Admission Requirements

Master of Science in Occupational Therapy

To be eligible for admission into the occupational therapy master’s program, applicants must possess a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college, with an academic record that includes a balance of coursework in the humanities, social sciences, mathematics and life sciences, as well as competence in written and spoken English. Basic computer skills (preparation of documents, spreadsheets, graphs, databases, research and presentations) are required. To be competitive, applicants should have an overall grade point average of at least 2.5, with no science or math grade below C. Other admission requirements include:

• Proof of 100 hours of volunteer work under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist
• An essay detailing the desire to pursue occupational therapy as a career
• Two professional letters of recommendation on letterhead, one of which must be from a licensed occupational therapist. The recommendations must be dated within the past six months. Both references should be in sealed envelopes with the referee’s signature over the seal.
• Official transcripts from all post-secondary schools attended
• A personal interview (for those applicants who qualify)
• An on-site essay on an assigned topic

The Occupational Therapy Admissions Committee will review completed applications, and those who qualify will be invited to the interview process. The Occupational Therapy Admissions Committee will render the final admission decision.

Technical Standards for Admission and Matriculation to the Occupational Therapy Program
Technical standards are nonacademic admission requirements, related to the essential nature of the program, which must be met by all students admitted to the program. The standards include personal and professional traits. Some of these requirements include skills and experiences, physical, sensory, medical and emotional competencies and safety issues. The criteria may be objective or subjective but are the same for all applicants. The standards must:

• Be nonacademic
• Be requisite for admission
• Be related to essential function of the program
• Apply to all students
• Not be established to discriminate for or against a person with disability
• Ensure that the student can benefit from the program.

The ability to function in a job as an occupational therapist is not relevant; rather, the student must be able to succeed in the course of study. An occupational therapist must have the knowledge and skills to function in a broad variety of clinical situations and to render a wide spectrum of therapeutic interventions. In order to perform the activities required of the profession, the student must be able to learn, integrate and synthesize data quickly, accurately and consistently. The multiple skills and abilities required include observation, communication, motor, conceptual, integrative, qualitative, behavioral and social. Reasonable accommodation can be made for persons with disabilities in some of the areas, but the student must be able to perform independently.

A student entering the professional phase of the program (the fourth year of the B.S./M.S. program or the first year of the post-baccalaureate M.S. program) must be able to learn through action, experience and communication, as guided by the philosophy of pragmatism that underlies our program design. In addition, the applicant must meet the following technical requirements:

• Documentation by letter of reference of one hundred hours of volunteer work under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist; a second letter of reference; a personal statement describing the applicant’s interest in occupational therapy; participation in the admission process, requiring three to five hours on the college campus.
• The commitment to work in an intense setting that challenges the individual to meet the needs of people of diverse cultures and age groups who are ill, severely injured, limited by cognitive, emotional and functional deficits, and whose behavior may create, at times, an aversive reaction. The ability to interact with these individuals without being judgmental or prejudiced is critical in establishing a therapeutic relationship.
• The ability to communicate verbally and in writing, using appropriate grammar and vocabulary, in order to build relationships with faculty, advisors, fellow students, coworkers and clients and their significant others. Proficiency in communication includes transactions with individuals and groups in learner, collegial, consultative, leadership and task roles. Students must be able to elicit information, gather information, describe findings and understand non-verbal behavior.
• The ability to travel independently to and from classes and fieldwork assignments on time, and possess the organizational skills and stamina for performing required tasks and assignments within allotted time frames. (This travel is at the student’s expense.)
• Commitment to adherence of policies of the college, of the occupational therapy program and of the fieldwork sites. These rules include matters relating to professional dress and behavior, and confidentiality.
• Professional competence and moral character, which meet state licensure guidelines.
• Emotional health for full utilization of intellect, the exercise of good judgment, prompt completion of responsibilities and the development of mature, sensitive and effective relationships with others. Working with persons in need often requires taxing workloads and adaptation to changing and challenging environments requiring flexibility and a spirit of cooperation.
• Critical thinking skills in order to be able to problem solve creatively, to master abstract ideas and to synthesize information in order to handle the challenges of the academic, laboratory and fieldwork settings.
• Physical coordination and strength to be able to handle moving clients and to direct clients in varied practice settings. Visual acuity and independent mobility, fine and gross movements, equilibrium, and the use of touch (touching and being touched) are essential to assure safety of clients, significant others and staff.
• Commitment to the code of ethics of the profession and behavior, which reflects a sense of right and wrong in the helping environment.