MASTER OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (MOT)

Thank you for your interest in the Master of Occupational Therapy Program at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.    I am very proud of our program, our students, our faculty, and our relationship with clinicians and the community.  As one of over 200 accredited occupational therapy programs in the United States, we have the distinction of being one of just a few programs found on an Academic Health Sciences Center campus located both in the Oklahoma City and the Tulsa community.  This creates unique opportunities for our students to engage in unique interprofessional opportunities with numerous health care professionals on both campuses.  In addition, students in our program share an interprofessional curriculum model with our physical therapy program.  With state of the art facilities, we use cutting edge distance education technology to broadcast lectures between our Oklahoma City and Tulsa campus.

Our faculty are committed to preparing our students as competent and caring occupational therapists.  We focus not only on occupation-based person centered assessment and intervention, but also emphasize community engagement and hands-on learning opportunities.  I am very proud of our dynamic interdisciplinary faculty, known for their creativity and commitment to the profession. Together they provide outstanding educational and service experiences using the latest evidence to guide the process.  Our program is known for producing creative, knowledgeable, and competent occupational therapists who are devoted to their profession.

On behalf of the faculty and students of our program, we thank you for your interest and we hope you enjoy learning about us as you peruse our website.  We believe you will see that it is great to be part of the OUHSC Program in Occupational Therapy.

Mary Isaacson, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA, ATP
Program Director

What is Occupational Therapy?

OT Tuesdays

OT CAT Bank

We are proud to announce that in 2020, the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) is beginning its transition of the entry-level degree program from the master’s to the clinical doctorate. The program in occupational therapy has applied for candidacy status through the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The Accreditation Council will notify our program of their candidacy status decision by August of 2021. Pending decision, the first Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD) class is scheduled to begin the program in June of 2022 and will graduate in May of 2025. With the approval of the OTD, applicants are no longer accepted for the master’s program. The last class of master’s students will begin the program in June of 2021 and will graduate in May of 2024. 

For more information, visit the ACOTE website or contact the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929; (301) 652-6611. 

Requirements to Become an Occupational Therapist
Upon completion of the OUHSC occupational therapy program, including all course work, fieldwork, and doctoral degree requirements, students are eligible to take the national occupational therapy certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After passing the exam, graduates apply for licensure in the state(s) in which they live and work.

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) and The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT)

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education awarded the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Occupational Therapy Program accreditation for a period of 10 years 2015/2016 through 2025/2026.

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 Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA.

The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT) is a not-for-profit credentialing agency that provides certification for the occupational therapy profession through administration of a national certification examination. NBCOT serves the public interest by developing, administering, and continually reviewing a certification process that reflects current standards of competent practice in occupational therapy. The NBCOT also works with state regulatory authorities, providing information on credentials, professional conduct, and regulatory and certification renewal issues.

As graduates of a NBCOT recognized occupational therapy education program at the post-baccalaureate degree level, OUHSC students are eligible to take the NBCOT national certification examination. After successfully passing the NBCOT national certification examination, individuals become an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). Oklahoma, like most states, requires licensure to practice, and acquiring a state license is based on successfully passing the NBCOT Certification Examination and initial national registration.

It is important to note, that 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, but it may also affect a graduate's ability to sit for the certification examination or obtain state licensure.

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online.

The Master of Occupational Therapy program prepares students to perform as an entry-level occupational therapist. The MOT program consists of 80 semester hours of sequenced and integrated didactic and clinical courses beginning in the summer of every year. All didactic course work is offered on the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa via distance education. Coursework includes 26 hours of fieldwork; the typical time frame for completing all coursework is three years.

The total number of graduates from the University Of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Master of Occupational Therapy program during the 3-year period of 2016-2018 was 90 with an overall graduation rate of 96.8%.

ACOTE® accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational programs satisfy the states’ educational requirements in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Students graduating from an ACOTE® accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational program are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification exam and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For more information regarding state qualifications and licensure requirements, please refer to the AOTA State Licensure webpage.

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).

The Master of Occupational Therapy degree professional program consists of 80 semester hours of sequenced and integrated didactic and clinical courses. All didactic coursework is offered on the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa via distance education. 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. To meet the broad healthcare needs of Oklahomans, the University of Oklahoma Occupational Therapy Program offers our program in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City.  Students physically attend courses and labs on one of the two campuses. Lectures are broadcast between the two campuses which provides the opportunity for students to receive a rich and diverse education from regional experts in the field.

