The mission of Florida International University’s Occupational Therapy Department is to establish excellence and leadership in occupational therapy education and practice, generate and disperse knowledge through research and scholarly activities, and provide service to an ethnically and culturally diverse community. This mission reflects the University’s mission to meet the educational and support needs of a diverse student population and provide opportunities for minority and non-traditional students.

The Occupational Therapy Department seeks to accomplish its mission through the recruitment, development, and retention of high quality faculty, and by producing an environment that stimulates the highest quality of learning and professional development. The department’s approach to teaching and learning includes comprehensive efforts to produce independently thinking, culturally sensitive, clinically competent practitioners able to meet client needs within the context of an interdisciplinary team and a changing health care environment. The department is committed to promoting excellence in practice by cultivating commitment to lifelong learning and service to the professional community; expanding and validating the knowledge base of the profession through applied research; and taking a proactive stance in promoting wellness and meeting the evolving health needs of the community.