practice and development.

Our History

  • 1982 – The Department of Occupational Therapy and the program in occupational therapy (BS) were established in the School of Health Related Professions.
  • 1985 – The entry-level baccalaureate curriculum was accredited by the Council for Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA), American Medical Association.The program in occupational therapy graduated its first students with a BS degree.
  • 1990 – The entry-level baccalaureate curriculum was re-accredited by CAHEA.
  • 1992 – The post-professional master’s program (MS) with an emphasis in occupational therapy was established in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (formerly titled the School of Health Related Professions).
  • 1993 – The first students from the MS program with an emphasis in occupational therapy graduated.
  • 1997 – The entry-level baccalaureate curriculum was re-accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
  • 1999 – The Department of Occupational Therapy began participating in the interdisciplinary doctoral program in rehabilitation science (PhD).
  • 2000 – The entry-level master’s in occupational therapy (MOT) program was established and accredited by the ACOTE. The Beta Tau Chapter of Pi Theta Epsilon was established at the University of Pittsburgh.
  • 2002 – The program in occupational therapy graduated its first students with an MOT degree.
  • 2003 – The first student from the Department of Occupational Therapy graduated with a PhD degree.
  • 2005 – The MOT program was re-accredited by ACOTE for a period of 10 years from academic year 2004/2005 to 2014/2015.
  • 2012 – The Department of Occupational Therapy is ranked 6th in the nation by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Grad Schools” list.
  • 2014 – The Doctor of Clinical Science (CScD) with an emphasis in occupational therapy was approved as a post-professional degree.
  • 2015 – The MOT program was re-accredited by ACOTE for a period of 10 years from academic year 2014/2015 to 2024/2025.
  • 2016  – The Department of Occupational Therapy was ranked 4th in thenation by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Grad Schools” list. The first students graduated from the CScD with an emphasis in occupational therapy program.The Doctor of Occupational Therapy program was approved and the OTD was established as a degree type at the University of Pittsburgh.
  • 2017 – The Department of Occupational Therapy celebrates 35 years of excellence.
  • 2018  – The post-professional Master of Science (MS) Program in Occupational Therapy was established in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.
  • 2019 – The OTD program was accredited by ACOTE.
  • 2020 – The Department of Occupational Therapy was ranked 3rd in the nation by U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Grad Schools” list.The Department of Occupational Therapy graduated its first students with an OTD degree.

Programs

Occupational Therapy (OTD)

On-campus

Duration:

2 years and 8 months
(8 terms, including 2 summer terms)

Program Start:

Fall term (August)

Application Closes:

June 20, 2025

Occupational Therapy, Post-Professional (MS)

On-campus

Duration:

Clinical Plan of Study: 9 months
(2 terms)

Research Plan of Study: 9 months
(2 terms)

Research with Scholarly Project Plan of Study: 1 year
(3 terms, including one summer term)

Program Start:

Fall term (August)

Application Closes:

May 1, 2025

 

Occupational Therapy, Post-Professional (CScD)

Online

Duration:

Minimum of 2 years and 4 months (28 months) to complete.

Program Start:

Fall term (August)
Spring term (January)

Application Closes:

Spring start: December 15, 2025
Fall start: August 15, 2025

Scholarships

The department does not have student assistant positions available. However, the program does inform students of employment opportunities they can pursue. Additionally, the program provides students with a list of financial resources – mainly scholarships external to the University – they can choose to pursue. Most scholarship eligibility requirements include matriculation into an OT program or having completed the first year of a program.

The following is a list of external scholarships or financial resources that have been identified by the Department of Occupational Therapy. The program encourages qualified students to consider applying for funds. 

Please keep in mind that this list is not exhaustive, students may qualify for individual funds not listed. The program provide this list as a student service. If there is an organization not listed that would be recommended, please send the information to OTPitt@shrs.pitt.edu.

Research

The University of Pittsburgh has leading occupational therapy researchers looking for answers to guide occupational therapy practice. To achieve our goal to explore and test occupational therapy interventions, we have partnered with experts in many diverse fields: bioengineering, psychiatry, cardiology and gerontology to name a few. Our nationally recognized research laboratories have received Federal, Foundation and University funding.

If you are interested in learning more about research in occupational therapy, please contact us at otpitt@shrs.pitt.edu.

