USC Occupational Therapy History

Established in 1942 as a baccalaureate program, the Division initiated the nation’s first Occupational Therapy post-professional degree program in 1947. It inaugurated the world’s first doctoral program in Occupational Science in 1989. On the first ranking of Occupational Therapy graduate programs in 1998, U.S. News & World Report ranked USC Occupational Therapy as #1 in the nation. An international leader in education, research and clinical practice, the Division is devoted to understanding the fundamental nature and importance of purposeful activities (occupations) to humans, and the role of balanced occupation in promoting health and wellness for all people.

To view a timeline of highlights throughout the nearly seven decades of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science at USC, see: History 1942-2017 (PDF)

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1917 - Occupational Therapy Founded

The National Society for the Promotion of Occupational Therapy is established.