Courses

The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular semester. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the MyBU Student Portal for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.

• SAR OT 736: Independent Study
  Undergraduate Prerequisites: Consent of supervising instructor
  Graduate Prerequisites: Prior approval of instructor and advisor required.
  Individually supervised study for advanced students wishing to pursue a specialized area of interest in occupational therapy.
• SAR OT 900: Scholarly Project I
  Graduate Prerequisites: OTD degree students only.
  This on-line graduate course gives students the opportunity to apply the skills developed in the first two evidence-based practice courses Evidence Based Practice (EBP) and Directed Study in Evidence Based Practice: to investigate an intervention question related to their own practice. Students will conduct an in-depth search for evidence, analysis of best evidence, and the outline of a synthesis that proposes the current, "best answer" to the clinical question posed. Students will work as partners to provide assistance, guidance, and feedback to each other during this structured process.
• SAR OT 901: Scholarly Project II
  Graduate Prerequisites: OTD degree students only.
  This on-line graduate course completes the work begun in Scholarly Project I. The specific emphasis of work in this course is on preparing evidence summaries in different formats that are suitable for client/consumer, management, and peer audiences.
• SAR OT 910: Social Policy and Disability
  Graduate Prerequisites: OTD degree students only.
  This on-line graduate case-based course examines current models of and perspectives on disability and their influence on social policy. The history of disability policy is examined as well as the ways in which social, medical, and universal models are manifest in current health and social service delivery systems in the US and other developed countries. The course also examines cultural assumptions about the nature of health, disability, and quality of life and the implications of cultural differences for practice models and methods.
• SAR OT 911: Practicum in Social Policy and Disability
  Graduate Prerequisites: OTD degree students only.
  This on-line graduate course engages students in the critical analysis of policy and disability theory in their major area of practice (e.g., ergonomics, medical rehabilitation, early intervention, mental health services). They must complete critical reviews of additional reading related to their specific field of application as well as a sequence of analyses of the impact of relevant policies on resource allocations, service delivery methods, and reimbursement.
• SAR OT 915: Evaluating Clinical Theory and Research
  This course is designed to help students think critically about the ways in which theories and models are used to guide clinical practice. In particular, we will examine the distinction between models of function and disablement and theories of how change occurs as a result of intervention, as well as how these models may or may not be related. We will examine how theories and models describe or explain a phenomenon at different levels of analysis and the types of scientific evidence required to support or refute the propositions reflected in clinical models and theories. The course is limited to students in the OTD program and is offered exclusively on-line.
• SAR OT 916: Practicum in Theory Analysis
  This course builds on OT 915: Evaluating Clinical Theory and Research. Students examine the contrasting views of mechanistic, organismic, and contextual models, and contemporary expressions of these approaches in the clinical theories. The course investigates explanatory models of change through a critical examination of the theoretical bases of intervention approaches in occupational therapy. Students examine in depth a theory relevant to their doctoral project. The course is limited to students in the OTD program who have completed OT 915. It is offered exclusively on-line.
• SAR OT 920: Outcomes Measurement and Monitoring I: Program Evaluation
  Graduate Prerequisites: OTD degree students only.
  This on-line graduate course examines quantitative and qualitative methods developed for systematic program evaluation, providing the foundation knowledge and skills needed to complete an evaluation plan for the Doctoral Project. Examples of program evaluations from the clinical literature are examined and their applicability to programs in the student's area of clinical practice evaluated.
• SAR OT 921: Outcomes Measurement and Monitoring II: Individual Client Monitoring
  Graduate Prerequisites: OTD degree students only.
  This on-line graduate course builds on methods introduced during the foundation courses on evidence-based practice to develop skill in the application of quantitative methods of outcome evaluation for individual clients. These methods include client surveys, performance assessments, continuous performance monitoring, and single-subject designs. The course prepares the student to identify and/or create appropriate methods to evaluate individual results for the evaluation plan for his or her Doctoral Project.
• SAR OT 925: Capstone
  Graduate Prerequisites: OTD degree students only.
  This on-line graduate Capstone course is the final course in the post- professional OTD program. Students will prepare for and deliver a 30-minute presentation on their doctoral project to an invited audience of colleagues, family, and friends. After receiving feedback from their presentation, students will prepare a final version of their doctoral paper which will be indexed in the Boston University Mugar Library.
• SAR OT 930: Doctoral Project
  Graduate Prerequisites: OTD degree students only.
  This is an on-line graduate course in the post-professional OTD program. Concurrent with each full semester (fall, spring, summer) in the OTD program, students register for one credit of the Doctoral Project. In the fourth semester of the program, students register for 3 credits of the Doctoral Project course. The Doctoral Project is organized around the student's proposed innovation in practice. It is in the form of a series of qualifying tasks, each of which represents a critical phase of the proposal. Guidance in the doctoral project will be through a combination of three elements: Faculty advising and mentorship, peer mentorship and a.Circle of Advisors composed of a minimum of two professionals with content expertise in the doctoral project. The project outcomes include: Description of a short-coming, gap or specific need in the student's area of practice; compilation of a theoretical and evidence base to support the proposed project; description of the proposed program; evaluation plan; funding plan; dissemination plan; executive summary and Fact Sheet. (1 credit each full semester until completed, 3 credits in the final semester - a minimum of 6 credits)
• SAR OT 940: Social, Economic & Political Factors that Influence OT Practice
  This on-line graduate case-based course examines current models of and perspectives on disability and their influence on social policy. The history of disability policy is examined as well as the ways in which social, medical, and universal models are manifest in current health and social service delivery systems in the US and other developed countries. The course also examines cultural assumptions about the nature of health, disability, and quality of life and the implications of cultural differences for practice models and methods. Students conduct a critical analysis of policy and disability theory related to OT practice (e.g., ergonomics, medical rehabilitation, early intervention, mental health services). Students complete critical reviews of additional reading related to OT practice as well as a sequence of analyses of the impact of relevant policies on resource allocations, service delivery methods, and reimbursements.
