Occupational Therapy - Master of Science
The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Program is eight semesters (30 months) long with extensive clinical experiences woven throughout academic coursework. The last two semesters of the program are spent in full-time Level II fieldwork. Students should expect to incur additional expenses for books, course fees, housing and travel during clinical fieldwork.
A thesis option is available for students wishing to pursue independent research. Students must declare if they intend to complete the thesis option by the end of the first year in the program. Students pursuing the thesis option would delay enrollment in the OT 795 Level II Fieldwork until completion of the thesis.
Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for occupational therapy 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). In addition to certification, most states require licensure in order to practice. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
Admission
- Earned undergraduate degree (or degree completed prior to the start of the program)
- Completion of all prerequisite course work
Course List Code Title Credits Anatomy and Physiology 8 Physics 4 Life Span Development 3 Statistics or Principles of Research 4 Abnormal Psychology 3 Introductory Sociology or Anthropology 3 Medical Terminology 1 - A minimum grade point average of 3.0 for undergraduate studies
- No grade of less than "C" in any prerequisite coursework
- No more than two "C"s in prerequisite coursework
- Completed application for admission to the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS)
- Completion of admissions interview
Selection process
Twenty-six students are admitted each year. The deadline for application to the occupational therapy program is mid-December for classes beginning the following May. Factors considered in the admission process are academic success (GPA), commitment to the profession of occupational therapy, and professional abilities as demonstrated in OTCAS application. Specific deadlines, application materials, and weighting of application criteria are available at 4031 Health Science Center and with the Occupational Therapy Program.
Curriculum
Required coursework (in order of enrollment)
80 credits
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| OT 520 | Introduction to Occupational Therapy | 2 |
| OT 523 | Human Physiology | 4 |
| OT 524 | Human Anatomy | 3 |
| OT 526 | Foundations of Movement | 3 |
| OT 545 | Clinical Applications of Movement | 1 |
| OT 550 | Scholarly Practice I: Occupational Therapy Research | 2 |
| OT 570 | Occupational Therapy Intervention: Group Dynamics | 1 |
| OT 571 | Applied Occupational Therapy Intervention: Group Dynamics | 1 |
| OT 530 | Occupational Performance Analysis | 1 |
| OT 531 | Applied Occupational Performance Analysis | 1 |
| OT 751 | Scholarly Practice II: Research Methodology | 2 |
| OT 625 | Community Mental Health Promotion | 3 |
| OT 670 | Occupational Performance: Physical Dysfunction I | 2 |
| OT 671 | Applied Occupational Performance: Physical Dysfunction I | 1 |
| OT 650 | Occupations and Interventions: Pediatrics I | 2 |
| OT 651 | Applied Occupations and Interventions: Pediatrics I | 1 |
| OT 611 | Occupational Therapy in Acute Care Settings | 2 |
| OT 515 | Functional Neuroanatomy | 3 |
| OT 700 | Physical Agent Modalities | 1 |
| OT 640 | Assistive Technology | 2 |
| OT 790 | Level I Fieldwork: Physical Dysfunction | 1 |
| OT 775 | Critical Analysis of Practice | 1 |
| OT 760 | Scholarly Practice III: Evidence-Based Practice and Research | 3 |
| OT 730 | Occupational Performance: Physical Dysfunction II | 2 |
| OT 731 | Applied Occupational Performance: Physical Dysfunction II | 1 |
| OT 776 | Occupations and Interventions: Older Adult | 2 |
| OT 777 | Applied Occupations and Interventions: Older Adult | 1 |
| OT 740 | Occupations and Interventions: Pediatrics II | 2 |
| OT 741 | Applied Occupational and Interventions: Pediatrics II | 1 |
| OT 780 | Program Development | 3 |
| OT 791 | Level I Fieldwork: Pediatrics | 1 |
| OT 641 | Health Care Systems | 3 |
| OT 770 | Scholarly Practice IV: Analysis and Scholarly Dissemination | 2 |
| OT 726 | Professional Seminar | 2 |
| OT 785 | Adult Clinical Practice | 1 |
| OT 786 | Applied Adult Clinical Practice | 1 |
| OT 787 | Pediatric Clinical Practice | 1 |
| OT 788 | Applied Pediatric Clinical Practice | 1 |
| OT 782 | Level I Fieldwork: Community Mental Health & Wellness | 1 |
| OT 795 | Level II Fieldwork (taken twice) | 12 |
| Total Credits | 80 | |
Optional electives
- OT 720 Selected Topics in Occupational Therapy will be taught periodically as an elective during Fall II or Spring II semesters.
