Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
Program Description
The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) is for candidates with an earned bachelor’s degree in a field other than occupational therapy. The program prepares graduates for entry-level practice and to serve as dynamic leaders, responsive to the needs of the human and professional communities. Students are engaged in a dynamic learning environment that nurtures innovation, critical thinking, and compassionate care. The program empowers students with cutting-edge knowledge, hands-on experiences, and a deep understanding of the evolving landscape of occupational therapy. Students draw from diverse perspectives to collaboratively solve ethical and clinical problems and engage in occupation-based, client and family-centered practice and scholarship that is guided by the principles of occupation, compassionate service, occupational and social justice, and the profession’s core values and ethics. The full time, two-year program consists of four academic trimesters plus two trimesters (24 FTE weeks) of supervised clinical fieldwork post the baccalaureate degree. Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification exam for occupational therapy administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and are prepared for entry-level clinical practice.
Program Accreditation
Sacred Heart University’s Graduate Occupational Therapy Program leading to the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) is fully accredited through 2026/2027 under “The Standards for an Accredited Educational Therapy Program for the Occupational Therapist - 2018” by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethseda, MD 20852-4929. Telephone: 301-625-AOTA.
The program is responsible for complying with all ACOTE accreditation standards and policies and interacting with ACOTE with integrity and honesty. The program will inform ACOTE of all major changes in curriculum, site locations, online/onsite formats, and the program director in a timely manner. The program will honestly and accurately represent the program and its ACOTE accreditation status in all its publications and web page available to the public.
More Information about Accreditation:
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy (ACOTE)
6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200,
North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929.
Tel: (301) 652-AOTA
Web address: www.acoteonline.org
Note about ACOTE's Past Mandate
On April 4, 2019, AOTA’s Representative Assembly determined that occupational therapists may enter the profession at the master’s OR doctoral level. Sacred Heart University’s Graduate Occupational Therapy students will be eligible to sit for the NBCOT certification exam and obtain state licensure and will not be required to obtain a doctoral degree to practice.
NBCOT Exam
Students must complete all fieldwork requirements within 24 months of completion of the didactic portion of the program. Graduates of the program are 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). All 50 states and three jurisdictions of Washington, DC, Puerto Rico, and Guam, require licensure in order to practice; however, most initial state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination.
Please note that a felony conviction might affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT exam and/or attain state licensure.
Disclosure, Certification, Licensure
State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
Sacred Heart University has been approved by Connecticut to participate in the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA) a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of post-secondary distance education.
For information regarding professional licensure by state, visit Disclosures and Student Complaints in this catalog
Program Mission
The Occupational Therapy Program at Sacred Heart University is rooted in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. We fulfill the University’s Mission by preparing compassionate, authentic occupational therapy professionals, who are leaders making a difference in local and global communities and promoting a just society through service and practice. We educate students to demonstrate integrity, maximize their own and others’ health, well-being, and quality of life, be intellectually open-minded, and search for truth through inquiry and scholarship.
Program Goals & Objectives
The program aims to develop occupational therapy practitioners who use critical and contextual thinking to meet the occupational needs of individuals, groups, and populations, across a variety of practice settings, systems, and contexts.
Graduates will be able to:
- Demonstrate the knowledge and skills required of an entry level occupational therapist, including critical thinking and clinical reasoning
- Engage in continual learning and evidence-based practice with intellectual open-mindedness
- Apply ethical reasoning aligned with the AOTA and the program’s values to make decisions and practice professionally
- Exhibit team collaboration skills, inter-professional practices, and culturally competent communication
- Promote justice through compassionate service to the local and global communities
- Demonstrate leadership through scholarship and professional service
What Makes Our Program Unique?
With a growing need for occupational therapists nationwide, and increasing public interest in the profession, our program has made a commitment to personal attention and forging learning partnerships between faculty and students. This allows our faculty and students to get to know each other, create a learning community to engage in collaborative scholarship, and support continual learning for members of our occupational therapy community.
Our program is recognized for the following:
- Strong and compassionate relationships between faculty and students, forged through collaborative engagement in scholarship, professional activities and events, and advising
- Ongoing connections with our graduates who contribute to the education of our current students
- Mission-driven curriculum, with passion for social and occupational justice
- Modern, high–tech facilities, and abundant state-of-the-art space and equipment
- Relationships with local and global community partners
- Expert faculty in every practice area
- Innovative pedagogies, and high impact practices
- Curricular flexibility and continuous improvement based on student feedback
- Focus on the personal and profession development and growth, and mental health of our students and our clients
- Multiple opportunities for onsite interprofessional education
Admission Requirements
Students apply to the dual degree program as an incoming freshmen, or as an external candidate with an earned bachelor's degree in a field other than occupational therapy.
Internal students applying for the Bachelor's-MSOT dual degree program progress on a defined pathway of study to move seamlessly from their undergraduate degree to a graduate degree. Dual degree students are guaranteed a place in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy provided they successfully progress as undergraduate students and meet the program-specific criteria to enroll in the graduate program. Dual degree students, therefore, have a space reserved for them in the graduate program beginning in their first year, with clear criteria and achievements required to progress into the graduate program.
All students entering the program must have completed their undergraduate degree in a discipline of their choice. Sacred Heart University undergraduates interested in completing their undergraduate study in three years may consider the 3 + 2 plan of study, if they major in Health Science, Sociology, Psychology, or Exercise Science, providing that they complete all required prerequisites and meet all enrollment criteria by the end of the summer prior to enrollment. Refer to the respective Sacred Heart University program websites for the 3 + 2 plan of study. Students must have earned a bachelor’s degree and completed all prerequisite courses from a university accredited by a United States Department of Education recognized regional accrediting authority. All prerequisites must be successfully completed by the summer semester prior to fall enrollment. Students educated outside the U.S. will need to have their transcripts evaluated by World Education Services (www.wes.org) for equivalency and must meet University established scores for the TOEFL exam. Provisional acceptance may be offered to students requiring the spring and/or summer prior to enrollment to complete the baccalaureate degree or prerequisite requirements.
All applicants applying for fall 2025 entry are required to successfully complete the bachelor’s degree and prerequisite requirements, maintain a 3.0 cumulative and 3.0 prerequisite GPA with no individual prerequisite grade below a C. There is a 3.0 prerequisite science GPA (Biology with lab; Human Anatomy & Physiology I with lab; and, Human Anatomy & Physiology II with lab). Students may retake a maximum of two prerequisite courses for grade replacement. The baccalaureate degree and all prerequisite courses must be successfully completed prior to enrollment. Eligible early and regular decision applicants must complete an interview with a problem-based learning experience upon invitation as an admission requirement. Students admitted directly into the program as freshmen are not required to interview.
Only official transcript grades submitted by the application deadline can be considered in determining whether or not a student maintains his or her admission status, seat in the program, and eligibility for enrollment. The program cannot hold seats beyond the application deadline to allow for students to take or re-take any of the above listed prerequisite courses. Students who have additional outstanding prerequisites may be considered provisional pending successful completion of all prerequisite courses.
All of the following prerequisite courses must be completed, with grades entered with the University Registrar, by the application deadline published by the Office of Graduate Admissions to determine admission status and eligibility for enrollment in the program: 2 out of the 3 prerequisite sciences (Biology with lab, Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab, Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab), Psychology and Statistics.
