Master of Occupational Therapy

Program Description/Overview

Occupational Therapy is a rehabilitation profession that uses therapeutic occupations to influence the physical, cognitive, psychosocial, sensory-perceptual, and cultural aspects of human performance to improve quality of life. Occupations refer to activities that bring meaning to the daily lives of individuals, groups, organizations, and communities. All humans have an innate need and right to engage in meaningful occupations. When disrupted by disease, injury, or aging, human performance and functional participation in occupations are compromised. 

The goal of the occupational therapist is to address the individual’s needs by focusing on improving performance in all areas of occupation that may influence development to promote health and well-being across the lifespan. Preparation for professional practice occurs in a variety of contexts and environments. We embrace the belief that the skillful “use of occupations promotes individual and population health and is the core of occupational therapy practice, education, research, and advocacy (AOTA, 2017).”

The Master of Occupational Therapy aims to prepare competent, innovative, entry-level practitioners who meet the occupational needs of diverse individuals and communities through service, leadership, and transformative health care. The program is delivered in a hybrid format, with students coming in person at minimum one day per week to participate in laboratory experiences.

Program Learning Outcomes/Goals

The program prepares students as generalists through the following learning outcomes. Graduates of the program will:

1. Utilize theoretical models of practice, clinical reasoning, and evidence-based decisions to guide client-centered care and occupation-based outcomes.
2. Implement occupational therapy assessments and interventions with populations across the lifespan in traditional and emerging areas of practice, demonstrating professional behaviors in all interactions.
3. Practice ethical, equitable, and inclusive quality health care with all populations, respecting cultural factors, context, and the need for occupational justice.
4. Explain the processes of scientific inquiry that contribute to the dissemination of knowledge to support education, practice, and research in the field.
5. Integrate principles of leadership, management, and professional reasoning to facilitate individual, group, and organizational success, collaborating with the interprofessional healthcare team across the continuum of care. 
6. Formulate a professional development plan that includes role development, advocacy, and service. 

Professional Behavior Expectations/Ethical Guidelines

Students must adhere to the American Occupational Therapy 2020 Code of Ethics.

Prerequisite Courses

Nine (9) prerequisite courses are required before beginning the MOT curriculum.

• Statistics (3 credits): ex. Elementary statistics, business statistics, social sciences statistics
• Social Science course (3 credits): ex: Sociology, cultural anthropology, public health 
• Introduction to Psychology (3 credits)
• Abnormal Psychology (3 credits) 
• Human Growth and Development of the Lifespan (3 credits)
• Human Anatomy with Lab (4 credits) - Taken within five (5) years of application
• Human Physiology with Lab (4 credits) - Taken within five (5) years of application
• Medical Terminology (1 credit)
• Advanced Writing or Scientific writing (3 credits) - 300 or 400 level writing course

Prerequisite courses may be taken at any regionally accredited community college, public or private college or university. Online/hybrid courses taken at an accredited university may be accepted. Please note that Advance Placement (AP) courses, transfer credits, or experimental learning credits will not be accepted as a prerequisite toward the fulfillment of the prerequisite requirements. GRE scores are not required.

Programmatic Accreditation, Certification/Licensure

The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree program has applied for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must be granted Candidacy Status, have a pre-accreditation 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 in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony/criminal conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Some states may have additional requirements, such as requiring a United States Social Security Number for licensure. The student is responsible for meeting the requirements for certification and licensure.

Degree Requirements

Successful completion of all didactic requirements, all fieldwork level I experiences and 24 weeks of fieldwork level 2A and 2B experiences. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 12 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.

Internship, Practicum, and/or Dissertation information

Fieldwork and Service-Learning as Part of the Curriculum Framework: Fieldwork education is a crucial part of professional preparation, reinforces the program’s key curricular concepts, and engages students in professional roles and responsibilities early in their educational experience. Fieldwork promotes clinical reasoning and reflective practice, transmits the values and beliefs that enable ethical practice and develops professionalism and competence in career responsibilities. Fieldwork experiences may be implemented in a variety of ways under the supervision of qualified personnel serving as role models.

Level I fieldwork enriches didactic coursework through directed observation and participation in selected aspects of the occupational therapy process. Level I fieldwork objectives may be met through community service learning and a host of instructional methods such as simulated environments, faculty-led site visits, interactions with standardized patients, and observations. Through service learning, students (a) participate in organized activities that meet a community need and (b) reflect upon their service activity as a means of gaining a deeper understanding of course content, an enhanced sense of civic responsibility, and/or a greater interest in and understanding of diverse community life.

Level II Fieldwork provides two 12-week integrative learning opportunities during which students can apply the scope of professional knowledge and skills acquired within healthcare practice settings. Each Level II placement is developed between the program and overseen by a licensed occupational therapist. Both Level I and Level II fieldwork experiences will embrace diverse practices that expose students to physical, psychosocial, cognitive, and multicultural issues across the lifespan in traditional and emerging areas of practice.

Credit Units

Total Credit Units: 80

Total Core Credit Units: 80

Total Elective Credit Units: N/A

Total Concentration Credit Units: N/A

Curriculum Plan