- OT 798 Independent Study in Occupational Therapy is taught by arrangement with occupational therapy faculty.
- OT 799 Research: Master's Thesis is an elective and may be started in Fall II and would be repeated each semester until thesis is completed (minimum four – maximum six credits).
Degree completion requirements
Prior to granting the degree students must:
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA throughout the professional graduate program
- Successfully complete (grade of "C" or better) all didactic coursework requirements
- Successfully complete (grade of "pass") two Level II fieldwork placements (total of 24 weeks)
- Finish all Level II fieldwork within 24 months of completion of academic portion of the program
University graduate degree requirements
After being admitted to the program of one's choice, candidates for a graduate degree must:
- Complete any preliminary course work and deficiencies.
- Complete all courses and other program requirements, including residence requirements prescribed for the degree desired in the respective school or college within a seven-year period from the date of initial enrollment, with the exception of students enrolled in the Student Affairs Administration and Leadership Ed.D. (SAA Ed.D.) graduate program. SAA Ed.D. students must complete all degree requirements within ten years from the time of initial enrollment in the graduate program.
- Earn a minimum of 30 credits for a master's degree; 54 credits for a doctorate or post-master's degree. Earn at least one-half of the minimum number of credits required in the program in graduate-only level courses (700, 800, 900, and non-slash 600 level courses). Some UWL graduate programs require more than 30 graduate credits. Please review the individual program requirements listed in the catalog for the exact number of credits required.
- Earn a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.00.
- Satisfy dissertation, thesis, seminar paper, terminal/graduate projects and internships, or comprehensive examination, where applicable. A dissertation or thesis approved by the committee must be submitted to Graduate & Extended Learning for editorial review and approval by the Dean of Graduate & Extended Learning. The recommended initial submission date for review is two weeks before commencement. Ordinarily, a seminar paper or project report does not have to be approved by the Dean of Graduate & Extended Learning. However, if the seminar paper or project report is to be archived in Murphy Library, the student must follow the same rules as they apply to the dissertation/thesis requiring approval from the Dean of Graduate & Extended Learning. For further research/dissertation/thesis guidelines, see Graduate & Extended Learning.
- File a completed "Intent to Graduate" form online via the WINGS Student Center immediately following registration for the final semester or summer term in residence. December graduates and winter intersession should file by May 1. May and summer graduates should file by December 1.
- Pay the graduation fee and remove all other indebtedness to the university. Payment of graduation fees does not imply readiness for graduation and does not take the place of applying for graduation.
- Complete all requirements within 30 days after the official ending date of a term in order for a degree to be awarded for that term. (See #5 above for separate deadline for written capstone experience.)
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Credits | Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits | ||
| OT 520 | 2 | OT 524 | 3 | OT 751 | 2 | ||
| OT 523 | 4 | OT 526 | 3 | OT 625 | 3 | ||
| OT 545 | 1 | OT 670 | 2 | ||||
| OT 550 | 2 | OT 671 | 1 | ||||
| OT 570 | 1 | OT 650 | 2 | ||||
| OT 571 | 1 | OT 651 | 1 | ||||
| OT 530 | 1 | OT 611 | 2 | ||||
| OT 531 | 1 | ||||||
| 6 | 13 | 13 | |||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Summer | Credits | Fall | Credits | Winter | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| OT 515 | 3 | OT 775 | 1 | OT 791 | 1 | OT 641 | 3 |
| OT 700 | 1 | OT 760 | 3 | OT 770 | 2 | ||
| OT 640 | 2 | OT 730 | 2 | OT 726 | 2 | ||
| OT 790 | 1 | OT 731 | 1 | OT 785 | 1 | ||
| OT 776 | 2 | OT 786 | 1 | ||||
| OT 777 | 1 | OT 787 | 1 | ||||
| OT 740 | 2 | OT 788 | 1 | ||||
| OT 741 | 1 | OT 782 | 1 | ||||
| OT 780 | 3 | ||||||
| 7 | 16 | 1 | 12 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Summer | Credits | Fall | Credits | ||||
| OT 795 | 6 | OT 795 | 6 | ||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||
| Total Credits: 80 | |||||||
Optional electives
- OT 720 Selected Topics in Occupational Therapy is taught periodically as an elective during Fall II or Spring II semesters.
- OT 798 Independent Study in Occupational Therapy is taught by arrangement with occupational therapy faculty.
- OT 799 Research: Master's Thesis is an elective and may be started in Fall II and would be repeated each semester until thesis is completed (minimum four - maximum six credits).