The progression and retention policies for the program in Occupational Therapy are described in the College of Allied Health Academic Standards.

The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Allied Health ensures that program expectations, learning objectives, and educational outcomes offered at the Oklahoma City campus and Tulsa campus are consistent.   Program outcomes between the Oklahoma City campus and Tulsa campus are evaluated yearly by course directors and reported to the Department Chairman and to the Dean of the College of Allied Health.     

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 everyday 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 for additional details.

If you would like to explore occupational therapy further, view the following YouTube videos:

• American Occupational Therapy Association
• Occupational Therapist Job Outlook

Students applying to the Master of Occupational Therapy program must possess personal qualities of character, integrity, and motivation, as well as the capacity to perform essential functions suitable for a career in occupational therapy.

The OUHSC Master of Occupational Therapy program has joined the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS). Applicants must complete both the OTCAS application and the OUHSC application. ALL official sealed transcripts and scores must be sent to OTCAS and entered through the OTCAS on-line system. To be considered for admission, applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. Submit a completed on-line application through OTCAS and OUHSC. The OUHSC MOT Program encourages you to APPLY EARLY! We will begin considering applications as early as October 1st. Those with completed applications (OTCAS + OUHSC) by October 1, 2020 will be given PRIORITY consideration. Applications that are not complete by the October 1st deadline will not be considered for admission until the firm deadline of February 1, 2021. It is possible that up to 50% of the class could be filled prior to the firm deadline of February 1st. (Beginning with the applications for 2022 admission, there will be one firm deadline of October 1, 2021.);
2. Complete a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university prior to enrollment in the program;
3. Be in good standing with the college or university last or currently attending;
4. At a minimum, earn both a 2.75 cumulative grade point average and a 2.75 science grade point average on a 4.0 scale as calculated by OTCAS. Courses taken during the spring 2020 semester may have a “P” for passing or “S” for satisfactory due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please note that the required 2.75 cumulative grade point average and 2.75 science grade point average still applies. The College of Allied Health does not recognize academic forgiveness nor reprieve policies. All attempts of a course are included in the calculation of GPAs;         
5. Successfully complete all departmental prerequisite courses with grades of C or better prior to beginning our program the first week of June. Courses taken during the spring 2020 semester may have a “P” for passing or “S” for satisfactory due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please note that the required 2.75 cumulative grade point average and 2.75 science grade point average still applies;
6. We recognize that at this time it may be difficult for applicants to complete observation hours.  Although we recommend 40 hours of occupational therapy observation, they are NOT required.  We ask that applicants explore the AOTA website to learn more about careers in occupational therapy;
7. Submit official transcripts from all colleges and/or universities (including OU or OUHSC) attended and non-refundable application fees through OTCAS ;
8. Submit Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores (the General Test) prior to the application deadline date. At the time of verification through OTCAS, we will only accept valid, reportable GRE scores that are no older than five years following the test date. See ETS for score reporting policies. It is recommended that you take the revised GRE no later than one month prior to the application period for which you are applying to ensure your scores are received by the application deadline. Scores received after the application deadline will result in an automatic denial. The OTCAS GRE Designated Institution Code for the MOT program at OUHSC is 7448;
9. If English is a second language, submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. Applicants must earn a minimum score of 600 (paper-based) or 100 (Internet-based) within two years prior to application. The OTCAS TOEFL Designated Institution Code for the MOT program at OUHSC is 7448. The department may waive TOEFL scores if the applicant provides evidence of graduation from a U.S. High School or a 4-year Bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution. Click here to review additional information regarding the TOEFL and TOEFL waiver;
10. If previous coursework was from colleges or universities outside of the US, have all transcripts/mark sheets processed through World Education Services (WES); and 
11. All official, sealed transcripts, GRE scores, and TOEFL scores (if applicable) must be received by the application deadline. Late transcripts and test scores will result in an automatic denial.

Please Note: If you plan on applying to the program this year, submit an official, sealed transcript from every institution attended AS SOON AS POSSIBLE through the OTCAS system. Do NOT send them to the Health Sciences Center. They will not be forwarded. ALL transcripts and scores must be entered through the on-line OTCAS system. Transcripts take time to process from one institution to the other; therefore, order your transcripts ASAP! Once your fall grades have been posted, please update your OTCAS application ASAP.

