Occupational Therapy students at work with parachute and ball.

Occupational Therapy MSOT Study Options

OT M.S. & B.S. to M.S. OT Entry-Level Doctorate OT Post-Professional Doctorate OT Department

The Occupational Therapy program at Utica University offers both undergraduate and graduate entry options.

Program Entry Options

First-Year Day Track Entry Sequence

A maximum of 25 students who have indicated that they are interested in occupational therapy may be considered for fall semester admission freshman entry into the Health Studies OT program if they meet the following academic criteria:

High School Grade Point Average of 85.0 or higher
HS Rank in the top 25 percentile
Solid academic and personal profile
Sound ability in science and math, completing at least:
- One year of biology;
- One year of another science, e.g., chemistry or physics
- Three years of math

During the freshman year, in consultation with their academic adviser, students must select either the typical 4+2 sequence or the accelerated 3+2 sequence into the master's program. The typical 4+2 Health Studies with continuation to graduate occupational therapy sequence affords students the opportunity for greater engagement in undergraduate activities, such as athletics, student government, and/or study-abroad. If students are approved for the accelerated sequence, upon completion of prerequisite coursework and entrance criteria, students enter the occupational therapy graduate phase of the program in August of the senior year (3+2).

Academic Standards

Students who do not demonstrate sufficient progress toward degree, including meeting designated benchmark grade point averages will lose their guaranteed seat in the graduate phase of the program. These individuals will be reassigned as Health Studies majors in order to facilitate the timely completion of a bachelor's degree. They may apply to the graduate program through the standard graduate application process.

Apply Now as an OT First-Year Day Student

Transfer Day Track Entry Sequence

Students who are interested in occupational therapy may be accepted for transfer entry into the Health Studies OT track program on a space available basis if they meet the following criteria:

GPA of 3.2
Minimum of 60 credits or completed A.S. degree
Prerequisites:
- Anatomy & Physiology I and II
- Statistics
- Introduction to Psychology
- Introduction to Sociology OR Introduction to Anthropology
- Ethics OR Professional Ethics
Must be deemed core complete upon completion of a credit evaluation.

Students that meet all admission criteria and are admitted to the Health Studies OT track program are guaranteed a seat in the Occupational Therapy Master's program as long as all continuation requirements have been satisfied.

Academic Standards

Students who do not demonstrate sufficient progress toward their degree, including meeting designated benchmark grade point averages will lose their guaranteed seat in the graduate phase of the program. These individuals will be reassigned as Health Studies majors in order to facilitate the timely completion of a bachelor's degree. They may apply to the graduate program through the standard graduate application process.

APPLY NOW AS AN OT TRANSFER Day STUDENT

Transfer Weekend/Bridge Track Entry Sequence

Delivered in an accelerated format, the OT Weekend/Bridge Program combines online with face-to-face learning and is one of the shortest paths to graduation as an OT. Once accepted into the OT Weekend/Bridge Program, courses are held on campus typically every other weekend, Friday night through Sunday afternoon for fall and spring semesters with coursework supplemented by online and independent study. Full-time fieldwork experiences are required, including three months in a setting providing services to adults and three months in a setting providing services to children.

If you have your OTA or PTA, the OT Weekend/Bridge Program at Utica University makes it even easier to get your bachelor's.

Students who are interested in the Health Studies Occupational Therapy Weekend/Bridge Program must submit an application and meet the following requirements:

GPA of 3.2
Minimum of 60 credits or completed A.S. degree
Prerequisites:
- Anatomy & Physiology I and II
- Statistics
- Introduction to psychology
- Introduction to sociology or anthropology
- Ethics OR Professional Ethics
- Abnormal Psychology
- Lifespan Developmental Psychology OR Lifespan Human Development
- 46 Liberal Arts credits
Must be deemed core complete upon completion of credit evaluation
Students must have completed all of the prerequisite courses to be considered for the OT Weekend program

Students that meet all admission criteria and are admitted to the OT Weekend/Bridge Program are guaranteed a seat in the Occupational Therapy Masters program as long as all continuation requirements have been satisfied.

Apply Now as a Transfer Student to the OT Weekend program

M.S. Day and Weekend Track Entry Sequence

The Utica University MS in Occupational Therapy program is one of the shortest in the Northeast at five straight semesters. However, it does not mean that it is less rigorous. Rather, it is more concentrated and requires successful students to have effective time management skills, the need to work under time pressure, strong communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with your fellow students and the faculty. Both the day option and the weekend option take five semesters.

We use the OTCAS national application system. The graduate admissions office receives a large number of inquiries and applications each year. On average, we have between 20 to 25 seats available for external students (those who have or will have a BS or BA degree). We expect to receive between 150 to 200 applications for these seats each year.

Application Requirements

GPA

Applicants to the MS in Occupational Therapy must have an overall bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale from a regionally accredited institution. We may consider applicants with an overall GPA of 3.0-3.19 if a candidate has demonstrated strengths in other areas.

Once your OTCAS application is complete and verified, it will automatically calculate your overall GPA.

Prerequisite coursework

Utica University requires the successful completion of eleven prerequisite courses with a minimum grade of C:

A four-hour credit course in Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab or equivalent (i.e. Human Anatomy, Human Physiology)
A four-hour credit course in Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab or equivalent (i.e. Human Anatomy, Human Physiology)
An applied anatomy (gross anatomy, neuroanatomy, or equivalent)*
Kinesiology or Biomechanics
An Introductory course in Sociology or Anthropology
General or Introductory Psychology
Abnormal Psychology
Lifespan Psychology/Human Development/Developmental Psychology (must cover birth through adult)
Medical Conditions and Implications/Pathophysiology/a three credit course in Medical Terminology
Statistics
Research Methods (psychology or sociology-based)

Prerequisite coursework must be successfully completed by June 1 of the year you would like to enter the program. All coursework must have a grade of “C” or better (no C-‘s). Coursework may be taken from any regionally accredited community college, college or university. Online coursework from these institutions is acceptable as long as they fulfill the prerequisite requirements.

The following prerequisite courses need to have been taken within seven years of the date of application:

an applied anatomy*
Abnormal Psychology
Research Methods
Medical Conditions and Implications or Pathophysiology or a three credit hour course in Medical Terminology

You will need to retake these courses if they are older than seven years.

*An applied anatomy course can be gross anatomy, neuroanatomy or a specialized biology-based course that focuses on human anatomy above A&P 1 and 2

Please Note: Successfully completing all prerequisites is not a guarantee of admission. Our program is highly competitive and has limited seating.

For more information, please contact Executive Director John Rowe at jrowe@utica.edu or Assistant Director Lynn Cope at lcope@utica.edu who can perform a transcript evaluation to determine if you have the required prerequisites.

The OT Application Guide includes prerequisite and program information along with information about the application process:

OT Application Guide

Apply Now via OTCAS for M.S. Day and Weekend Track Entry Sequence