Overview

Established in 1944, the Puget Sound Occupational Therapy Program was the first of its kind in the region and is continually one of the top ranked programs in the Pacific Northwest. At Puget Sound the study of occupational therapy is enhanced by the liberal arts emphasis of the university. A collaborative yet academically rigorous environment nurtures students as they learn to think critically and analytically, develop professional values and goals, and become intellectually autonomous. Students benefit from high impact educational practices, innovative project opportunities, frequent experiential learning opportunities, and a curriculum that develops the professional reasoning skills essential for success in practice.

With more than 230 collective years of experience in occupational therapy practice and a dedication to teaching excellence, faculty members infuse class sessions with their clinical expertise, passion and commitment to student growth. Students engage with therapists from the local community through robust collaborative partnerships that underlie student research projects and the community-based and onsite clinical experiences.

Three programs are available:

Why Puget Sound?

Two OT students practice techniques on a third student
Community Engagement

Robust community-based experiences include student-driven experiential learning projects, evidence-in-practice projects conducted in collaboration with community practitioners, culminating presentations open to campus and community members, and optional study-abroad opportunities.

Occupational Therapy students in a learning lab 2023
Culturally Sensitive Practice

With a 30-year history of teaching cultural humility and culturally responsive practice, our program is highly experienced in engaging students in meaningful examination of the social determinants of health and preparing them to provide culturally sensitive and unbiased quality care to clients from all backgrounds and widely varied lived experiences.

Occupational therapy student getting hands-on instruction
Hands-on Learning

Our teaching clinics offer students three unique opportunities to work under the supervision of practicing occupational therapists who are hired to guide students in performing every part of the occupational therapy process with volunteer clients from the local community. The teaching clinics emphasize adult services, pediatric services, and group services for clients with mental health needs.

Experiential Learning
Who You’ll Learn From

All Puget Sound faculty members have actively practiced occupational therapy and all courses are taught by licensed occupational therapists. Other faculty characteristics: earned specialty certifications, elected to national and state leadership positions, volunteering in professional and the local community organizations, maintaining active research agendas, authoring textbooks and official documents, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, presentation at national and international conferences, earned awards and recognitions, and more.

Learn about the clinical experiences students participate in
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Sample MSOT & OTD Courses
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Meet Our Faculty
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Aimee Sidhu
Clinical Associate Professor and Fieldwork Capstone Coordinator, Occupational Therapy

Prof. Sidhu incorporates a variety of hands-on activities in her labs and classes, as well as research around reflection and reflective practices, and serves as the OT fieldwork and capstone coordinator.

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Jackie Brown
Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor

A clinical pediatric occupational therapist since 2000, Prof. Brown is dedicated to education through discussions and sensory based learning experiences to develop compassionate future healthcare professionals.

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Yvonne Swinth
Professor, Occupational Therapy

With 25+ years working in pediatrics and school-based settings, Prof. Swinth is a specialist in occupational therapy services in schools, assistive technology, and OT service delivery for children with disabilities.

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Shelly Norvell
Clinical Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy

Prof. Norvell has over 26 years of clinical experience primarily working in adult outpatient orthopedics specializing in hand therapy, but she has also worked in skilled nursing facilities, home health, and in-patient acute care.

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Maggie Hayes
Clinical Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy

Prof. Hayes has 13 years of experience as an occupational therapy practitioner. Her primary practice area is with the pediatric population, and she has practiced in outpatient clinics, home health settings, and in school districts.

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Renee Watling
Professor and Director of the School of Occupational Therapy

A pediatric occupational therapist, Prof. Watling specializes on sensory processing and behavior, sensory-based OT intervention, and issues related to services for children with autism spectrum disorders.

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Cecille Corsilles-Sy
Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy

Prof.

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Amy Kashiwa
Clinical Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy

Since 2015, Prof. Kashiwa has been a strong advocate for a larger professional role in occupational therapy for suicide prevention.

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Graduation Data

MSOT Fall Cohorts Persistence and Graduation

Graduation Year Entering Students Graduated with MSOT Graduated with OTD Total Graduated Graduation Rate
2021 48 47 0 47 97%
2022 12 8 4 1 100%
2023 22 17* ** 17 77%

* One student completing an extra fieldwork
** Four students still enrolled and pursuing OTD degree

 

OTD Fall Cohorts Persistence and Graduation (program opened in 2020)

Graduation Year Entering Students Graduated with MSOT Graduated with OTD Total Graduated Graduation Rate
2023 28* 8 18** 26 93% 

* 1 student withdrew
** 1 student delayed their doctoral capstone

Rev. 2/8/24

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Accreditation

The MSOT Occupational Therapy Program is accredited through the
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). The MSOT program was initially awarded a Certificate of Accreditation in 2012. In compliance with the 2018 Accreditation Standards for Master’s-Degree-Level Educational Program for Occupational Therapy, the program’s next on-site evaluation is to be scheduled within the academic year 2031/2032.

 

Puget Sound's entry-level OTD was awarded a Certificate of Accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®) in December 2022. The OTD program's next onsite evaluation is to be scheduled for the academic year 2029/2030. Puget Sound OTD graduates are eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapist.

 

For information regarding accreditation, contact the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®) at 301.652.AOTA (301.652.2682), www.acoteonline.org, or ACOTE, c/o Accreditation Department, 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. All basic professional programs must comply with the Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapist, 2018.

NBCOT Pass Rate

Puget Sound occupational therapy graduates have consistently demonstrated strong educational outcomes. 

 

To view our pass rate data by year, please use the direct link to the
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) program data results.

 

DISCLOSURE

After successful completion of the NBCOT, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR) and can apply for licensure in any of the 50 states that require it.