Contact Information

Sally C. Townsend
Program Chair

(315) 792-3239

Master of Science in Occupational Therapy


Admissions Criteria


Freshman Applicants


A maximum of thirty-two first year students are accepted into the first year cohort. Students who apply to the Health Studies program, indicating that they are interested in completing the B.S. in Health Studies and the M.S. in Occupational Therapy must meet the following criteria:
  1. HS GPA of 85.0 higher
  2. HS Rank in the top 25 percentile
  3. SAT score of 1050 or above
  4. Solid academic and personal profile
  5. Sound ability in science and math, completing at least:
    • One year of biology;
    • One year of another science, e.g., chemistry or physics; and 
    • Three years of math

Prior to entering the occupational therapy phase of the program in August of the senior year, students must meet the admission/continuance criteria.


Junior Transfer Applicants

Transfer students are accepted on a space-available basis. To transfer at the junior level, applicants must complete the following criteria:
  1. 3.0 cumulative grade point average
  2. Minimum of 60 credits, of which 31 must be in the liberal arts/sciences
  3. General Education Core I & II requirements complete (these are complete with an Associate’s Degree)
  4. Prerequisite Courses Complete:
    • BIO 101 & 102 Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II
    • SOC 151 Human Society
    • PSY 101 Intro. To Psychology
    • HLS 245 Human Development Across the Lifespan or PSY 223 Developmental Psychology
    • PSY 361 Abnormal Psychology
    • PHY 151 Physics I
    • PHI 107 or 108 Ethics or Professional Ethics

Students who have not completed all of these prerequisites may be accepted into the program and will require additional time to complete requirements. Prior to entering the occupational therapy phase of the program in August of the senior year, students must meet the admission/continuance criteria.


Graduate Applicants

Applicants who meet all of the admission criteria may enroll in occupational therapy courses at the graduate level. Those who have previously completed a baccalaureate degree but have not completed all of the required course content may enroll in courses to complete a second baccalaureate degree (health studies) with continuance to the master of science degree in occupational therapy or may enroll in classes necessary to meet the course content requirements noted below and not complete all of the requirement for the bachelor of science degree in health studies.

Applicants who apply at the graduate level must meet the following criteria:
  1. a baccalaureate degree
  2. 3.0 cumulative grade point average
  3. academic records will be evaluated on an individual basis to determine completion of required course content which includes:
  • ANT 415 Cultures, Health, and Healing
  • BIO 101 and 102 Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II
  • BIO 201 Gross Anatomy
  • BIO 202 Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology
  • HLS 245 Human Development across the Lifespan
    or
    PSY 223 Lifespan Developmental Psychology
  • HLS 309 Medical Conditions and Implications
  • HLS 381 Kinesiology
  • HLS 445 Clinical Research
  • PHI 107 or 108 Ethics/Professional Ethics
  • PHY Physics
  • PSY 361 Abnormal Psychology
  • PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology
  • SOC 151 Human Society

Applicants must also meet the continuance criteria.  

Options for Applicants


Three options exist for completing the pre-requisite courses (Health Studies phase):

These options are a strategy to encourage enrollment of all students, including those who are in the minority in the occupational therapy profession. This minority is comprised primarily of men (6% of practitioners in US), people of color, and people with disabilities.

The availability of the three options for entry into the sequence of prerequisite courses is one of the strong points of the program by accommodating the needs of a diverse group of students, including working adults. These choices are particularly attractive for students who have previously earned an Associate's Degree to become an occupational therapy assistant and want to progress to the professional level of study. These options are also attractive to the individual seeking a second degree or career.

This type of diversity in the student body is desirable and efforts are made to maximize that diversity. Incentive and academic support programs are in place as recruitment tools and to assist with financial aid and academic challenges for students with identified needs.


Continuance Criteria



Individuals who want to begin the occupational therapy phase of the program are required to meet all of the following criteria to receive permission to enroll in those courses.
Click here for continuance criteria > 


 

Applying For Admission

If you are applying for admission to UC as a freshman or undergraduate transfer student:

For details on how to apply for admission to the M.S. program in Occupational Therapy: