High-tech. Hands-on. Support every step of the way.

Get the tools you need to succeed at Mount Mary University. Be part of an occupational therapy program that makes you a top priority with classes taught by scholars and leaders in the field. You’ll access high-tech, hands-on equipment, get personalized attention, and create lifelong friendships along the way. With a strong legacy of educating future occupational therapists since 1941, Mount Mary is the university to move your future forward!

Professional Entry in Occupational Therapy Admission Information

Mount Mary University’s Professional Entry Occupational Therapy program offers two tracks to becoming an occupational therapist - the Master of Science (M.S.) and the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD).

The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (M.S.) and Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD)*:

The accredited Master of Science (M.S.) in Occupational Therapy program and the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) is a co-ed degree program designed for individuals with a bachelor’s degree in any field who want to become a certified (registered) occupational therapist (OTR).

Mount Mary's Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program is a 28 month program that serves as preparation for initial certification as an occupational therapist. Students complete 21 months at Mount Mary University focusing on professional skills and then participate in a college arranged fieldwork experience for six months, putting their knowledge into practice. Following fieldwork, students complete a one-month culminating project and practice experience.

Mount Mary's OTD program is a 33 month program that serves as preparation for initial certification as an occupational therapist. Students complete 21 months at Mount Mary University focusing on professional skills and then participate in a college arranged fieldwork experience for six months, putting their knowledge into practice. Following fieldwork, students complete a doctoral capstone experience of 14 weeks and doctoral capstone project, for a total of 33 months. Download the curriculum sheet.

The M.S. in Occupational Therapy features:

  • The largest and longest-standing occupational therapy program in the state of Wisconsin
  • On-campus, block-scheduled courses for just two days per week
  • Individual attention from faculty to support you to achieve success
  • A faculty-arranged, 6-month fieldwork experience where you can put textbook knowledge into practice
  • Online distance learning during your fieldwork that connects classroom knowledge to fieldwork practice
  • Faculty who have exceptional practice expertise, preparing graduates to navigate complex practice in diverse settings
  • Graduates who work in diverse practice settings, including hospitals, schools, nursing facilities, home health care and behavioral care

The entry-level OTD program features:

  • interprofessional collaboration to develop policies and systems
  • synthesis of theory and relevant literature to design solutions for practice challenges
  • exploration of challenges that go beyond conventional practice boundaries
  • specialty practice focus, including physical rehabilitation, children and youth, emerging practice, wellness, and aging

Applying to the M.S. or OTD program:

Applying to Mount Mary University’s Occupational Therapy program is completed through OTCAS – the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service.

The Master of Science and Doctorate in Occupational Therapy programs are designed for any students who have earned a bachelor's degree outside of occupational therapy.

If you have not earned a bachelor's degree and plan to earn one at Mount Mary University, please see information on our undergraduate degree options. If you are an occupational therapy assistant, Mount Mary will work with you to determine how your previous experience and prior college coursework can count for credit toward earning a bachelor’s degree.

International Students: See additional application requirements and procedures or contact your graduate admission counselor for questions.

Application Deadlines

The occupational therapy program reviews completed applications once each year for admission to the professional-entry M.S. and OTD program. The application deadline is January 15 each year. If space is available, applications will be accepted after this deadline. Contact the Occupational Therapy Department to inquire if space is available at mmu-ot@mtmary.edu or (414) 930-3059. A maximum of 48 students are admitted to begin the program each fall (August).

Current Mount Mary University undergraduate students should contact the Graduate Admissions office (mmugradinfo@mtmary.edu) for guidance in application steps.

How to Apply

Applying to Mount Mary's Occupational Therapy M.S. and OTD programs is through the Occupational Therapy Centalized Application Service (OTCAS). The following materials need to be submitted to OTCAS to complete the application process:

1. All College and University Transcripts. Submit official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.

2. Application Narrative Questions. Use the Application Narrative Questions form to complete this portion of the application. Application Narrative Questions (PDF)

3. Shadowing Experience Forms. Applicants are required to shadow an occupational therapist for a minimum of four hours. Use the Shadowing Forms A and B. Shadowing Forms A and B (PDF)

4. Human Services Guidelines Forms. A minimum of 10 hours of human service is a criterion for admission. Human service is defined as a volunteer experience or paid employment experience with an individual or individuals not related to the applicant and who may be a potential client for occupational therapy. Use the Human Service Forms A and B. Human Services Guidelines Forms A & B (PDF)

Prerequisite Courses

Applicants to the program must complete the following prerequisite coursework (or equivalent transfer course):

Behavioral Science
  • Introductory Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology (Must be a lifespan course)
  • Psychopathology/Abnormal Psychology
  • Cultural Anthropology or Introductory Sociology
Biological Science
  • Human Anatomy
  • Human Physiology
  • Medical Terminology
Foundational Skills
  • College Composition II
  • Statistics
  • Oral Communication/Public Speaking
  • Physics
  • Orientation to Occupational Therapy^

^ The Orientation to Occupational Therapy course or equivalent is highly preferred by the admission committee and completion will provide applicants additional points in the application scoring process. While the course is not required for inclusion in the application process, students gain knowledge and understanding that may allow for greater insight when completing application materials.

Note: All prerequisite coursework must be complete and a grade received on an official transcript by the time of the application review date. Please review the Occupational Therapy Admission Policy for details on the admission process and policies.Please refer to the the occupational therapy admission policy for more details on prerequisite course grade requirements for admission.

Applicants are notified by mail or email approximately 4 weeks after the deadline date regarding an admission decision.

If you have any questions about the application process, please contact your graduate admission counselor. If you have specific questions about the program or advising, contact the occupational therapy program at (414) 930-3059 or at mmu-ot@mtmary.edu.

 

Accreditation

Master of Science (M.S.):

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 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.

Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork. Level II fieldwork must be completed by two years from the time the student is eligible to begin Level II fieldwork.

 

Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD):

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral 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 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.

Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork as well as an individual 14-week capstone experience. Level II fieldwork must be completed by two years from the time the student is eligible to begin Level II fieldwork. The doctoral capstone experience must be completed by one year from the time the student is eligible to begin the doctoral capstone experience. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as well as completion of preparatory activities defined in 2018 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3.

Technology Requirements

The Professional Entry Occupational Therapy Program includes elements of distance education in select courses. These courses and course materials are accessed through Mount Mary University's password protected Learning Management System, Canvas. The following technology requirements and competencies are required to readily access the learning resources and complete course work:

  • Access to desktop or laptop computer (PC-based system) with Windows 7 or newer operating system (If using a Mac, please work with Mount Mary's IT department to obtain trouble-shooting related to Mac-specific operating systems and software). Tablets can be used for some class functions.

  • The following programs must be installed on your device:
    • Microsoft Office Suite 2019 or more recent (including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint).
    • Adobe Acrobat Reader or comparable PDF reader program<
  • Ability to send and receive emails, upload attachments and download attachments (.pdf and .docx files)
  • Ability to independently use a search engine (such as Google) to locate information and websites on the internet. Ability to click on links to navigate websites.
  • Ability to use a word processing program (Microsoft Word or Mac Pages) to create documents and format documents (e.g. font, margins, spelling, grammar).
  • Ability to create slide presentations using Microsoft PowerPoint or Mac Keynote.
  • Access to the internet
  • Word processing skills

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