Fieldwork Sequence

Familiarize yourself with fieldwork expectations for each year of the program.
Level I Fieldwork

Level I fieldwork experiences are incorporated into academic courses with focuses on psychosocial, adult rehab, and pediatric populations. Fieldwork will supplement classroom learning by providing opportunities to integrate academic knowledge of each population in real life and treatment situations. Specific fieldwork I assignments and experiences will be defined in each course syllabus. 

Students typically complete this experience close to home, in the Ithaca area, or in an area where they have housing with friends and family.

BS/OTD Students:

  • Psychosocial: part of the OTDR 50500 Concepts in Mental Health OT course
  • Adult: part of the OTDR 51800 Adult OT Seminar course 

  • Pediatric: part of the OTDR 60800 Pediatric OT seminar course 

    For the full BS/OTD curriculum sequence: click here

BS/MS students:

  • Psychosocial: part of the OTMS 53500 Group Process in OT course
  • Adult: part of the OTMS 55000 Adult Evaluation and Intervention Processes in OT course

  • Pediatric: part of the OTMS 55500 Pediatric Evaluation and Intervention Processes in OT course

    For the full BS/MS curriculum sequence: click here

Level II Fieldwork

Level II fieldwork occurs following the prerequisite academic courses and must be completed successfully to qualify to take the certification examination for occupational therapists administered by the NBCOT (National Board for the Certification of Occupational Therapists). At completion of Level II fieldwork, students are expected to be functioning as an entry-level therapist. Level II Fieldwork is composed of two separate experiences totaling 6 months (24 weeks) of supervised training in pediatric/adolescent and adult/geriatric areas. 

Fieldwork is arranged, by the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator with student input, at sites throughout the United States.

  • Pediatric/adolescent: This fieldwork is a three-month experience with a pediatric or adolescent population. Possible sites include hospitals, schools, private practices, and specialized clinics.
  • Adult/geriatric: This fieldwork is a three-month experience with an adult or geriatric population. Possible sites include hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient clinics, and home care settings.

The sequence of the Pediatric/Adolescent or Adult/Geriatric Level II fieldwork is dependent on site availability during the fieldwork time frame. 

BS/OTD students:

  • First Level II fieldwork in summer following completion of the 4th year (May – Aug) = 3 months
  • Second Level II fieldwork in fall semester of the 6th year (Sept - Dec) following the final graduate spring semester = 3 months

BS/MS students:

  • First Level II fieldwork in summer following the senior year or 1st PEL year (May – Aug) = 3 months
  • Second Level II fieldwork in spring (March – June) following the final graduate spring semester = 3 months
  • Optional: Specialty Fieldwork or Elective Internship in summer (July – Aug) following the second Level II fieldwork = 2 months
Specialty/Elective (optional for MS students)

This fieldwork is an optional two month experience in a specialty/elective setting that typically takes place in the summer of the graduate year following the second Level II fieldwork but may take place later. This fieldwork is meant to round out the student's fieldwork experience, offer more specialized training, or provide an opportunity in a non-traditional occupational therapy setting.

For more complete information about the expectations and requirements for fieldwork, click here. 

Questions?

Rita Daly
Academic Fieldwork Coordinator
321B Smiddy Hall
 

Ithaca College
953 Danby Road
Ithaca, NY 14850

(607) 274-1968