Occupational Therapy
A Degree that Leads to a Future
The professional program in Occupational Therapy is rooted in occupation and occupational science. Central to the teaching mission of the program are occupation based, strong occupational therapy skills, professional skills and research. The program has numerous innovative teaching components including a Level II fieldwork focus on health settings and community-service settings. We are committed to educating strong clinicians for the unfolding future.
Application Process
The application process for fall 2025 entry opens in mid-July, with a deadline of October 1, 2024. We encourage early submissions through OTCAS, reviewing applications on a modified rolling basis. Innovative components of our program include Zoom interviews held November-December 2024 and fieldwork experiences in diverse health and community-service settings. Applicants must complete a bachelor's degree before starting the program, which is designed to educate resilient clinicians ready to meet the evolving needs of the profession.
According to US NEWS, our Master's of Occupational Therapy program is ranked in the top 25% of all USA Occupational Therapy graduate programs!
OT Information Session
Students are encouraged to attend an information session prior to meeting with the advisor. The information session will cover the profession of occupational therapy and the occupational therapy program at the University of Utah, program prerequisites, admissions procedures and the program itself.
Kelly Brown is the advisor for the Occupational Therapy and Recreational Therapy programs.
Program Accreditation & Statistics
Accreditation
Accreditation is the on-going process by which an agency evaluates a program of study as meeting certain pre-determined standards and criteria. The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) is accredited by the U.S. Office of Education as the only accrediting agency for educational programs in occupational therapy. The U of U MOT Program has been accredited by ACOTE (2017-2027).
We received candidacy to offer an entry level OTD (clinical doctorate) in occupational therapy. As a result of this action, the institution may admit students into the Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program according to the approved timeline (starting August 2023) and may proceed to the Preaccreditation Review step of the accreditation process tentatively scheduled for Fall 2024. The program must be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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).
NBCOT Program Statistics
The total number of graduates from the University of Utah Master of Occupational Therapy program during the 3-year period of 2021-2023 was 103, with an overall graduation rate of 98%. Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
| Year | Students Entering/ Graduating | Graduation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 34/33 | 97% |
| 2022 | 34/34 | 100% |
| 2023 | 69/66 (Due to a curriculum change we had 2 cohorts graduate: 34 in May and 32 in December) |
95% |
| Three-Year | 137/133 | 97% |
Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
ACOTE
7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 652-6611
www.acoteonline.org
Graduates of this 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).
NBCOT
The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
The Eugene B. Casey Building
800 South Frederick Avenue Suite 200
Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150
301-990-7979 | Fax 301-869-8492
www.nbcot.org
After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). Most states require licensure in order to practice. Most states licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification exam.
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