Prerequisite Courses
- Biology I with Lab (4 credits)
- Human Anatomy & Physiology I with Lab (4 credits)**
- Human Anatomy & Physiology II with Lab (4 credits)**
- Statistics– 3 credits (analysis of quantitative data including descriptive, inferential probability, confidence intervals, correlation and hypothesis testing)**
- Psychology (3 credits)
- Abnormal Psychology or Psychopathology (3 credits)
- Life Span Development (content must cover birth to death) (3 to 9 credits)
- Sociology, or, Anthropology, or Social Psychology (3 credits)
**Must have been completed within the past 5 years.
Degree Requirements
The program is full time consisting of four academic trimesters followed by two trimesters of two different, 12-week experiences of full-time supervised clinical fieldwork. Coursework during the academic trimesters is completed with classes scheduled during the day and evening. The supervised level II clinical fieldwork is completed as two separate, 12-week, full time experiences with hours determined by the clinical site. Level I fieldwork is integrated into the course schedule during the second, third, and fourth academic trimesters. The curriculum sequence is completed in two calendar years including summers. Successful completion of all coursework, level I and II fieldwork, a completed portfolio, and the capstone project with professional poster presentation and defense are required for graduation. Level II fieldwork experiences must be successfully completed within 24 months of completion of coursework.
Note: A criminal background or felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination and/or attain state licensure. All graduate programs in occupational therapy require the successful completion of level I and level II supervised clinical fieldwork. The majority of clinical fieldwork sites require students to complete a criminal background check, fingerprinting, and/or drug testing prior to clinical education placements. Additionally, states may restrict or prohibit those with criminal backgrounds from obtaining a professional license, and NBCOT may deem persons with criminal backgrounds as ineligible to sit for the NBCOT certification examination. Therefore, students with criminal backgrounds may not be able to obtain the required clinical education experience(s), thus failing to meet the Occupational Therapy program’s academic requirements. It is therefore the program’s policy that all admitted students planning to enroll must consent, submit to, and satisfactorily complete a criminal background check (CBC) within six (6) weeks of registration for courses as a condition of matriculation. Matriculation will not be final until the completion of the criminal background check with results deemed acceptable to the program director or academic fieldwork coordinator. All expenses associated with the CBC, fingerprinting, and/or drug screening are the responsibility of the applicant. Applicants who do not consent to the required background check, refuse to provide information necessary to conduct the background check, or provide false or misleading information in regard to the background check may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including refusal of matriculation or dismissal from the program.
Some fieldwork placements may require an additional background check, fingerprinting, and/or drug screening prior to beginning the fieldwork experience, which must be completed at the student’s expense. The University and or the Occupational Therapy program will have no obligation to refund tuition or otherwise accommodate students in the event that a criminal background check or drug screening renders the student ineligible to complete required courses or fieldwork. Please see the Occupational Therapy program’s Student Manual for complete information on criminal background checks and policy regarding adverse information in a CBC report. Students who are twice denied a fieldwork placement based on the results of a background check, fingerprinting, and/or drug screenings will be considered ineligible for placement and unable to complete the program and, therefore, will be dismissed from the program.
Additional admission criteria include:
- Writing samples completed online with the application.
- Two letters of recommendation.
- Relevant volunteer, observation, and/or work experience in the healthcare field with specific knowledge of occupational therapy is recommended.
- All applicants, except students admitted directly into the program as freshman, must successfully complete an interview experience, which may include a group problem-based learning experience with the Occupational Therapy Admissions Committee upon invitation.
All applicants including those admitted as freshman must maintain all GPA and admission requirements as a condition for enrollment.
Students are required to have a laptop computer inclusive of professional-level Microsoft Office Suite, high-speed Internet access, a printer, and proficiency in word processing and e-mail at the time of enrollment and throughout the program.
Required Application Materials
Sacred Heart University students apply online at www.sacredheart.edu or through the Office of Graduate Admissions’ webpage. External students complete the national occupational therapy common application (OTCAS) online at www.OTCAS.org. Please refer to the Office of Graduate Admissions’ website for details on the Sacred Heart University and OTCAS application processes.
Applications must include the following materials:
- Completed application
- Freshman Admission and Sacred Heart University internal students applying competitively complete the online application (fee waived) through the Office of Graduate Admissions.
- External students complete the online application through OTCAS.
- Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
- Interview upon invitation. In lieu of interview, students admitted as freshman will participate in mandatory advisement and orientation meetings as undergraduates.
- Writing samples may be required (depending on COVID-19).
- Observation of occupational therapists in practice is highly recommended. Documented hours are not required.
Application Deadlines for Fall Enrollment
Incoming freshman students applying for the Bachelor's-MSOT dual degree program progress on a defined pathway of study to move seamlessly from their undergraduate degree to a graduate degree. Refer to Sacred Heart University's undergraduate Catalog for freshman admission requirements to the BS-MSOT Dual Degree Program.
Internal Sacred Heart University students admitted as freshman must complete the Sacred Heart University online application by June 30 following the junior year for 4 + 2 students or following the sophomore year for 3 + 2 students. Application materials are used to verify the student’s continued eligibility for enrollment in the Occupational Therapy program. The application fee is waived for Sacred Heart University students.
Internal Sacred Heart University students not admitted as freshman may apply competitively submitting a completed application to the Office of Graduate Admissions by the June 30th deadline following the junior year for 4 + 2 students or following the sophomore year for 3 + 2 students. The application fee is waived for Sacred Heart University students.
Applicants external to Sacred Heart University may apply through a rolling admissions process. The deadline for all applications will be October 15th , however, applications will be accepted until the class is filled. OTCAS will open July 2024 for the Fall 2025 application cycle..
Please allow a minimum of two to three months for OTCAS to verify your application. Sacred Heart University does not receive applications from the OTCAS system until the application has been completed and verified by OTCAS. OTCAS and Sacred Heart University reviews completed applications only.
Freshman Admissions for Qualified Freshmen Entering Sacred Heart University
Refer to Sacred Heart University’s Undergraduate Catalog for freshman admission requirements to the BS-MSOT Dual Degree program.
Sacred Heart University freshmen who were admitted into the Graduate Occupational Therapy program as freshman must meet ALL of the program’s admission standards as a condition for keeping their seat and enrolling in the Graduate Occupational Therapy program. Students admitted into the program as freshman who do not meet ALL of the criteria at the time of application will forfeit their seat and admission status to the Occupational Therapy program and will be ineligible for continued enrollment into the Graduate Occupational Therapy program.
Sacred Heart University students who were not admitted into the Graduate Occupational Therapy program as freshman may apply competitively to the program.
All applicants must meet ALL of the program’s admission standards at the time of application.
Regular Application
The application process occurs on a rolling basis through April 1, 2025 (or the date published by Graduate Admissions) for the incoming fall class. All applicants must have successfully completed prerequisite courses in biology with laboratory, human anatomy and physiology I and II with laboratories, psychology, and statistics, with final course grades entered with the University’s Registrar, meet GRE requirements (for fall 2025 program entry and beyond), and complete an interview with the Occupational Therapy Admissions Committee upon invitation.
Refer to “Admissions Requirements” above.
Transfer of Credits
Students interested in transferring into the Graduate Occupational Therapy program from another occupational therapy program may do so at the discretion of the program director and faculty admissions committee, depending on the student’s qualifications, reason for transfer, and available seats. Transfer students must adhere to Sacred Heart University’s course grade requirements for transferring into graduate programs (See “Transfer Credits and Residency Requirements” in the Graduate Admissions section of Sacred Heart University’s Graduate Catalog). Only courses taken within the past six years at the graduate level from a USDE recognized regionally accredited college or university with a minimum grade of B are eligible for transfer credit. Students interested in transferring into the Graduate Occupational Therapy program must meet all admission criteria and complete an application with the Office of Graduate Admissions.
