Occupational Therapy, M.O.T.

The College of Health and Human Services  graduate professional degree in Occupational Therapy (Master of Occupational Therapy-M.O.T.) prepares students to assume general practice positions in occupational therapy in a variety of health, education, and social service delivery systems. This is an entry-level graduate degree. This curriculum is designed for the student who has a bachelor’s degree (any major), required prerequisite course work, and a strong commitment to pursuing a rigorous program of study in Occupational Therapy.

Accreditation

The Occupational Therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is 301.652.AOTA. Web address is www.acoteonline.org.

Graduates of the program are able 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). All states, including Illinois, require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Caution: a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination and/or attain state licensure.

Special Admissions Requirements

Applicants applying for admission to the College of Health and Human Services Occupational Therapy Program must submit documentation for the following minimum requirements.

• Completion of a baccalaureate degree prior to matriculation;
• completed prerequisite coursework with a grade of “C” or better in the following subjects:
  • Human Anatomy and Human Physiology with Lab (8 credit hours)
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (9 credit hours) to include:
    • Abnormal Psychology (3 credit hours)
    • Developmental Psychology or other related Sociology, Anthropology or lifespan course (3 credit hours)
    • General/Introduction to Psychology course (3 credit hours)
  • Orientation of Occupational Therapy (2 credit hours)
  • Medical Terminology (1 credit hour)

  Additional Requirements and Interview Process:

1. Students must have an undergraduate cumulative GPA of 2.75 excluding your freshman and sophomore year.
2. A personal statement paper - no longer that 2 pages and should articulate why you are choosing occupational therapy as a career.
3. Three letters of recommendation: One must be from a healthcare professional, one from an academic person; one from a mentor, employer, advisor, or volunteer experience supervisor.
4. Interview process - selected applicants will be notified of available interview dates to schedule their on-campus interview. The typical interview day activities involve an interview with occupational therapy faculty, lunch with current GSU MOT students, campus tour and opportunity to meet with the financial aid office.
5. A $750 seat deposit is due within two weeks of notification of acceptance in the MOT program.

Admission to Candidacy

Following acceptance and progression in the MOT program, a student must apply for candidacy. Application must be made when a student has completed at least 61 credit-hours and maintained a G.P.A. of 3.0 or higher for all courses in the MOT program.

Master’s Final Project

The Occupational Therapy Level II Fieldwork A and B (OCCT - 8950 Fieldwork Level II A (8)  and OCCT - 8960 Fieldwork Level II B (8) ) are graduate practica that provide students with the opportunity to evaluate the relevance of theoretical and academic perspectives in the profession and meet entry-level competence and, therefore, meet the requirement of the master’s final project.