Rehabilitation Sciences
Occupational Therapy, Master of Occupational Therapy
Program Description
Occupational therapists work with individuals who may be recovering from illnesses or injuries, contending with developmental disabilities, or coping with changes resulting from the aging process. Occupational therapists advance the person's well being by promoting adaptation and independence through meaningful activities of everyday living to enhance and restore health. By preventing, reducing, or overcoming physical, social, and emotional impairments in people, occupational therapists help to restore and sustain the highest quality of productive life to persons of all ages.
To become a registered occupational therapist (OTR), a person must graduate from an accredited school of occupational therapy, and successfully pass the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. Many states including Oklahoma, also require a license to practice occupational therapy within the state.
For further information about the profession of occupational therapy, contact the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) at (http://www.aota.org).
The Master of Occupational Therapy degree professional program consists of 80 semester hours of sequenced and integrated didactic and clinical courses. All didactic course work is offered on the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The Master of Occupational Therapy degree professional program begins in the summer of every year and consists of 80 credit hours of sequenced and integrated didactic and clinical courses including 26 weeks of fieldwork to be completed in no more than five years.
The progression and retention policies for the Program in Occupational Therapy are described in the College of Allied Health Academic Standards (http://catalog.ou.edu/current/Health_Sci_Ctr_Allied_Health.htm) and include:
a minimum grade of C or S in each program course.
a grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 or higher each semester.
a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher while enrolled in an academic program in the College.
a GPA of 2.5 or higher in all required courses in the academic program in which the student is enrolled.
professional performance and behavior.
satisfactory progress, as determined by the Academic Progress Committee and the Dean.
Program Defined
Occupational therapy is a vital health-care profession that contributes to the ability of individuals to perform their life roles, such as parent, student, or worker, in the occupations of work, personal care, and leisure. Practitioners of occupational therapy advance the person’s well being by promoting adaptation and independence through meaningful activities of everyday living to enhance and restore health. By preventing, reducing, or overcoming physical, social, and emotional impairments in people, its practitioners help to restore and sustain the highest quality of productive life to persons of all ages. They may be recovering from illnesses or injuries, contending with developmental disabilities, or coping with changes resulting from the aging process. The unique feature that separates its knowledge from all other professions is the study and management of the purposeful occupations and the meaningful activities in which humans engage. In short, occupational therapy provides skills for the job of living.
Occupational therapists provide direct service to individuals and groups, consultation, and education to its consumers. As they gain experience, occupational therapists may choose to specialize and may become board certified in a specialty area. Occupational therapists can be supervisors, faculty members, researchers, and entrepreneurs. Occupational therapists may work in teams that include physicians, nurses, physical therapists, speech/language pathologists, psychologists, social workers, educators, dietitians, and recreational therapists. Through participation in treatment given individually or in groups, occupational therapists help people perform the every day skills and tasks needed for living their productive lives.
To become an occupational therapist, registered (OTR), a person must graduate from an accredited school of occupational therapy, and successfully pass the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. Many states, including Oklahoma, also require a license to practice occupational therapy within the state.
For further information about the profession of occupational therapy, contact the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Bethesda, MD, 20824-1220; phone (301) 652-2682; TDD (800) 377-8555. You may want to request the latest edition of “Occupational Therapy Careers.” Refer to the American Occupational Therapy Association’s web page at: www.aota.org for additional details.
If you would like to explore occupational therapy further, view the following YouTube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24ecvXE3ZjY.
Admission Requirements
1. Have successfully completed, or be in the process of completing, prerequisite course work (90 credit hours - no more than 60 credit hours from a two-year college will count toward the required 90) from any accredited college of university, prior to starting the program;
2. Complete a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university, or complete requirements to be eligible to earn the B.S. in Health Studies degree after completion of 30 hours in the program;
3. Be in good standing with the college or university last or currently attending;
4. Have at a minimum both a 2.75 cumulative grade point average and a 2.75 science grade point average on a 4.0 scale;
5. Have successfully completed all departmental prerequisite courses with grades of C or better;
6. Document 40 hours of observation due with your on-line application;
7. Submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (the General Test prior to the deadline date);
8. Students for whom English is a second language must earn a minimum score of 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 100 (internet-based) within two years prior to application on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The TOEFL web site is http://www.toefl.org;
9. All international/Non US Citizen applicants are required to have all transcripts/mark sheets processed through World Education Services (WES). Wes web site is http://www.wes.org; and
10. Submit a completed on-line application. Application deadline is February 1 for Fall.
Prerequisites
Course numbers and titles are those of the University of Oklahoma. Prerequisite courses are offered at several institutions in the state. Check the prerequisite finder at http://www.ah.ouhsc.edu/prereqs/ or with your school advisor regarding equivalent courses.
Click on the following website to use the prerequisite worksheet to keep track of your prerequisite classes: http://www.ah.ouhsc.edu/main/Application/documents/MOT%20Prereq%20worksheet.pdf.
