Welcome!
The faculty, students and staff of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Colorado State University welcome you to our website. We hope you enjoy learning about our exceptional graduate education, research, and outreach/ service programs.
If you are interested in becoming an occupational therapist or in expanding your current occupational therapy skill set, please consider our graduate education offerings. Depending on your background and interests, completion of the entry level Master of Science degree in occupational therapy, the post-professional Master of Science degree, or an Interdisciplinary PhD can actively move you towards your life and career goals. Known nationally and internationally for its excellence, our OT program has a top 10 ranking from US News & World Report. Additionally, our department is recognized within the University as a Program of Research and Scholarly Excellence and we have been awarded Colorado’s most prestigious academic honor which designates our department as a Program of Excellence. Our faculty members and staff are committed to providing an excellent educational experience for students. We are very approachable and actively engaged in the student learning process. Our students are strong academically, committed to their education, friendly, and supportive of each other. It is not unusual for our students to form long-lasting friendships that endure well beyond graduation!
Underlying our strong graduate programs is strong research. Faculty- student research teams work to answer many interesting research questions using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Current research areas within the Department include: brain injury recovery and community re-entry, universal design for learning to support learners who have disabilities, rehabilitation following stroke, brain development and sensory processing in children, optimal school-based OT practices, and successful aging. Research is supported by Departmental and University grants as well as extramural funding from the National Institutes of Health, the US Department of Education, the State of Colorado, and private foundations. Faculty and student research findings are routinely published in respected journals and presented at prestigious conferences.
The Department’s faculty, students, and staff have a long history of providing outreach and service to the local community, state, and region. Through our Center for Community Partnerships, we have pioneered community-based service design and delivery with a focus on assisting people with significant disabilities to find meaningful community employment, succeed as students within public school and university settings, and participate in all aspects of home and community life. The Department is also home to the Assistive Technology Resource Center which provides computer-based assistive technology accommodations to CSU students who have disabilities. Additionally, the Department’s faculty, staff, and students hold leadership roles within the American Occupational Therapy Association, the Occupational Therapy Association of Colorado, the Colorado Brain Injury Association, other local and state organizations.
Again, thank you for your interest in the Occupational Therapy Department at Colorado State University. For more information about our education, research, or outreach/service programs, please follow the links on our home page. At any time, please contact us- we would love to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Karen C. Spencer, Ph.D., OTR
Associate Professor and Interim Department Head
