OTA/PTA to MSOT Pathway

Admission Requirements

1. Education: Associate’s degree in occupational therapy from an ACOTE-accredited program or associate’s degree in physical therapy from a CAPTE-accredited program
   • A minimum of 90 semester credits of undergraduate coursework (including general education and electives).
2. The program requires an overall GPA of 3.0 and an overall prerequisite GPA of 3.0.
3. Prerequisite coursework must be completed with a grade of “C” or higher. A grade of “C-” or lower will not be accepted. All prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to beginning the MSOT program.
   
   Prerequisite courses required for admission include:
   
   • Anatomy and Physiology I & II with labs (6 credits)
   • General Psychology (3 credits)
   • Abnormal Psychology (3 credits)
   • Developmental Psychology/Lifespan Development (3 credits)
   • Medical Terminology (1 credit)
   • Research Methods / Statistics (3 credits)
   • Biomechanics/Kinesiology/Physics (3 credits)
   • Sociology/Anthropology (3 credits)
4. Applicants must complete an application by the published deadline. This application includes submission of all transcripts and two (2) letters of recommendation from non-relatives (instructor, coach, supervisor).
   
   For International Students Only:
   TOEFL Requirement: To be admitted into the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program, applicants whose primary language is not English must have a recent IBT (Internet-Based TOEFL) score of 100 or more, in addition to meeting the other program requirements.
5. Upon completion and review of application materials by the Office of Admissions and the MSOT program, competitive applicants will be contacted to complete an interview with program faculty.
6. Notification of acceptance into the program will be provided within 90 days of the interview. Applicants offered a seat for the current matriculating class must acknowledge acceptance within the timeframe noted by following the instructions in the emailed acceptance letters and paying a non-refundable deposit of $500.00 to hold a seat in the class.
7. Acceptance to the program is contingent on the following:
   • Candidates must complete all outstanding prerequisite coursework with a grade of “C” or better, maintaining the 3.0 GPA requirements. Official transcripts must be submitted to the program as soon as possible, but no later than the end of the fall I term.
   • Candidates must complete a physical examination and immunizations (following current programmatic guidelines) prior to matriculation.
   • Students are required to maintain adequate health insurance throughout the program. Confirmation of health insurance coverage will be required upon acceptance. The University does not offer a health insurance policy and is not responsible for costs incurred for injury or medical problems sustained by a student while in the program.
   • Documentation verifying the applicant can meet the Technical Standards for the MSOT program is required.
   • All students must complete an FBI/BCI background check. While a conviction may not prevent a student from entering the program, applicants should know that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. 

Consideration for Conditional Admission: Applicants who do not meet the above criteria will be judged on a case-by-case basis and asked to submit additional documentation in an attempt to gain conditional admission. Candidates wanting to request a review for conditional admission will need to contact the graduate admission representative.

MSOT Accreditation Status

The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.