Department of Occupational Therapy
Master of Science in Occupational Therapy
Fall term 2017
ADMISSIONS INFORMATION
Applications for fall term 2017 will be available by July 2016.
Application deadlines are:
September 15, 2016 (early acceptance – Category I only)
January 5, 2017 (regular admission – Category I & II)
University of South Alabama
Department of Occupational Therapy
Health Sciences Building, Room 2027
5721 USA Drive North
Mobile, AL 36688-0002
Phone: 251-445-9222
FAX: 251-445-9211
Email: otdept@southalabama.edu
http:/www.southalabama.edu/alliedhealth/ot
Two Categories of Students are Considered for Admission
Regular Graduate Applicants (Category I):
The student must hold a baccalaureate degree in any field from an accredited college or university before entering the program
and have completed the occupational therapy prerequisites listed below.
Advanced Undergraduate Applicants (Category II):
The student must have an exceptional academic record and completed a minimum of 90 semester credit hours of course work
including the occupational therapy prerequisites listed below. Also, applicants in this category should carefully review
additional information for Advanced Undergraduates that follows the minimum requirements for admission and prerequisite
course list. (**This admission option will no longer be available after the January 2017 application deadline.)
Minimum Requirements for Admission
The candidate is expected to satisfy the following minimum requirements:
Regular Graduate (Category I) applicants
Advanced Undergraduate (Category II) applicants
**This admission option will no longer be available after
the January 2017 application deadline.
Baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university A minimum of 90 semester credit hours including the OT
prerequisites and University graduation requirements
Minimum 3.0 (A=4.0) overall cumulative GPA
Minimum 3.25 (A=4.0) overall cumulative GPA
Minimum 3.0 GPA OT prerequisite courses
Minimum 3.25 GPA OT prerequisite courses
Minimum GRE scores of 290 on the combined verbal &
Minimum GRE scores of 290 on the combined verbal &
quantitative sections, and 3.0 on the analytical section
quantitative sections, and 3.0 on the analytical section
reported from the same test date
reported from the same test date
Minimum grade of “C” in the OT prerequisite courses
Minimum grade of “C” in the OT prerequisite courses
(see list below)
(see list below)
Minimum of 25 Documented OT Observation hours
Minimum of 25 Documented OT Observation hours
(see required form)
(see required form)
International students must meet the Category I minimum requirements for admission. International students must apply to
the University Office of International Services with certified translations of transcripts at least 60 days prior to applying to the
occupational therapy program. International applicants must have a TOEFL score = 600 (250 on computer based or 100 on
Internet based tests), a TSE = 61 and a TWE = 5.5 or higher, and submit the TOFEL score, official transcripts with certified
translations of transcripts, an OT application and application processing fee.
OT Prerequisite Courses Required for ALL Applicants – completed by June 2017
General Studies Prerequisite Courses
Math and Science Prerequisite Courses
At least 80% of these general studies courses (5 of the 6 courses and
a minimum of 15 semester credit hours) must be completed when you
submit your application – all must be completed by June 2017
English Composition I – 3 cr
General Psychology - 3 cr
Developmental Psychology - 3 cr (Life Span Development)
Abnormal Psychology - 3 cr
Cultural Anthropology or Diversity studies - 3 cr
Elective - 3 cr. (choose: Public Speaking, Ethics, Logic, Small
Group Discussion, Group Dynamics, Principles of Marketing)
At least 80% of these science/math courses (5 of the 6 courses and a
minimum of 15 semester credits hours) must be completed when you
submit your application – all must be completed by June 2017
General Biology with lab for pre-health/science majors - 3 or 4 cr
Precalculus Algebra - 3 cr (or higher level mathematics)
**Statistics or Research Methods - 3 cr
**Anatomy and Physiology I - 3 cr
**Anatomy and Physiology II - 3 cr
**Kinesiology - 3 cr (Biomechanics of Human Movement)
** These 4 Prerequisite Courses must be taken no more than ten years prior to submitting your application.
AP credit is accepted for a maximum of 3 prerequisite courses.
CLEP scores of 70 or above are accepted for a maximum of 2 general studies prerequisite courses.
CLEP scores are not accepted for any of the math or science prerequisite courses.
EXTRA CREDIT POINTS are also given if the applicant has taken any of these additional courses and achieved a
grade of “A” or “B”.
OT 201 Introduction to OT
Anatomy or Physiology (300/3000 level or higher) (BMD 311, 334, 335)
Exercise physiology (PE 476)
Adult Development & Aging (300 level or higher)(PSY 456)
Gerontology (300 level or higher)(LS 397, 479; SY 372, 472)
Physics (PH 114)
Public Speaking (CA 110) (dual credit is not given for the elective prerequisite course)
*Application deadlines for 2016 fall term admission are September 15, 2016, and January 5, 2017.
Regular graduate applicants (Category I) with outstanding academic qualifications may choose to
apply in September for “early acceptance” in December. Category I students who have:
*completed 80% of the OT prerequisite courses;
*have strong GPAs;
*have received their GRE scores;
*have completed the required observation hours; and,
*will have completed the prerequisite courses and earned an undergraduate degree by June of 2017,
are encouraged to apply for “early acceptance”. Applicants not accepted in December will be
included in the regular January applicant pool.
APPLICATION PROCEDURES:
Students who have met the prerequisite requirements and wish to apply to the Master of Science in Occupational
Therapy program at the University of South Alabama should follow these steps:
1. All applicants must submit the following materials directly to: University of South Alabama, Department of
Occupational Therapy, Room 2027, 5721 USA Drive North, Mobile, AL 36688-0002. ALL application
materials must be received by the OT Department 5:00 p.m. on the deadline date.
