After suffering from a major injury or health incident, people often lose the ability to function as fully as they did before. They may be suffering from loss of movement, a speech impediment, or even severe depression. When this happens, an occupational therapist is there to help people through, teaching them how to eat, exercise, and focus to regain movement, overcome disorders, and eradicate depression. In an occupational therapy program, you’ll learn how to help people in a time of great need.

In an occupational therapy program, you’ll study health, behavioral psychology, grief, speech therapy, and physical education courses—among others—that will prepare you to develop customized and effective recovery plans for your patients after graduation. You’ll also learn about modern disability equipment, allowing you to design home plans for patients that allow them to live normally with a disability. Many students also intern with professional occupational therapists as part of their coursework.

What Jobs Can You Get with a Degree in Occupational Therapy?

Demand for occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants is expected to skyrocket in the coming decade as the result of the Baby Boomers reaching retirement age. As individuals age, the likelihood of health conditions like osteoporosis and stroke increase. For this reason, occupational therapists will be in high demand to teach elderly patients how to continue living independently after a debilitating incident or illness, and to suggest equipment for the home that enables them to do so.

How Long does it take?

A bachelors in Occupational Therapy will have a typical length of 4 years in a full time schedule. That said, there are many ways to speed up the timeframe by either taking more units via online coursework, community college, or taking free classes at OnlineDegree.com that could transfer to universities in the US.