Occupational Therapy (MS)
Degree: Master of Science
Major: Occupational Therapy
Program Code: 8158
About This Program . . .
The MS Occupational Therapy program prepares students with a baccalaureate degree to become qualified occupational therapists. The didactic portion of this program includes four semesters of on-campus coursework followed by two semesters of experiential and hybrid coursework. The program requires successful completion of academic courses and integrated fieldwork concluding with two, 12-week offsite fieldwork experiences.
Admission Requirements:
- Applicants must have achieved a minimum 3.0 cumulative grade point average overall or
- A minimum of 3.0 cumulative GPA of the last 60 credits may be considered for a holistic approach.
- If under a minimum of 2.7 GPA, there may be special consideration for a holistic approach.
Evidence of completion of the Bachelor's degree and all prerequisites must be received prior to the start of the program. Please check with the CMU Occupational Therapy Program Director or the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) for the complete list of additional admission requirements.
All CMU masters-level graduates are expected to demonstrate proficiency in specialized knowledge/applied learning, quantitative fluency, communication fluency, critical thinking, information literacy, and ethical reasoning. In addition to these campus-wide student learning outcomes, a graduate of this program will be able to:
- Critically apply the latest research and knowledge bases that support occupational therapy practice and contribute to the growth and dissemination of research and knowledge. (Critical Thinking, Information Literacy)
- Articulate and apply therapeutic use of occupations with individuals or groups for the purpose of participation in roles and situations in home, school, workplace, community, and other settings. (Communication Fluency, Critical Thinking)
- Develop and implement client-centered care that is inclusive of cultural values, beliefs and needs. (Specialized Knowledge)
- Articulate and apply occupational therapy theory and evidence-based evaluations and interventions to achieve expected outcomes as related to occupation. (Specialized Knowledge, Communication Skills)
- Plan and apply evidence-based occupational therapy interventions to address the physical, cognitive, functional cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, and other aspects of performance in a variety of contexts and environments to support engagement in everyday life activities that affect health, well-being, and quality of life, as informed by the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF). (Critical Thinking, Specialized Knowledge)
- Employ therapeutic use of self and science driven evidence in all practice areas and settings inclusive of: a direct care provider, consultant, educator, manager, researcher, and advocate for the profession and the consumer. (Specialized Knowledge, Quantitative Fluency)
Accreditation
The profession's accrediting body, the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy (ACOTE), has granted accreditation for seven years to this program (2023-2029). Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for occupational therapists through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and will be able to apply for licensure through the professional licensure board in the state in which the graduate wishes to practice.
ACOTE can be contacted at:
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®)
6166 Executive Blvd., Suite 200
North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929
Ph: 301.652.6611
Email: accred@aota.edu
Each section below contains details about the requirements for this program. Select a header to expand the information/requirements for that particular section of the program's requirements.
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Institutional Degree Requirements
The following institutional requirements apply to all CMU graduate-level degrees. Specific programs may have different requirements that must be met in addition to institutional requirements.
- Graduate certificates consist of a minimum of 5 credit hours. Master’s degrees consist of a minimum of 30 credit hours. Doctoral degrees consist of a minimum of 60 credit hours.
- All credits in a graduate program must be minimally at the 500-level.
- At least fifty percent of the credit hours must be taken at CMU.
- Students must achieve a 3.00 cumulative GPA or higher in all CMU coursework.
- Students may not apply coursework with a grade lower than a “B” toward graduation requirements.
- A course may only be used to fulfill one requirement for each degree/certificate.
- Capstone exit assessment/projects (e.g., Major Field Achievement Test) requirements are identified under Program-Specific Requirements.
- The Catalog Year determines which program sheet and certificate requirements a student must fulfill in order to graduate. Visit with your advisor or academic department to determine which catalog year and program requirements you should follow.
- See “Graduate Degree Requirements” in this catalog for a complete list of graduation requirements.
- All policies for graduate degrees are outlined in the Graduate Policies and Procedures Manual, Capstone Guidelines Manual, and Thesis and Dissertation Guidelines Manual, all of which are provided on the Graduate Studies website.