• SAR OT 942: Health & Wellness Promotion
  This on-line graduate course focuses on occupational therapy's role in developing theory-driven and evidence-based health promotion programs. Students learn theoretical perspectives and intervention models guiding health promotion programs for an individual or groups of people, with and without disabilities, and in a variety of settings. Students will examine effective teaching strategies for learners across the life course with a range of health literacy needs, and apply effective teaching strategies to communicate health and wellness initiatives.
• SAR OT 943: Professional Development Seminar
  This course will prepare students to develop a professional developmental plan to achieve career aspirations and a proposal for the OTD Doctoral Project. Through a series of guided self-analysis assignments students will identify academic, personal and professional strengths and create career goals. Students will review gaps or shortcomings in current occupational therapy practice and knowledge and skills to achieve their goals and develop an initial plan for the OTD Doctoral Experiential Component. The purpose of the Doctoral Experiential Component is to learn the process for creating an evidence and theory based innovative program. The Doctoral Experiential Component is organized around the student's proposed innovation in practice. The Doctoral Experiential Component includes a series of competency tasks, each of which represents a critical phase of the Doctoral Experiential Component. Guidance in the Doctoral Experiential Component is provided through a combination of three mentors: faculty advising (academic mentor), guidance by external expert (Mentor in the situation of practice), and peer mentoring (peer mentors). Students will develop peer mentoring relationships focused on their Doctoral Experiential Component in the context of this course.
• SAR OT 944: Needs Assessment and Program Development
  This course will introduce students to methods of assessing how occupation contributes to health and well-being among populations and will provide opportunities to develop and practice needs assessment skills. Students will learn how to access and analyze large data sets to examine whether a health problem in a community warrants occupational therapy intervention. Students will conduct a needs assessment of a population and develop a proposal for occupational therapy intervention to address the identified needs.
• SAR OT 945: Clinical Theory Development and Analysis
  This course is designed to help students think critically about the ways in which theories and models are used to guide clinical practice. In particular, students will examine the distinction between models of function and disablement and theories of how change occurs as a result of intervention, as well as how these models may or may not be related. Students will examine how theories and models describe or explain a phenomenon at different levels of analysis and the types of scientific evidence required to support or refute the propositions reflected in clinical models and theories. Students examine the contrasting views of mechanistic, organismic, and contextual models, and contemporary expressions of these approaches in the clinical theories. The course investigates explanatory models of change through a critical examination of the theoretical bases of intervention approaches in occupational therapy. Students examine in depth a theory relevant to their doctoral project. Students will complete the first Doctoral Project Task: articulate a concise and clear model of a clinical problem that reflects current theory and best evidence.
• SAR OT 946: Preparation for Doctoral Experiential Component
  To prepare for the Doctoral Experiential Component this course will guide students through the 2nd Doctoral Project task: thoroughly evaluating and synthesizing the literature on existing methods for addressing the proposed problem to be addressed in the Doctoral Project. This review of the literature will provide the foundation for the rationale, design, and methods for the student's proposed response to the problem.
• SAR OT 947: Mentored Studies in Doctoral Experiential Component
  This on-line course provides students with concurrent mentoring from their faculty advisor and peer mentor while they are completing the doctoral experiential component. Students meet on-line in small mentoring sections with their faculty advisor throughout the doctoral experiential component. Students will complete the 3rd Doctoral Project task: design and implement an intervention or program that is guided by current theory and best evidence. Students will develop a model for the hypothesized mechanisms of action of a particular intervention or program and incorporate a feasible and effective method for evaluation within the design of the program to be implemented during the doctoral experiential component in the situation of practice.
• SAR OT 948: Mentored Doctoral Experiential Dissemination
  In this course students complete their culminating Doctoral Project and disseminate the findings from their scholarly work, relating theory to practice and demonstrating synthesis of advanced knowledge. The students present their Doctoral Project and discuss findings in a professional forum related to their selected area: clinical practice, research, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education or theory development. Development of individualized learning objectives for the dissemination, plan for dissemination and evaluation of student performance objectives occurs in collaboration with the student, Doctoral Project academic mentor and mentor in the situation of practice with expertise in one of the above areas.
• SAR OT 949: Doctoral Experiential Component
  This doctoral experiential component is an in-depth experience in one or more of the following student-selected areas: clinical practice, research, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education or theory development. This experience is designed to support advanced skills the student's selected area. The experience is a minimum of 14 full-time weeks (560 hours). Development of individualized learning objectives, assignments and evaluation of student performance objectives occurs in collaboration with the student, Doctoral Project mentor and mentor in the situation of practice with expertise in one of the above areas.