View Application Statistics

Course numbers are those of the University of Oklahoma.  Approved prerequisite courses are offered at many institutions.  Check the Transfer Equivalencies Database or with your school advisor regarding equivalent courses.  There are instructions on that page on how to request a transcript evaluation for particular courses if your courses are not listed in the database.

Click on the following link to use the prerequisite worksheet to keep track of your prerequisite classes.

All prerequisites are required. Please read the footnote description located directly underneath the table.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

If you are attending OU in Norman for these courses, click here for equivalent courses; if attending another institution, please check the Transfer Equivalency Database.

2020-2021 Cycle Deadlines
•    Soft/Priority Deadline (CAS + OUHSC) – October 1, 2020
•    Firm/Final Deadline (CAS) – February 1, 2021
•    Firm/Final Deadline (OUHSC) – February 8, 2021

1. The Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) Program at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) participates in the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service, known as OTCAS.  Applicants applying to the entry-level occupational therapist education program apply online using the OTCAS application and must also complete an OUHSC application.  The OUHSC MOT Program encourages you to APPLY EARLY!  We will begin considering applications as early as October 1st. Those with completed applications (OTCAS + OUHSC) by October 1, 2020 will be given PRIORITY consideration. Applications that are not complete by the October 1st deadline will not be considered for admission until the firm deadline of February 1, 2021. It is possible that up to 50% of the class could be filled prior to the firm deadline of February 1st. (Beginning with the applications for 2022 admission, there will be one firm deadline of October 1, 2021.) 
2. The application cycle for the OTCAS is available to begin entering data as early as August. Visit here to learn more about OTCAS. 
3. The OTCAS Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) Designated Institution Code for the MOT program at OUHSC is 7448.
4. Review and follow the instructions for application to the College of Allied Health.
5. The decision of acceptance, alternate status, or denial to the Occupational Therapy program will be communicated through the OTCAS system on a rolling basis beginning in early March and continue through late April. If you have not received notification by May 1st regarding your application status, please contact the Office of Academic and Student Services at (405) 271-6588. However, alternates could be accepted as late as two weeks prior to the beginning of the first summer semester of the program.
6. Admitted applicants must accept their position according to the timeline communicated on their electronic letter, or the position will be considered declined. The applicant must accept the position within two weeks of notification, or the position will be considered declined. Alternates may be admitted up to the first class day for the summer semester if all positions have not been filled.
7. Students accepted for admission are required to confirm their intention to enroll and attend by paying a non-refundable deposit on enrollment. The deposit is applied toward tuition and fees during the first term.

Please note:  With the availability of distance technology, we are able to deliver lectures between Oklahoma City and Tulsa. Students may apply to either campus but sometimes a student spot is only available on one campus. Students are required to attend all classes on the campus to which they are admitted.
 

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. For financial aid information, contact the Financial Aid Office at (405) 271-2118.

Additional cost information:
Bursar's Office Tuition and Fees
Student Financial Aid

Rehabilitation Sciences Faculty

Year 1
 

Summer Semester

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

Summer Semester

Year 2
 

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

Summer Semester

Year 3
 

Fall Semester

Spring Semester

Elective: 2 credit hour

Last reviewed:  October 27, 2020

Curriculum Notes
*To meet the broad healthcare needs of Oklahomans, the University of Oklahoma Occupational Therapy Program offers our program in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Students physically attend courses and labs on one of the two campuses.   Lectures are broadcast between the two campus which provides the opportunity for students to receive a rich and diverse education from regional experts in the field.

Course Descriptions

View Program Brochure

Department of Rehabilitation Sciences
College of Allied Health
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
1200 N Stonewall Avenue, Room 3092
Oklahoma City, OK  73117-1215

Wade Hensley
Student Program Coordinator II 
Phone:  (405) 271- 2131
Email Wade Hensley
 
Office of Academic and Student Services
Phone:  (405) 271-6588
Email the Office of Academic and Student Services

Click here to schedule a virtual, phone, or in-person prospective student appointment with one of our Advisors.

Prospective students are encouraged to review the Technical Standards which are the academic, clinical, and interpersonal aptitudes and abilities that allow OT and PT students to complete the professional curriculum.   Students are also encouraged to visit the prospective student's page to find resources such as the transfer equivalency tables, admission statistics, job shadowing, gpa calculation, tuition cost, scholarships, student life, campus resources, etc.