Research Areas

  • Pediatrics – rare disease (early onset pediatric disorders); early oral motor and feeding difficulties; intellectual and developmental delay; family impact and quality of life, Pediatric health promotion, novel approaches to parent-training, intervention development
  • Measurement – (quantitative and qualitative through focus groups and personal interviews) – clinic-based motor assessments; community-based outcomes; social participation and engagement; quality of life (child-proxy, parent)
  • Frailty, Physical Activity (older adults), Aging in Place, Goal Attainment Scaling, Examining factors that influence independent living for older adults who are at-risk for disability, older adults with mood and cognitive changes as well as caregivers of older adults who are themselves vulnerable to poor health and disability
  • Musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity, arthritis, ergonomics, particularly office ergonomics and dental ergonomics, computer use related to physical set up of the computer workstation, large dataset analysis and epidemiology
  • Hand rehabilitation
  • Complex intervention development to address cognitive impairments, mood disorders, disability
  • Stroke rehabilitation
  • Health policy

Active Research Labs and Projects

Training in Diversity Education Program (TiDe)

Are you a clinician scientist or underrepresented occupational therapy or physical therapy student who wants to turn the TiDe against health inequities that negatively impact our communities? Rehabilitation research needs you in the mix to solve these big problems!

The rehabilitation research Training in Diversity education program, or TiDe, trains current clinician scientists and graduate students from populations underrepresented in biomedical science in the skills and knowledge needed to transform the culture of research. Help us to turn the TiDe in rehabilitation research! Visit the TiDe website for more information: www.tide.pitt.edu.

For questions, contact Laura Waterstram, MOT, OTR/L, TiDe Program Administrator at tide@groups.pitt.edu

People

Community Engagement

Students Giving Back to the Community

Occupational therapy students participate in many community service activities that benefit people of all ages and promote awareness of occupational therapy and its powerful impact on society.

Pittsburgh Symphony’s Heroes and Inspirations Sensory Friendly Concert:

Support for families of individuals with diverse sensory and cognitive abilities to participate in this community event (see video below).

 

Other examples of community service activities include:

  • Advocacy (American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Hill Day) – promoted occupational therapy and key interests of the profession through attendance at this annual event in Washington, D.C.
  • 5k Fun Run/Walk (Open Your Heart to a Senior Program) – organized this fund raising event to benefit community dwelling seniors and to promote aging-in-place.
  • Rebuilding Homes (Rebuilding Together) – previewed homes and made recommendations for home repairs for low-income homeowners in Allegheny County.
  • Car Safety (CarFit) – promoted the occupation of driving by hosting multiple CarFit events in Allegheny, Westmoreland and Erie counties to ensure a safe “fit” between drivers and their environment (i.e., their car).
  • Toy Drive (Alliance for Infants and Toddlers) – provided developmentally appropriate toys for children with special needs.
  • Career Days (Investing Now; Health Career Scholars Academy: Assistive Technology) – introduced occupational therapy to middle and high school students through hands-on health and science learning programs.
  • Museum Redesign (Carnegie Museum) – redesigned the children’s exhibit areas to increase opportunities for interactive learning.
  • Kids Night Out (The Children’s Institute) – provided fun outings for children with special needs and their siblings, plus respite time for their parents.
  • Adaptive Sports (Three Rivers Adaptive Sports (TRASPA) Adaptive Skiing program; Special Olympics) – assisted consumers to participate in events.
  • Arthritis Walk (Arthritis Foundation) – raised funds and promoted awareness about arthritis.

OT Colloquium

Spring Colloquium

The Department of Occupational Therapy will host the 2025 Pitt OT Spring Colloquium as a virtual event on April 29, 2025, to discuss current issues and the newest OT research, education and theory to create the best occupational therapy practice for the future. The Colloquium will open with a welcome address from Associate Professor and Chair Juleen Rodakowski and recognition of the Pitt OT award recipients. The Joan C. Rogers Distinguished Lecture will follow. The event concludes with capstone presentations from our post-professional Doctor of Clinical Science in Occupational Therapy and our entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) students.

This event is open to Pitt OT students, alumni, fieldwork supervisors, educators, practitioners, community partners and friends of Pitt OT.

