About

Are you interested in helping people regain the skills they need every day to live? Do you want to help people facing life with major health obstacles?

The MS in occupational therapy is designed to prepare you for practice in many diverse settings. You should anticipate working with a variety of individuals of all ages, and will be competent in all types of practice. The program focuses on teaching clinical reasoning skills and evidence based practice a therapist can use when approaching novice experiences.

You will need to select a major that will prepare you for the graduate level professional program. Recommended majors are psychology, health-services management, recreational therapy, sociology, anthropology, biology, child development and family relations, exercise science, and rehabilitation studies. However, students are welcome from any major as long as they meet the occupational therapy course work required for entry.

Some beginning graduate students may not know what area of research they would like to pursue. The faculty members will share their interests and encourage you to explore interest areas and learn the research process in progressive steps. All students graduate completing a thesis or a project in which they have an expressed interest.

The degree program is 27 months, including summers. The last six months is spent completing fieldwork during which you can apply the skills and knowledge that you have learned through your readings, research and classroom activities and to learn directly from providers and recipients of service.

ECU Advantage

The College of Allied Health Sciences is the largest university-based allied-health provider in the state of North Carolina. The college has eight departments: Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies, Biostatistics, Clinical Laboratory Science, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Health Services and Information Management, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Physician Assistant Studies, and offers degrees on the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels.

Delivering a comprehensive professional education that will prepare allied-health graduates to make a difference in the health of the region, state, and nation was the primary reason for the creation of the College of Allied Health Sciences and its departments. Fueled by the growth and aging of our population, the demand for these highly skilled specialists is expected to greatly increase as health care continues to be a priority for our citizens.

As an ECU student, you can research your future career in Steppingblocks. Explore real-world stats about your major, your interests, and your dream job title with data-powered career exploration tools designed for doers like you.

What You Will Study

Program Coordinator: Denise Donica (3305-E Health Sciences Building; 252-744-6197; donicad@ecu.edu)

The Department of Occupational Therapy offers the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT), a professional (entry-level) master's program that offers preparation for certification for individuals with baccalaureate degrees in fields other than occupational therapy. Students who complete this program are eligible to sit for the national certification exam with National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and subsequently apply for state licensure once certification is obtained.

1. Admission:

The Department of Occupational Therapy prepares graduates with the skills, abilities, and habits of mind of the entry-level occupational therapist. The MSOT degree consists of a foundation core (15 s.h.), practice core (22 s.h.), fieldwork core (20 s.h.) and research core (9 s.h.). Students begin the program in the fall semester and participate 6 continuous semesters to complete the program within 2 calendar years. Graduates of the occupational therapy program must successfully complete a certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy and obtain state licensure to begin professional practice.

    2. Admission Requirements:

    For the professional (entry-level) master's degree, all applicants must provide evidence of a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. Prerequisite courses must be completed with a B- or better prior to beginning the program, which include anatomy with lab; physiology with lab; statistics; abnormal psychology; human development; sociology or anthropology; and a reasoning course such as logics, ethics, or research inquiry in social sciences. Applicants must demonstrate proficiency in medical terminology. In the application process, students must submit transcripts, prerequisite course descriptions, written essay, electronic interview, resume, and two letters of reference. Completion of the Graduate Record Examination is also required at the time of application. Non-native speakers must submit an acceptable score on one of the language tests approved by the Graduate School or evidence of at least 1 year of college/university study in the United States. Although not required at the time of application, all students accepted into the occupational therapy program must earn a baccalaureate degree from an institutionally accredited college or university prior to beginning graduate level classes. 

      3. Degree Requirements:

      The minimum degree requirement is 66 s.h. as follows:

        a. Foundation core - 15 s.h.
        • OCCT 6011 - Occupation and Movement
        • OCCT 6012 - Occupation and Movement Laboratory
        • OCCT 6013 - Neurological Foundations of Occupational Therapy
        • OCCT 6014 - Foundations of Occupational Therapy
        • OCCT 6015 - Leading and Managing Occupational Therapy Services
        • OCCT 6016 - Leading and Managing Occupational Therapy Services Laboratory
        b. Practice core - 22 s.h.
        • OCCT 6101 - Occupational Therapy Practice I
        • OCCT 6151 - Occupational Therapy Practice I Laboratory
        • OCCT 6201 - Occupational Therapy Practice II
        • OCCT 6251 - Occupational Therapy Practice II Laboratory
        • OCCT 7301 - Occupational Therapy Practice III
        • OCCT 7351 - Occupational Therapy Practice III Laboratory
        • OCCT 7401 - Occupational Therapy Practice IV
        • OCCT 7451 - Occupational Therapy Practice IV Laboratory
        • OCCT 7501 - Occupational Therapy Practice V
        • OCCT 7551 - Occupational Therapy Practice V Laboratory
        c. Fieldwork core - 20 s.h.
        • OCCT 6801 - Fieldwork IA
        • OCCT 6802 - Fieldwork IB
        • OCCT 6804 - Fieldwork IIA
        • OCCT 6805 - Fieldwork IIB
        d. Research core - 9 s.h.
        • OCCT 6711 - Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy I
        • OCCT 6713 - Conducting Research in Occupational Therapy
        • OCCT 7714 - Research Dissemination in Occupational Therapy
      4. Accreditation

      The entry-level occupational therapy master's degree 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 and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist 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, all states require licensure 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.        

        For more information about this degree visit the university's academic catalogs.
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