Occupational Therapy, M.S.

To be eligible to apply to the Occupational Therapy, M.S. program, you’ll need: 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent from an accredited institution 
• Minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 
• Academic record that includes a balance of coursework in the humanities, social sciences, mathematics, and life sciences, as well as competence in written and spoken English 
• Basic computer skills 
• Satisfactory completion of all prerequisite courses 
• To meet the technical standards for the program 

To apply, submit the following: 

• An application through the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) 
• Proof of 100 hours of volunteer work under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist 
• An essay explaining your desire to pursue occupational therapy as a career 
• Three professional letters of recommendation 
• Course descriptions for all prerequisite courses 
• Copies of transcripts for all prior college-level work 
• A copy of your college diploma or proof of your degree 
• A personal interview (for those applicants who qualify) 

Explore opportunities to offset program costs, including New York Tech scholarships, graduate assistantships, and federal financial aid.

New York Institute of Technology’s Occupational Therapy, M.S. program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814-6519, or at acoteonline.org or by phone at 301.652.6611.

New York Tech’s master’s program in occupational therapy was initially accredited by ACOTE in 2003. On April 10, 2021, the program received ACOTE re-accreditation for 10 years: 2020–2021 through 2030–2031.

Graduates of the occupational therapy program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination administered by the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Successful completion of the exam will result in certification as an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR).

All states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note: a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. For further information, contact the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, 12 South Summit Avenue, Suite 100, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20877; phone: 301.990.7979. For additional information about state licensing and other restrictions, contact your local State Board of Occupational Therapy.

This program is approved by the New York State Education Department.

New York Tech is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, most recently in 2019.

NBCOT pass rates are reported in accordance with ACOTE standards and reflect the percentage of new graduates who passed the certification exam within 12 months of graduation, regardless of the number of attempts.

In addition to the full slate of scholarship opportunities available to New York Tech students, occupational therapy students are eligible to apply to the Teach NYC Jose P. Graduate Scholarship Program for Occupational and Physical Therapy offered through New York City’s Teach NYC program.

Note: The Teach NYC Jose P. Scholarship Program is only available to Masters level students at this time.