Register now for this event

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
3:00 – 3:30      Welcome and Awards 
3:30 – 4:30     The Joan C. Rogers Distinguished Lecture 
4:30 – 5:00     CScD Capstone Presentation
5:00 – 6:00     OTD Capstone Poster Session 

Welcome Address from the Chair and Awards Recognition Ceremony
Juleen Rodakowski, OTD, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, FGSA

The following awardees will be recognized at the 2024 Pitt OT Spring Colloquium
Award of Appreciation
Excellence in Clinical/Community Education, Level I Fieldwork
Excellence in Clinical/Community Education, Level II Fieldwork 
Alumni Award of Excellence 

CScD in OT Capstone Presentation
As a requirement for the post-professional Doctor of Clinical Science in Occupational Therapy curriculum, students are mentored to identify and implement a quality improvement project in a clinical or educational setting. These projects demonstrate innovative ideas, methods for planning and implementing evidence-based programs and outcomes of value to clients, employers, and reimbursement sources.

Each presentation will be followed by questions and discussion. Participants will not have permission to share video/audio but may ask questions by typing in the chat window.   

OTD Capstone Poster Sessions
This virtual poster session is the culmination of our Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) students’ doctoral capstone experience, relating theory to practice and demonstrating synthesis of advanced knowledge. We invite you to explore the range of topic areas presented by our OTD students. We hope that you enjoy and engage in active discussion as you view the posters presented below.

To participate in a poster session, click on a poster title below to access additional information including a unique Zoom link for each poster. The student presenters will introduce their work every 20 minutes starting at 4:30 p.m. Each introduction will be followed by questions and discussion. Participants will not have the capability to share video/audio but may ask questions by typing in the Q&A window.

​For questions regarding this event, please contact the Department of Occupational Therapy at OTpitt@shrs.pitt.edu.

Student Groups

SHRS Affinity Groups
TransformOTive Justice
SHRS Student Advisory Board
Interprofessional Studies Student Group
Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity
University of Pittsburgh Student Occupational Therapy Association

Resources

Current Student Hub

Students can find access to program and school materials in the Current Student Resource Hub. Pitt Passport is required.

Current Students can also find answers to commonly asked questions and connect with valuable resources and contacts. This resource helps students locate academic guidance, professional development, or support for each individual’s wellbeing including things like counseling or study resources.

Performance Assessment of Self-care Skills (PASS)

The Performance Assessment of Self-care Skills (PASS) is a valid and reliable tool designed to measure occupational performance of daily life tasks. The PASS is a client-centered, performance-based, criterion-reference, observational tool that assists occupational therapy practitioners to objectively document occupational performance and plan occupation-based interventions for adolescent, adult, and older adult populations in a variety of settings. We hope you find the PASS to be a useful tool for your clinical practice, educational instruction and/or scientific projects.

Learn more about PASS

The PASS consists of 26 core tasks, categorized in four domains. The PASS includes 5 functional mobility (FM) tasks, 3 basic activities of daily living (BADL) tasks, 4 instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) tasks with a physical emphasis, and 14 IADL tasks with a cognitive emphasis.

If you are interested in learning more about the PASS and using the PASS in your clinical practice, educational instruction and/or scientific projects please complete a brief survey at PASS_Survey.

Once you complete the survey, you will receive access to the PASS web page.

On the web page, you will find all the materials you need to learn and administer the PASS, including the Clinic and Home versions of the PASS with administration materials; the Scoring Guidelines (manual); and access to the Administration and Scoring Videos. The web page also includes WeePASS materials.

If you have questions please contact us at PASS@shrs.pitt.edu.

 

Pitt OT for Fieldwork Educator Sessions

The University of Pittsburgh Department of Occupational Therapy is excited to announce the dates for our second series, in 2025, of virtual educational sessions designed for fieldwork educators and anyone interested in fieldwork education!

Our Fieldwork Educators, our partners, who are critical to the success of our students and to the future of occupational therapy are personally invited to attend the session. Each session will advance the skills of our partners, and allow them to earn one professional development contact hour per session.

Save the Date for 2025 Sessions | Session Titles Coming Soon!

  • February 4, 2025
  • March 11, 2025
  • September 9, 2025
  • November 4, 2025

Interested in attending?

Reach out to the department to request registration details.

4028 Forbes Tower
Pittsburgh, PA 15260

(412) 383-6565

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