BACHELOR OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY DEPARTMENT
I. CONTACT INFORMATION
- Department Name: Bachelor of Occupational Therapy Department
- Duration: 4 years
- Language of Instruction: English
- Faculty: Faculty of Health Sciences
- University: Girne American University
- Phone: +90 850 650 2000 | Secretary Extension: 2539
- Website: https://www.gau.edu.tr/en/faculty-of-health-sciences
II. About the Department
Our Occupational Therapy Department was established in 2016 within the Faculty of Health Sciences to meet the growing need for health and well-being-oriented services in Turkey and the world, and to train professionals who will improve the health and quality of life of individuals through meaningful and purposeful activities.
Since its establishment, our department has steadily progressed to become one of the leading occupational therapy education centers in Turkey and the TRNC, thanks to its specialized and experienced academic staff, laboratories equipped with modern technical equipment, and strong clinical collaborations. Students from all over the world are admitted to our department, and therefore, many of our graduates to date work as Occupational Therapists in their home countries.
Program Aim:
The Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Program aims to train qualified occupational therapists who will empower individuals through meaningful activities, increase their independence and community participation, while adopting a creative, critical, and client-centered approach.
Title of Graduates:
Those who complete the 4-year undergraduate program in the Occupational Therapy Department receive the title "Occupational Therapist".
Employment Opportunities for Graduates:
- Health Sector
- Public and University Hospitals: In units such as Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Neurology, Orthopedics, Psychiatry, Burn Unit, Pediatrics, Geriatrics.
- Private Hospitals and Medical Centers: They provide services in similar clinics.
- Rehabilitation Centers: Centers for individuals with physical disabilities, neurological diseases (stroke, MS, Parkinson's, etc.), or individuals with mental health issues.
- Psychiatric Hospitals and Mental Health Centers: They work to help individuals with conditions such as addiction, schizophrenia, and depression gain daily living skills and integrate into the community.
- Home Care Services: They provide treatment and environmental modifications in the home setting to increase the patient's functionality.
- Education and Research Sector
- Universities: They can pursue an academic career, provide education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and conduct scientific research.
- Special Education and Rehabilitation Centers: They work to help children with special needs (such as autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy) acquire self-care, fine motor, academic, and social skills.
- Schools Providing Inclusive Education: They provide support for the adaptation of students with special needs to the school environment.
- Social Services and Municipalities
- Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Services: In units such as disability and elderly care centers (Nursing Homes, Special Care Centers), Child Protection Institutions.
- Municipalities: They can take part in social projects for people with disabilities, elderly and disability counseling centers, and community-based rehabilitation services.
- Industrial Area (Workplace Health and Ergonomics)
- Human Resources or Occupational Health and Safety Units of Large Companies: They provide consultancy to protect employees' physical and mental health in the workplace, increase their work adaptation, design ergonomic work environments, and prevent work accidents.
- Private Sector and Entrepreneurship
- Opening Private Occupational Therapy and Development Centers: They can open their own private practice or center.
- Consultancy Services: They can provide consultancy on home, school, or workplace modifications.
- Adaptive Device and Technology Development: They can take part in the development and consultancy of products to facilitate the lives of individuals with disabilities.
- Forensic and Legal Field
- Council of Forensic Medicine and Courts: They can serve as expert witnesses in evaluating disability status, determining the individual's degree of incapacity, and preparing necessary reports.
Occupational therapists work with individuals of all age groups, from infancy to old age, who experience physical, mental, sensory, or social difficulties, aiming to improve their health and well-being through "meaningful and purposeful activities" (daily living, work, productivity, social participation). Therefore, their employment areas are extremely broad, in line with this goal.
III. MISSION, VISION, VALUES AND GOALS
Mission
To educate occupational therapists who aim to increase the individual's community participation through meaningful and purposeful activities (occupations), possess an evidence-based, holistic, and client-centered perspective; who can think critically, are committed to ethical values, adopt lifelong learning as a principle, and are leaders and innovators. Furthermore, to contribute to the development of occupational therapy science and the improvement of community health through scientific research and community service.
Vision
To be a leading and reference department in the field of occupational therapy, recognized at national and international levels, accredited for the quality of its education and research, and whose graduates are preferred in the sector.
Values
- Client-Centeredness: The uniqueness, needs, and preferences of the individual are at the heart of all our services and education.
- Scientificity and Evidence-Based Practice: Our education and practices are supported by the most current scientific evidence.
- Ethics and Integrity: We are strictly committed to professional ethical principles and the principle of integrity.
- Innovation and Creativity: We encourage producing innovative and creative solutions to problems.
- Teamwork and Collaboration: We value and support intra-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary collaboration.
- Community Participation and Social Responsibility: We consider it our duty to reach all segments of society and contribute through social responsibility projects.
- Continuous Development: We adopt an understanding of continuous improvement and development in our academic and administrative processes.
Goals
- To provide our students with a high-quality educational environment where they can integrate theoretical knowledge with practice.
- To maintain the employment rate of our graduates at a minimum of 90%.
- To increase the number of national and international scientific publications and projects of our academic staff every year.
- To ensure, guide, and manage the effective participation of students and faculty members in social and educational programs.
- To organize public seminars, screening programs, and awareness projects that are integrated with the community.
Our Internal Stakeholders
- Our Students
- Faculty Members and Instructors
- Administrative and Technical Staff
- Department Commissions and Coordinatorships
- Faculty Commissions and Coordinatorships
- Smart Health Healthy Living Center
- Dean's Office of the Faculty of Health Sciences
- Rector's Office of Girne American University
External Stakeholders
- Program Graduates
- TRNC Ministry of Health
- TRNC Ministry of National Education
- Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu Hospital
- Dr. Akçiçek Hospital
- Public and University Hospitals in Turkey
- Juntos Special Education Center
- Juno Counseling Education and Research Center
- Girne Rehabilitation Center
IV. STRATEGIC GOALS
- Improvement of Education-Teaching Quality
- To periodically update the curriculum in line with World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) standards and local needs.
- To establish advanced practice laboratories including simulation and virtual reality technologies.
- To disseminate the use of student-centered, interactive, and problem-based learning methods.
- Increasing Research and Development Capacity
- To encourage and support academics to apply for national (TÜBİTAK) and international (EU Framework Programs) projects.
- To organize or co-organize at least one national/international congress per year.
- To increase the number of publications in peer-reviewed journals.
- Strengthening Societal Contribution and Service
- To carry out at least two societal awareness projects per academic year.
- To disseminate community-based occupational therapy services by developing collaborations with local governments and non-governmental organizations.
V. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Our Occupational Therapy Department is structured under the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Health Sciences of Girne American University.
- Department Head: Responsible for representing the department and its academic and administrative functioning.
- Department Board: Consists of all faculty members. Academic decisions such as curriculum, exams, and student affairs are made in this board.
- Administrative Staff: The department secretary and laboratory supervisors work in administrative tasks and practice units.
VI. AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT
- Physical Infrastructure: Increasing the capacity of existing laboratories and establishing new, specialized laboratories (e.g., Work and Industrial Occupational Therapy Lab.).
- Clinical Practice Opportunities: Creating new practice sites in different cities and specialized areas so that our students can gain more diverse and qualified clinical experience.
- Technology Integration: More effective use and enrichment of digital learning platforms and online educational materials.
- Funding and Resource Development: Securing additional funding through externally funded projects and donation campaigns to strengthen the department's budget.
Note: This document outlines the general framework of the Girne American University Occupational Therapy Department. Strategic goals and improvement areas will be periodically reviewed and updated.
November 5, 2025
Head of Occupational Therapy Department
Tuğba Çalışkan