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The goal of occupational therapy is to develop an individual's ability to handle life tasks and activities in a way that enhances the quality of life. To prepare students for this career, the Tufts Department of Occupational Therapy uses clinical reasoning as the organizing framework for its curriculum. Clinical reasoning is a dynamic process of inquiry in action that takes place in the context of occupational therapy evaluation and intervention. Through clinical reasoning, the occupational therapist thinks about what to do and why; how to proceed; what works; and what to change when working with the client. In ongoing clinical reasoning seminars, the faculty and students examine this process in the context of occupational therapy practice. The implementation of this philosophy provides students with a solid theoretical and practical foundation, as well as inquiry skills that address theory development and research.

As a graduate program of occupational therapy, in the Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the course selections are designed to provide students with a strong theoretical base from which to practice, as well as inquiry skills that address theory development and research. Individualized advising helps students develop courses of study, drawing upon the extensive resources of Tufts University, our consortium of schools including Boston University, Boston College, and Brandeis University, as well as the vast academic and cultural resources of the Greater Boston area. The Department of Occupational Therapy has been integral in the normalized development of Tufts University's practice-based learning initiative which strives to give students the tools and experiences to make a successful connection between study at Tufts and beginning a life beyond Tufts.