Master of Science in Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists provide science-driven, evidence-based practices addressing everyday occupations performed at home, work, school, daily life, and self-care to maximize health, well-being, and quality of life for individuals, groups, and populations.

The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy degree program consists of didactic coursework and required fieldwork experiences designed to educate students to achieve competence as an entry-level generalist occupational therapy practitioner.

The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy graduate program is designed for students who do not have a degree in occupational therapy but have a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution and are seeking an entry- level graduate program in occupational therapy.

The purpose of the degree is to provide entry-level occupational therapy education for graduate students who (upon completion of didactic and fieldwork courses) will be eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) for OTR examination.

Accreditation

The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree program at Indiana University South Bend is accredited by

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 652-2682
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. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT® certification examination or attain state licensure.

The Indiana University South Bend entry-level occupational therapy master's degree program received full accreditation in August 2023 by ACOTE.

On August 8, 2024, ACOTE notified IU South Bend of a change in the accreditation status of the program to Continuing Accreditation—Probationary. While the MSOT program at IU South Bend is still recognized as an accredited program by ACOTE, it was found to not meet ACOTE standard A 5.3 (length of program). This standard requires master’s programs to be no longer than two full academic years, while the IU South Bend program currently is 2.5 years in length. Previously approved as a 2.5-year program, ACOTE changed the interpretation of this standard in February 2022 and, therefore a probationary status has been invoked. A curricular plan aligned with the revised interpretation is currently going through university processes with the intent to implement in Fall 2025 and should resolve the program non-compliance issue.

Admission Information

Admission to the IU South Bend Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program is competitive and selective. Submission of an application does not guarantee admission to the program.

The admission cycle is scheduled once per calendar year with the cycle opening in mid-July and closing at the end of September for enrollment the following fall. Submitted applications must be in complete and verified status by the application deadline.

The IU South Bend MSOT program uses the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) to accept and process all applications to the program. Prospective students must create an OTCAS account and submit all required documents through the OTCAS portal only. Direct email communication and documentation submissions to the MSOT program or individual faculty will not be accepted.

Additional information regarding admission criteria can be found on the program’s website.

Program Admission Requirements

Applicants who previously enrolled in any occupational therapy graduate program are not eligible for admission into the MSOT program.

1. A completed bachelor’s degree in any major (e.g., health sciences, psychology, kinesiology, etc.) from a regionally accredited institution. Students applying to the program but have not yet completed a bachelor’s degree are expected to have completed by matriculation into the MSOT program.
2. Undergraduate minimum Grade Point Averages: Cumulative—3.0 and Prerequisite—3.0
3. Completion of all pre-requisite courses with a minimum final grade of “C” or above. Applicants may have no more than two prerequisite courses outstanding at the time of application. The outstanding prerequisite course(s) must be completed with a final grade of ‘C’ or higher before matriculation into the MSOT program. Final transcripts accounting for any outstanding prerequisite coursework must be received prior to matriculation into the program.

• Prerequisite courses | All prerequisite courses must be completed not more than seven years prior to application deadline. All prerequisite courses must be a minimum of 3 credit hours except for Medical Terminology (minimum of 1 credit)
• Introductory Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology or Psychopathology
• Life Span Development or Human Development Psychology course (Must include study content from birth to end of life).
• Introductory Sociology or Introductory Anthropology
• Statistics* Must include study of descriptive and inferential statistics.
• Human Anatomy with lab
• Human Physiology with lab
• Medical Terminology

4. Acceptance deposit | An applicant who accepts an offer for admission in the MSOT program will be required to submit an acceptance deposit of $100.00 which is posted to their bursar account.
5. Indiana University Graduate Application. To register as an IU South Bend graduate student, an applicant that is accepted in the MSOT program will be required to complete the IU Graduate application at the time of acceptance of offer for admission.
6. International Graduate Student Applicants. International graduate student applicants offered acceptance into the MSOT program may need to fulfill other application requirements including but not limited to English Proficiency Documentation. Assistance is provided through the IU South Bend Office of International Student Services.

Academic Requirements

The MSOT graduate program is designed as a cohort-based, full-time program. Students receiving the Master of Science Occupational Therapy degree must complete 69 credits (55 didactic and 14 clinical fieldwork). Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 18 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program. The curriculum is designed to allow this progression in a timely manner. Courses must be taken sequentially throughout the program. Student must maintain a cumulative grade point average at or above 3.0 on a 4.0 scale throughout enrollment in the program.

Credit for Previous Courses and/or Previous Work Experience

Because of the unique nature of each graduate occupational therapy curriculum, graduate courses from related graduate programs will not be accepted. Additionally, previous work experience in an occupational therapy paid position will not be accepted.

Students should refer to the program handbook for detailed academic and clinical policies, ensuring compliance with program requirements and standards (i.e. GPA requirements, program dismissal, reinstatement, etc.).

Required Coursework (53 cr.)

All courses are 3 credit hours unless otherwise indicated.

• OCTH-G 540 Introduction to Occupational Therapy: Domain and Process
• OCTH-G 548 Core Skills in Occupational Therapy (2 cr.)
• OCTH-G 551 Rehabilitation in Occupational Therapy Practice
• OCTH-G 554 Mental Health and Functional Cognition in Occupational Therapy
• OCTH-G 555 Hand and Upper Extremity Rehabilitation in Occupational Therapy (4 cr.)
• OCTH-G 556 Population Health and Wellness in Occupational Therapy
• OCTH-G 565 Research Methods in Occupational Therapy (2 cr.)
• OCTH-G 569 Leadership and Professional Advocacy in Occupational Therapy
• OCTH-G 573 Functional Assessment in Occupational Therapy
• OCTH-G 576 Pathophysiology. in Occupational Therapy (2 cr.)
• OCTH-G 577 Neuroscience in Occupational Therapy
• OCTH-G 641 Adaptation and Participation in Occupational Therapy
• OCTH-G 647 Health Planning and Evidence-Based Practice in Occupational Therapy
• OCTH-G 652 Occupational Therapy in Young Children
• OCTH-G 654 Occupational Therapy with Older Adults
• OCTH-G 655 Assistive Technology in Occupational Therapy
• OCTH-G 664 Management and Entrepreneurship in Occupational Therapy
• OCTH-G 761 Ethics and Professionalism in Occupational Therapy (2 cr.)

Clinical (Fieldwork) Courses (14 cr.)

In addition to successful completion of the didactic coursework, students must successfully complete the following clinical fieldwork courses. Further details regarding clinical placements can be found in the program handbook.

• OCTH-G 592 Fieldwork Models and Level I Psychosocial Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy (2 cr.)
• OCTH-G 692 Level I Fieldwork F Pediatric (1 cr.)
• OCTH-G 693 Level I Fieldwork (C) (1 cr.)
• OCTH-G 699 Level II Fieldwork A (5 cr.)
• OCTH-G 799 Level II Fieldwork B (5 cr.)