Undergraduate Minor
in Occupational Science
One-Unit Courses
OT 100: THRIVE: Foundations of Well-Being (1 unit — with 2-unit option)
Tuesday, 5:00 – 5:50pm, with discussion section (multiple days/times available)
A class created for students, by students through a collaboration between USG, USC Chan, and USC Campus Wellness & Education. Meet leading faculty, learn about human connection, give back to your community, foster self-care, and bring your true self. 1 unit, no pressure, no homework.
One-unit option
The 1-unit version of OT-100 is not available for credit towards the OS Minor.
Two-unit option
The 2-unit version of OT-100 does contribute towards credit for the OS Minor. In addition to the weekly lectures and discussions, students taking the course for 2 units will engage in a semester-long project of their choosing that applies the concepts presented in OT-100 THRIVE outside of the classroom. Students will meet periodically with their faculty member, then submit their project at the end of the semester.
Two-Unit Courses
OT 101x: Caring for Your Self: Engaging in Healthy Habits and Routines (2 units)
Tuesday, 12:00 – 1:50pm, or
Thursday, 3:30 – 5:20pm
Get credit for taking care of your self as you navigate your path. Learn about healthy habits by applying self-care knowledge to your own life. Save some time each week just for you!
OT 213: A Life of Play (2 units)
Monday, 3:30 – 5:20pm
Discover the occupation of play, including applications through the lifespan and therapeutic benefits. Learn to embrace and embed your play identity into everyday living.
OT 220: Lifestyle Design: Self-Analysis of Activities for Health (2 units)
Monday, 12:00 – 1:50pm, or
Wednesday, 4:00 – 5:50pm
What you choose to do or not do, minute by minute, day by day and year by year, shapes who you will become and how healthy you will be. Develop your knowledge and skills in lifestyle design and find your path to a healthier happier you!
OT 280: Essential Occupations of Emerging Adulthood (2 units)
Thursday, 12:00 – 1:50pm
Examine the challenges associated with the emerging adulthood stage of development — what most college students are experiencing as everyday life. Discuss occupational science strategies for promoting health and wellness in the face of these challenges and learn the life skills needed on your path to adulthood.
OT 310: Exploring Creative Occupations (2 units)
Monday, 10:00 – 11:50am or
Wednesday, 12:00 – 1:50pm
What creative occupations did you leave behind when you began your path at USC? Learn how you can rediscover the imaginative pursuits that help bring happiness and meaning to your life. Explore your creative side and discover what you have in common with famous writers, cartoonists, artists and performers.
OT 312: Living a Sustainable Life (2 units)
Wednesday, 10:00 – 11:50am
Occupations can help motivate and restore hope after war or natural disaster. Examine issues of human rights and how meaningful activities are important to identity, agency, health and political power in the wake of tragedy. Study collective action and learn to harness your own power and purpose in life.
Four-Unit Courses
OT 250: Introduction to Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy (4 units)
Tuesday & Thursday, 10:30am – 11:50am or
Tuesday & Thursday, 3:30 – 4:50pm
Discover strategies that will enable you to successfully transition to college life and beyond. Learn to utilize tools that will help you to create a healthy living environment, manage your time and find social community. In this age of information overload, find your path to happiness, purpose and health.
OT 251: Across the Lifespan: Occupations, Health and Disability (4 units)
Monday & Wednesday, 12:00 – 1:50pm
What activities are important to a child? To an adolescent? To an adult? Explore the power of occupation and its ability to be transformative throughout the lifespan of all individuals. Discover how your path has changed throughout your life and learn to better direct its course in the future.
OT 325: The Brain: Mind, Body, and Self (4 units)
Tuesday & Thursday, 9:30 – 10:50am
Your thought processes and social perceptions stem from the interactions between your brain and the world. Learn how your brain has developed over the course of your life and explore the interactions of neuroscience, cognition and social experiences.
OT 330: Our Families, Ourselves (4 units)
Wednesday, 6:00 – 8:50pm
Learn about the importance of connections, cultures and histories while you reflect on your own family. Find out how even simple activities, such as a meal together, can reinforce and build families. Build a family tree and determine how you can help it grow stronger in the future.
OT 340: Animal and Human Interconnections in Daily Life (4 units)
Tuesday & Thursday, 2:00 – 3:20pm
Will you travel your path with a best friend? Explore how interactions with companion animals, especially cats and dogs, can expand human capacity for action. Whether you’ve had a pet in the past, have one now, or might want one in the future, learn how these furry friends contribute to your health and well-being.
OT 360: Tell Me a Story: Narratives in Health and in Illness (4 units)
Monday & Wednesday, 2:00 – 3:20pm
Telling and retelling your own story is a lifelong occupation. Learn how the stories you tell about yourself, your friends, your family and your experiences not only describe who you are, but connect you to others and make you unique. Practice your interviewing skills and learn to write
a life narrative.
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