Footnotes are located after the course title in parenthesis. Example: Principles of English Composition I (2). Descriptions of footnotes are located directly underneath the table.
| Course# |
Course
Title |
Credit
Hours |
| PSC 1113 |
American Federal Government (2) |
3 |
| PSY 2603 |
Developmental Psychology |
3 |
| MATH 1523 |
Elementary Functions or College Algebra (2) |
3 |
| PSY 1113 or SOC 1113 |
Elements of Psychology or Sociology (2) |
3 |
| |
Foreign Language 1st Course (2) |
|
| |
Foreign Language 2nd Course (2) |
|
| ZOO 2234 or 2255 |
Human Anatomy |
4-5 |
| ZOO 2124 |
Human Physiology |
4 |
| AVIA 1003 |
Introduction to Computers: Concepts & Applications (3) |
3 |
| PSY 2403 |
Introduction to Personality |
3 |
| ZOO 1114 |
Introduction to Zoology |
4-5 |
| CLC 2412 |
Medical Vocabulary |
2-3 |
| |
Natural Science Elective (Biol, Chem, Micro, Phys, Zoo) |
|
| |
Natural Science Elective (Biol, Chem, Micro, Phys, Zoo) |
|
| |
Natural Science Elective (Biol, Chem, Micro, Phys, Zoo) |
|
| |
Non-Western Culture (2) |
3 |
| PHYS 2414 |
Physics I for Life Science Majors |
4 |
| ENG 1113 |
Principles of English Composition I (2) |
3 |
| ENG 1213 |
Principles of English Composition II (2) |
3 |
| HIST 1483 or 1493 |
U. S. History 1492-1865 or U.S. History 1865-Present (2) |
3 |
| |
Understanding Art Forms (2) |
3 |
| PSY 2003 |
Understanding Statistics |
3 |
| |
Upper Level General Education Course (1) |
3 |
| |
Western Civilization & Culture (2) |
3 |
(1) is required if applicant has not completed a Bachelor’s degree. It is recommended that the applicant take an upper level/division (3000 or 4000 level) non-western culture, western civilization & culture, or understanding art forms class. By taking an upper division course in one of those categories, two prerequisites can be completed with that one class.
(2) is not required for applicants that have an Associate of Science or Associate of Arts degree from an Oklahoma college. Not required for applicants that have a Bachelor’s degree. Foreign Language 1st and 2nd course are waived for applicants who completed two classes in the same language in high school.
(3) is not required if applicant has an Associate of Science or Associate of Arts degree or higher. To satisfy requirement otherwise, complete a computer skills course, pass an institution assessment test, or substitute one year of high school computer courses (excluding keyboarding).
Application Procedure
1. Review and follow the instructions on the College of Allied Health General Instructions for Application document found at the following web site: http://www.ah.ouhsc.edu/main/Application/default.asp
2. A letter of acceptance, alternate status, or denial to the Occupational Therapy program will be mailed the latter part of April. If notification is not received by May 1, contact the department.
3. The applicant must accept the position in writing within two weeks of notification, or the position will be considered declined. Alternates will be selected according to numerical ranking. Alternates may be admitted up to the first class day for the fall semester if all positions have not been filled.
4. Students accepted for admission are required to confirm their intention to enroll and attend with a $100.00 non-refundable deposit. The deposit is applied toward tuition and fees during the first term.
Cost
Tuition is approximately $2,930.00 per semester for Oklahoma residents. Students may expect additional costs that include, but are not limited to, a personal computer, textbooks, lab fees, insurance and supplies. Students are required to assume financial responsibilities for expenses associated with clinical requirements.
Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education awarded accreditation for a period of 10 years 2005/2006 through 2015/2016. The Occupational Therapy program is accredited by Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, PO Box31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. AOTA's phone number is 301-652 AOTA. The web site is www.aota.org . Graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). Most states require licensure to practice, and state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.
Any arrest, charge, or conviction for a felony or a misdemeanor may not only affect a student's ability to attend certain clinical sites for clinical education and fieldwork, it may also affect a graduate's ability to sit for the certification examination or obtain state licensure.
NBCOT examination pass rates
The total number of graduates who passed the certification exam as first time new graduate test takers in 2004-2007 was 53 out of 54 which is a 98.1% pass rate.
Faculty
College of Allied Health Departmental Faculty
Early Admission Requirements
Master of Occupational Therapy (M.O.T.)
The early admission option for the physical therapy and occupational therapy programs was created to offer outstanding prospective students the opportunity to secure positions in the program earlier than the normal admissions cycle. Positions are limited, and applicants not admitted will be considered in the regular pool. The application deadline for early admission is December 1.
To be considered for admission, an applicant must:
1. Be in good standing with the college or university last attended or currently attending;
2. Have at least a 3.75 cumulative grade point average and a 3.75 science grade point average on a 4.0 scale;
3. Have completed the following prerequisite courses with a grade of B or higher by the end of the fall semester preceding the program start date: Developmental Psychology, Human Anatomy, Human Physiology, Intro to Personality, Intro to Zoology, Medical Vocabulary, three Natural Science Electives, Physics I, and Understanding Statistics;
4. Have documented 40 hours of observation experience in occupational therapy;
5. Submit their Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores by the early admit application deadline and score at least a 4.0 on the Analytical Writing section of the GRE; and
6. Have earned a minimum score of 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based), or 100 (internet-based) within two years prior to application on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) if English is not the first language. TOEFL’s web address is http://www.toefl.org;.
Admission Contingency:
A student admitted to the physical therapy or occupational therapy program must satisfy all admission requirements listed above prior to beginning the program and must maintain at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average and a 3.25 science grade point average on a 4.0 scale. Should a student not fulfill these requirements, the early admission is forfeited and the student may apply through the next regular admissions process.
For More Information about the OT Student Experience
http://www.ah.ouhsc.edu/main/students/blogs.asp
Application Statistics
http://www.ah.ouhsc.edu/main/Application/admission_data.asp
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