Overview
The Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy Program
Continual advances in medicine help people live longer. Occupational therapists (OTs) are the emerging heroes of health care -- they're helping people live better. For people with mentally or physically limiting conditions, OTs can help them lead a good quality of life every day. OTs help people with chronic conditions work, continue healthy relationships, and engage in activities they love so they can live long -- and enjoy it.
The Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy (M.A.O.T.) program at St. Catherine University provides excellent entry-level and post-professional education based on an occupational science and liberal arts foundation. The program prepares students to lead and influence OT practice in existing and emerging professional areas.
"U.S. News & World Report" ranks St. Catherine's M.A.O.T. program among the top twenty-one occupational therapy programs in the country. It is the highest ranked OT program in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, or South Dakota. The curriculum is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association.
By interweaving the art and science of occupational therapy with the liberal arts and sciences, the M.A.O.T. program shapes students into professionals who not only understand the skills of an OT but also possess the compassion to listen intently to patients and families and help them achieve their goals. The curriculum is offered in two formats -- weekday or alternate weekend (Friday afternoon and evening; Saturday morning and afternoon). The weekend format includes a range of online learning opportunities.
A low student-to-faculty ratio and small classes mean that each student receives individual attention from highly acclaimed professors, who help students gain necessary practice skills, widen their professional network, and gain valuable experience through volunteer opportunities, internships, and clinical rotations. Because faculty members represent a broad range of practice areas within OT, they have the expertise to guide students as they develop skills and specialize to work in nursing homes, hospitals, pediatric clinics, psychiatric programs, community-based programs, or schools systems.
St. Catherine University's faculty is nationally recognized, with the highest percentage of named fellows in the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) of any Minnesota program. AOTA recognizes occupational therapists who, with their knowledge and expertise, have made a significant contribution to continuing education and professional development.
Following graduation, all students must take and pass the certification examination offered by the National Certification Board for Occupational Therapy. For 2006 through 2008, 84 St. Catherine students graduated from the M.A.O.T. program. Certification exam results for the same years indicate an overall passing rate of 91 percent, versus the national average of 87 percent, for first-time test takers.
A New Name and a Long Tradition
To more accurately reflect its comprehensive nature, the College of St. Catherine became St. Catherine University in June 2009. Founded in 1905, St. Catherine University offers the broadest range of academic programs and degrees among Minnesota's private colleges and universities. A dynamic university for women and men, with an innovative college for women at its heart, St. Catherine educates all students to lead and influence -- to make a difference in their communities, their families, their homes, their houses of worship, their workplaces, and the world. Steeped in the Catholic tradition, the school fosters an open, welcoming environment for students of all religions and beliefs -- a place they can call home
Two Metropolitan Campuses
St. Catherine University has two campuses in the Twin Cities. The one in St. Paul, which sits on 110 wooded acres, is 5 miles from the downtown area and 7 miles from Minneapolis. Located in the heart of the city, the Minneapolis campus is in proximity to many major health-care facilities.
According to "Money" magazine, the Twin Cities region is one of the best places to live based on overall quality of life, and a recent Gallup poll rated Minneapolis one of the safest large cities in the United States. Home to 2.7 million people, the Twin Cities are among the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the country.
While the Twin Cities can serve as an extended laboratory for learning, there are plenty of opportunities for fun, including hundreds of lakes and waterways, parks, and trails; shopping in the funky stores on Hennepin and Grand avenues or the Mall of America; several sporting events, from baseball to football to basketball to hockey; and some of the Midwest's finest museums.
