MS in Occupational Therapy

Program Description

Occupational therapy (OT) is a dynamic field of practice that utilizes participation in goal-directed, meaningful activities to restore health, promote growth and adaptation, and enhance both occupational performance and quality of life. Best practices in occupational therapy require foundational knowledge, integration of philosophical and theoretical concepts, incorporation of evidence, and application of technical skills. The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) at Regis provides a sequential learning experience progressing from foundational knowledge through integration, application, and evaluation. Students will analyze research, client abilities, and environments and use this information to create therapeutic interventions to enhance the individual’s quality of life. The MSOT program provides various opportunities for students with diverse learning styles to be successful within the rigorous curriculum, both inside the college classroom and outside in applied field settings. Learning may occur through traditional lectures, discussion, reading, use of technology, observation, situational problem solving, group interaction, or hands-on practical in labs and field experiences. The 74-credit program is designed to meet the learning needs of all students within the program and to train these future professionals in applying these principles within the practice of occupational therapy. Students will enter the profession equipped to use occupation as a means to improve the well-being of a diverse population of individuals within a multicultural society.

The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree has been granted Accreditation Status 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 301-652-6611 and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

Graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist ad- ministered 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, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Admission

Applicants for admission must achieve at least one of the following levels for admittance:

• Completion of a related undergraduate degree (biology, kinesiology, athletic training) from an accredited university with a minimum GPA of 3.0; OR

• Completion of an undergraduate degree from an accredited university, and a B- or better in all prerequisite courses listed below. Prior to admission, students must complete the following prerequisite courses* of study as part of, or in addition to, an undergraduate degree. Coursework must be from an accredited university.

  • Anatomy and Physiology with Lab 8 credits

  • Human Development (Psychology) 3 credits

  • Abnormal Psychology 3 credits

  • Kinesiology 3-4 credits

  • Sociology 3 credits

  • Statistics 3 credits

  • Neuroanatomy/Neurobiology 3-4 credits

Transfer of credit from another approved institution of higher learning will be allowed if it is for graduate work done within five years prior to enrolling at Regis and the grade received for the work is not less than B-. No more than two courses may be transferred. Only those courses will be accepted that correlate with standards for the particular component of the program in which the student is enrolled. Students applying for transfer credit are required to submit to the appropriate graduate program director a transcript and a syllabus or a detailed course description of those courses for which they are requesting transfer credit. The Regis OT program does not offer advanced placement or credit for experiential learning.

Graduation Requirements

All coursework and fieldwork must be completed within five (5) years of beginning the program. In addition, Fieldwork II must be completed within 24 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program. In accordance with the requirements for all graduate programs at Regis, students must receive a B- or higher in all coursework in order to graduate.