Prepare to become an occupational therapist through a focused, practice-centered graduate pathway grounded in clinical reasoning, hands-on learning, adaptive design, technology, fieldwork, and evidence-informed practice, with a final-year fieldwork sequence designed to support December graduation.
Why Earn an Occupational Therapy, M.S. at New York Tech?
The Occupational Therapy, M.S., prepares students for entry-level occupational therapy practice through a strong foundation in occupation-centered care, clinical reasoning, adaptive technology, and supervised fieldwork.
Designed for students seeking a focused, practice-centered route to the profession, the M.S. pathway helps students evaluate client needs, design meaningful interventions, adapt environments and tasks, and support participation in daily life across healthcare, school, community, and other practice settings. With Level II Fieldwork completed during the summer and fall terms, the program supports a more compact final-year sequence, December graduation, and an earlier transition to NBCOT preparation and entry-level practice.
One OT Community. Two Pathways
Both the M.S. and OTD pathways prepare students for entry-level OT practice. The M.S. is the focused, practice-centered pathway. The OTD includes additional doctoral-level preparation in leadership, advocacy, scholarly inquiry, program development, and capstone work.
Not sure which pathway is right for you? Our faculty and admissions team can help you compare your goals, timeline, and interests.
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What You’ll Learn
Learn how to support health, independence, and participation through occupation-centered care. Students develop the knowledge and clinical reasoning skills to work with people experiencing impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to injury, illness, disability, psychosocial needs, aging, and life circumstances.
A state-of-the-art 3-D interactive dissection table, high-tech patient simulation center, dedicated teaching and biomedical labs, and other facilities prepare future healthcare professionals for clinical practice.
Your training includes 24 weeks of full-time clinical work, where you’ll serve under the supervision of experienced practitioners as you develop your skills in patient care.
Join in faculty research to enhance your learning and build valuable experience. Our M.S. students aim to help individuals with Parkinson’s Disease sleep better, examine the effects of cold exposure on cognition, and explore the potential of virtual environments for learning and therapy.
Learn to restore and promote well-being, gaining in-depth experience in clinical practice and research. Grow into a skilled practitioner ready to apply the latest evidence-based methods to help clients restore lost functions, gain new ones, and maintain their health.
Learn about evidence-based exercises to improve fitness related outcomes, not just for athletes, but for the general public and those with chronic diseases.
New York Tech’s Center for Global Health (CGH) is dedicated to developing healthcare professionals who are empathetic leaders and change agents, ready to tackle the global burden of disease and health disparities at home and abroad.
Stats & Rankings
Top 25
Regional Universities (North)
U.S. News & World Report, 2026
97%
NBCOT Licensure Pass Rate, 2024
18%
Most Innovative School (North)
U.S. News & World Report, 2026
Career & Salary Outlook
Occupational therapists help people participate more fully in the daily activities that matter to them. They work across healthcare, school, community, and emerging practice settings to support independence, participation, health, and quality of life.
Job Growth
Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 14 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average for all occupations. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Work Locations
Occupational therapists work in:
Hospitals
Rehabilitation centers
Schools
Outpatient clinics
Community programs
Home health
Career Paths
Occupational therapists may work in such areas as:
Rehabilitation
Pediatrics
Schools & Education
Mental health
Aging
Community-based practice
Administration & program development
Salary Outlook
The median annual wage for occupational therapists was $98,340, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. (May 2024)
Program Details
Learn more about the Occupational Therapy, M.S. program, including admission requirements, how to apply, and scholarship and funding opportunities.
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
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.
Graduation Year
Students Entering
Students who withdrew or did not graduate with the entering cohort for reasons other than academic performance
Students Graduating
Graduation Rate
2025
24
3
21
100%
2024
44
4
38
95%
2023
10
1
7
78%
Total
78
8
66
94%
Graduation rate is calculated as the number of students graduating divided by the number of students entering the cohort, minus students who withdrew or did not graduate with the entering cohort for reasons other than academic performance.
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.
I’ve always wanted to have a profession that was based around helping others. When I realized I could combine creativity with helping people, it was a perfect fit. To help design, build, and complete assistive devices that will help someone live their life more functionally is a dream come true for me.
Ariel Glickman (M.S. ’17)
Keep Exploring
Prepare for entry-level occupational therapy practice through a focused curriculum emphasizing clinical reasoning, fieldwork, and evidence-informed care.
