Department of Occupational Therapy

Ingrid Franc, PhD, LOTR
Department Head

LOCATION: 1900 Gravier St. 8D3
PHONE: (504) 568-4302
FAX (504) 568-4306
WEB: http://alliedhealth.lsuhsc.edu/OccupationalTherapy/

The Department of Occupational Therapy offers a Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) degree program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). ACOTE is located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number is 601-625-6611. Graduates of the Master of Occupational Therapy program are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for occupational therapy administered by the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Following successful completion of this examination, the graduate will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). This national certification is a prerequisite for obtaining a license to practice occupational therapy in most states, including Louisiana. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Completion of the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program prepares a graduate to practice occupational therapy. Twenty-three months are needed to complete a total of 82 semester hours of coursework on-campus at the Health Sciences Center at New Orleans, and off-campus at practice sites within and out of the state. Included in these semester hours are six months of Level II Fieldwork. All Level II Fieldwork must be completed within 24 months following completion of didactic course work.  

Occupational therapy enables people of all ages to participate in daily living. Occupational therapy intervention uses everyday life activities (occupations) to promote health, well-being, and a person’s ability to participate in the important activities in their life. This includes any meaningful activity that a person wants to accomplish, including taking care of yourself and your family, working, volunteering, going to school, playing with friends, among many others. Occupational therapists are skilled health care professionals who use research and scientific evidence to ensure their interventions are effective. With strong knowledge of a person’s psychological, physical, emotional, and social makeup, occupational therapy practitioners evaluate how a condition, whether congenital, acquired, or at risk for one, affect your body and mind, using a holistic perspective. Employment opportunities for occupational therapists are available in a variety of settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, primary care offices, schools, in a client’s home, community settings (e.g., community centers, shelters, free clinics), and many other locations.