Occupational Science

Occupational Science


Occupational Science provides an interdisciplinary perspective on the complexities of human occupation and its contribution to the health and well-being of individuals, communities, and societies.

Occupation is defined broadly as groups of activities and tasks performed in daily life (e.g., work activities, self-care activities, leisure activities). The field encompasses theoretical perspectives on occupation from within and outside the related profession of occupational therapy. Research in this area includes:

  • Personal, micro-environmental and macro-environmental influences on occupation
  • The contributions of occupation at the individual, community and society levels
  • Approaches to effective occupational therapy and occupational enablement
  • Professional education in occupational therapy
  • Client-centred practice
  • Clients' experience of illness, occupation, and therapy

Field Leader

Carri Hand, PhD
School of Occupational Therapy
chand22@uwo.ca

Research Supervisors

Students must complete three mandatory half-credit courses, one from each of the following categories:

Students must attend and participate in Seminar Milestones:

In addition, all PhD students must pass a formal candidacy examination as a requirement of the program.

Schedule & Milestones