Specific to this degree:
- 76 semester hours required for the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
Program Specific Requirements
(76 semester hours)
| Code | Title | Semester Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| OCCU 510 | Scholarship and Research | 2 |
| OCCU 511 | Lifespan and Occupational Performance | 2 |
| OCCU 512 | Professional Skills and Occupation-Based Practice I | 2 |
| OCCU 513 | Functional Anatomy and Movement | 3 |
| OCCU 514 | Wellness and Occupational Performance | 2 |
| OCCU 515 | Occupation-Based Practice and Theory for Older Adults | 4 |
| OCCU 516 | History and Theoretical Foundations of Occupational Therapy | 1 |
| OCCU 520 | Brain, Behavior and Occupation | 3 |
| OCCU 522 | Professional Skills and Occupation-Based Practice II | 2 |
| OCCU 523 | Occupation-Based Practice and Theory for Adults | 4 |
| OCCU 530 | Scholarship and Evidence-Based Practice I | 2 |
| OCCU 531 | Occupation-Based Practice and Theory for Children and Adolescents | 4 |
| OCCU 532 | Assistive Technology and Occupation | 2 |
| OCCU 533 | Telehealth, Occupation and Modalities | 2 |
| OCCU 534 | Occupational Therapy and Mental Health Practice | 2 |
| OCCU 540 | Scholarship and Evidence-Based Practice II | 2 |
| OCCU 541 | Leadership and Ethics in Occupational Therapy | 2 |
| OCCU 542 | Occupation-Based Practice and Theory for Populations | 4 |
| OCCU 543 | Professional Development Preparation | 2 |
| OCCU 550 | Fieldwork Level IA and Seminar | 1 |
| OCCU 552 | Fieldwork Level IC and Seminar | 1 |
| OCCU 553 | Fieldwork Level ID and Seminar with Inter-Professional Education | 1 |
| OCCU 554 | Fieldwork Level IIA | 12 |
| OCCU 555 | Fieldwork Level IIB | 12 |
| OCCU 594 | Fieldwork Seminar | 1 |
| OCCU 593 | Occupational Therapy Culminating Experience | 1 |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 76 | |
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Semester Credit Hours | |
| OCCU 511 | Lifespan and Occupational Performance | 2 |
| OCCU 512 | Professional Skills and Occupation-Based Practice I | 2 |
| OCCU 513 | Functional Anatomy and Movement | 3 |
| OCCU 514 | Wellness and Occupational Performance | 2 |
| OCCU 515 | Occupation-Based Practice and Theory for Older Adults | 4 |
| OCCU 516 | History and Theoretical Foundations of Occupational Therapy | 1 |
| OCCU 550 | Fieldwork Level IA and Seminar | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| OCCU 510 | Scholarship and Research | 2 |
| OCCU 520 | Brain, Behavior and Occupation | 3 |
| OCCU 522 | Professional Skills and Occupation-Based Practice II | 2 |
| OCCU 523 | Occupation-Based Practice and Theory for Adults | 4 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 11 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| OCCU 530 | Scholarship and Evidence-Based Practice I | 2 |
| OCCU 531 | Occupation-Based Practice and Theory for Children and Adolescents | 4 |
| OCCU 532 | Assistive Technology and Occupation | 2 |
| OCCU 533 | Telehealth, Occupation and Modalities | 2 |
| OCCU 534 | Occupational Therapy and Mental Health Practice | 2 |
| OCCU 552 | Fieldwork Level IC and Seminar | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Spring Semester | ||
| OCCU 540 | Scholarship and Evidence-Based Practice II | 2 |
| OCCU 541 | Leadership and Ethics in Occupational Therapy | 2 |
| OCCU 542 | Occupation-Based Practice and Theory for Populations | 4 |
| OCCU 543 | Professional Development Preparation | 2 |
| OCCU 553 | Fieldwork Level ID and Seminar with Inter-Professional Education | 1 |
| OCCU 593 | Occupational Therapy Culminating Experience | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Summer Semester | ||
| OCCU 554 | Fieldwork Level IIA | 12 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 12 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| OCCU 555 | Fieldwork Level IIB | 12 |
| OCCU 594 | Fieldwork Seminar | 1 |
| Semester Credit Hours | 13 | |
| Total Semester Credit Hours | 76 | |
Advising Process and DegreeWorks
Documentation on the pages related to this program is intended for informational purposes to help determine what courses and associated requirements are needed to earn a degree. Some courses are critical to complete in specific semesters while others may be moved around. Meeting with an academic advisor is essential in planning courses and discussing the suggested course sequencing. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to understand and fulfill the requirements for their intended degree.
DegreeWorks is an online degree audit tool available in MAVzone. It is the official record used by the Registrar’s Office to evaluate progress towards a certificate and determine eligibility for graduation. Students are responsible for reviewing their DegreeWorks audit on a regular basis and should discuss questions or concerns with their advisor or academic department head. Discrepancies in requirements should be reported to the Registrar’s Office.
Graduation Process
Students must complete the following in the first two months of the semester prior to completing their degree requirements:
- Review their DegreeWorks audit and create a plan that outlines how unmet requirements will be met in the final semester.
- Meet with their advisor and modify their plan as needed. The advisor must approve the final plan.
- Submit the “Intent to Graduate” form to the Registrar’s Office to officially declare the intended graduation date and commencement ceremony plans.
- Register for all needed courses and complete all requirements for each degree sought.
Submission deadlines and commencement details can be found on the Graduation web page.
If a student's petition for graduation is denied, it will be their responsibility to apply for graduation in a subsequent semester. A student's “Intent to Graduate” does not automatically move to a later graduation date.