The Occupational Therapy curriculum reflects its philosophy, problem-based learning pedagogy, vision, mission, and objectives to prepare reflective practitioners. Transfer students, therefore, are required to take all courses rooted in these philosophies and problem-based learning pedagogy regardless of the number of credits that may qualify for transfer. These courses include: OT 501 Becoming an OT Professional I; OT 504 Therapeutic Use of Self; OT 523 Transformation through Human Occupation: Foundation A; OT 524 Transformation through Human Occupation: Foundation B; OT 525 Personal Transformation I; OT 546 Transformation through Human Occupation; Foundation C; OT 503 Evidence-Based Practice I; OT 505 Becoming an OT Professional II; OT 526 Transformation through Human Occupation: Theory in Mental Health; OT 527 Transformation Through Human Occupation: Team Collaboration in Mental Health; OT 528 Transformation Through Human Occupation: Application in Mental Health; OT 529 Service Learning/Fieldwork IA; OT 530 Groups; OT 543 Community & Population Needs and Health Part I; OT 531 Evidence-Based Practice II; OT 574 Transformation Through Human Occupation; Theory in Adult & Geriatric Physical Disabilities.; OT 575 Transformation through Human Occupation: Team Collaboration in Adult & Geriatric Physical Disabilities; OT 576 Transformation Through Human Occupation: Application In Adult & Geriatric Physical Disabilities; OT 577 Service-Learning/Fieldwork IB; OT 578 Personal Transformation III; OT 545 Transformation Through Human Occupation; Theory Pediatrics & Adolescents; OT 547 Transformation Through Occupation: Application in Pediatrics; OT 549 Transformation Through Human Occupation; Team Collaboration in Pediatrics; OT 548 Service Learning & Fieldwork IC; OT 607 Becoming an OT Professional IV; OT 608 Community and Population Needs and Health Part II; OT 609 Personal Transformation IV; OT 691 Level II A Fieldwork; OT 693 Level II B Fieldwork.
Required Courses
Fall Semester, PY1
| OT 501 | Becoming an Occupational Therapy Professional I | 3 |
| OT 504 | Therapeutic Use of Self I | 2 |
| OT 523 | Transformation through Human Occupation: Foundations A | 3 |
| OT 524 | Transformation through Human Occupation: Foundations B | 3 |
| OT 525 | Personal Transformation I | 1.0 |
| OT 546 | Transformation through Human Occupation: Foundations C | 3 |
| OT 503 | Evidence-Based Practice I | 2 |
Spring Semester, PY1
| OT 526 | Transformation through Human Occupation: Theory in Mental Health | 2 |
| OT 527 | Transformation through Human Occupation: Team Collaboration in Mental Health | 3 |
| OT 528 | Transformation through Human Occupation: Application in Mental Health | 5 |
| OT 530 | Groups | 2 |
| OT 505 | Becoming an Occupational Therapy Professional II | 2 |
| OT 531 | Evidence-based Practice II | 2 |
| OT 529 | Fieldwork IA | 1 |
Summer-Semester-PY1
| OT 575 | Transformation Through Human Occupation: Team Collaboration with Adult & Geriatric Physical Disabilities | 3 |
| OT 576 | Transformation through Human Occupation: Application in Adult & Geriatric Physical Disabilities | 5 |
| OT 542 | Becoming an Occupational Therapy Professional III | 2 |
| OT 578 | Personal Transformation III | 1 |
| OT 574 | Transformation through Human Occupation: Theory in Adult & Geriatric Physical Disabilities | 2 |
| OT 543 | Community and Population Needs & Health Part I | 3 |
| OT 577 | Fieldwork IB | 1 |
Fall Semester, PY2
| OT 545 | Topics in Pediatrics & Adolescence | 2 |
| OT 547 | Clinical Lab: Pediatrics & Adolescence | 5 |
| OT 548 | Level I FW & Seminar: Pediatrics & Adolescence | 1 |
| OT 549 | Problem-Based Learning: Pediatrics & Adolescence | 5 |
| OT 607 | Leadership & Management | 3 |
| OT 608 | Capstone II: Implementation | 1.5 |
| OT 609 | Portfolio | 1 |
Spring Semester, PY2
Summer Semester, PY2