Program Details | Orientation and Mobility for Children, Youth and Adults

Curriculum

The Orientation and Mobility (O&M) curriculum prepares professionals to teach individuals who are blind or have low vision to travel safely, confidently, and independently. Coursework combines theory and practice in sensory development, human movement, and spatial orientation, while emphasizing individualized instruction and adaptive techniques. Students learn to assess mobility needs, teach cane skills, incorporate low vision and assistive technologies, and guide travel in diverse environments—from school and community settings to complex urban areas. Through hands-on practicum and internship experiences, candidates gain the skills to promote independence and accessibility, leading to eligibility for national O&M certification and careers in educational and rehabilitation settings. Students often also combine this program with our Visually Impaired Learner program.

Course descriptions

For full course descriptions, please consult the Bulletin or Class Schedule.

Program format

Modality

First or Second Summer: In-Person: This portion of the program is held in person with classes held on-campus.

Rest of the program: Online, scheduled meetings and no scheduled meetings: The rest of the program is held entirely online. Some classes have required meeting times, others have no required meeting times.

Part-time

Time to completion: 1 - 2 years

Scheduling

Daytime: In the first summer term, classes are held in-person in Portland. These classes take place during the day.

Evening: For the rest of the program, classes are held online.  Most classes do not require scheduled meeting times. Classes that do have scheduled meeting times are held in the evening.

Weekly Estimated Time Commitment

The PSU Credit Hour Policy defines 1 credit hour as requiring a minimum of 3 hours of student time per week over the course of the term. PSU operates on the quarter system, and terms last 10 weeks.

Graduate school is a big commitment; please consider this information as a starting tool to help you gain a sense of the time commitment. Students learn differently and you may find that it takes you more time to complete the coursework on a weekly basis. Generally, a graduate program is more intensive and should require more time on homework than undergraduate courses; therefore, we recommend planning for more time than the minimum.

Students in this program generally take 3-6 credits of coursework per term and should expect to spend at least 18 hours per week outside of classroom time on homework and related activities.

Students will begin their practicum experience during or after completing SPED 552. The practicum requires a minimum of 400 hours of field placement working with individuals who have visual impairments. For students unable to complete a full-time placement, practicum credits may be distributed across multiple terms.

Program of Study

Cohort: This program operates as a cohort model, meaning that students follow a set program of study with a group of peers, learning together and providing a peer-support network. The program of study below outlines these classes term-by-term.