Completed USA OT Department application form (including OTCAS applicants)
Non-refundable processing fee of $75.00 (checks payable to USA Dept. of OT)
Official transcripts from each college attended (OTCAS applicants see information below)
Graduate Record Examination scores (see below)
Documentation of OT experience forms (25 hours required) (see below)
The Department of Occupational Therapy will not process any application that is incomplete.
2. Applicants should take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) at least 30 days prior to submitting an
application. Official GRE scores (verbal, quantitative & writing scores) must be sent to the University of South
Alabama Office of Admissions and be received by the application deadline. (use Institution Code: 1880).
Official test scores must not be more than five (5) years old.
3. Applicants who meet initial admission requirements may be invited for a personal interview. No phone or
Skype interviews will be administered.
4. International students must apply to the University’s Office of International Services, with certified translations
of transcripts at least 60 days prior to application to the Department of Occupational Therapy.
5. Acceptance into the OT program will be contingent upon acceptance into the University of South Alabama.
6. Acceptance into the OT program is provisional pending completion of any remaining OT prerequisite courses
with a grade of “C” or better by June 2017, a clear background check and submission of required medical
forms. Failure to maintain a minimum overall cumulative GPA of 3.0 or make a grade of “C” or better in any
prerequisite course will result in a nullification of acceptance into the OT program.
7. Accepted applicants must submit a $300 matriculation fee with their Statement of Intent to reserve a seat in the
class. This fee is non-refundable and is applied to the student’s first semester tuition. Students offered
admission may elect not to pay the matriculation fee and be placed on the alternate list.
NOTE:
A minimum of 25 documented OT observation hours are required (see required form below).
Extra credit is given for 25 additional hours in at least one other setting. Applicants are encouraged to observe
occupational therapy in a variety of settings under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapy professional.
Many applicants acquire this experience by working or volunteering. Observation hours must be completed within
two years of application to the program.
OTCAS APPLICATIONS
OTCAS applications are accepted, but are Not Required. OTCAS applications must be “verified” before the
application deadline in order to be considered complete. If the OTCAS application has not been verified,
official copies of ALL transcripts must be received by the OT Department by the application deadline.
All OTCAS applicants must ALSO submit the USA OT Department application and $75.00 processing fee, have
GRE scores reported directly to the University (institution code 1880), and submit signed documentation of a
minimum of 25 hours of OT observation (see required form). The USA OT application processing fee is not
included in any fees paid to OTCAS.
APPLICATION DEADLINES AND INTERVIEW DATES:
EARLY
ADMISSION
(Category I
applicants only)
(please see
requirements
above)
Regular
admission
(Category I & II)
Application deadline: September 15, 2016 - All complete applications received by mail,
hand delivered or submitted and verified on OTCAS (https://portal.otcas.org/) by this date
(application and fee must be sent to the USA MSOT Program) will be reviewed for POSSIBLE
EARLY ADMISSION.
Interview date: November 4, 2016 - Applicant interview day; only invited applicants whose
applications were completed by the September 15 deadline.
** Applicants not selected for early admission will be considered for regular admission in
January 2016.
Application deadline: January 5, 2017 - All complete applications received by mail, hand
delivered or submitted and verified on OTCAS (https://portal.otcas.org/) by this date
(application and fee must be sent to the USA MSOT Program) will be reviewed.
Interview date: February 10, 2017 - Applicant interview day; only invited applicants whose
applications were completed by the January 5 deadline.
Advanced Undergraduate (Category II) applicants
**Advanced Undergraduate students who are not already enrolled at University of South Alabama should apply
to USA as transfer students no later than December 1 prior to the January 5 OT program application deadline.
Once an advanced undergraduate has been admitted to USA and their transfer credit evaluation (TCE) has been
completed, the College advisor will know how their courses have applied toward their degree requirements at
USA. Advanced Undergraduate students should also submit their OT program application by January 5. If the
undergraduate applicant’s TCE has not been completed by the January 5 OT application deadline the
applicant cannot be considered for admission to the OT program.
(**This admission option will no longer be available after the January 2017 application
deadline.)
In addition to the Occupational Therapy prerequisite courses listed previously, Advanced
Undergraduate applicants are required to meet the University graduation requirements.
Advanced Undergraduate Applicants must document completion of the following University
requirements prior to admission to the occupational therapy program:
* English composition II – 3 cr.
* Lab science elective (not botany) – 4 cr.
* Fine arts elective – 3 cr.
* Applied art elective – 3 cr.
* Public speaking – 3 cr.
* Literature (2 course sequence) (6 cr.), with a History elective (3 cr.) and a Social Science elective (3 cr.)
OR
History (2 course sequence) (6 cr.), with a Literature elective (3 cr.) and a Humanities elective (3 cr.)
* All state and University requirements, including computer proficiency
* A minimum of 90 semester credit hours
Additional Information for Advanced Undergraduate (Category II) Applicants
Applicants who have completed a minimum of 90 semester hours of prescribed and elective course work
and who meet all admission criteria and the terms specified above are eligible for consideration for
admission. Students planning to pursue this category of admission must be working toward a major in a
discipline of their choice by the Junior year. This will insure that students who fail to gain admission to
the graduate program or who elect not to apply will be able to complete a degree within a reasonable time
period. Also, students who go on to complete a Bachelor’s degree and who meet all admission criteria
will be eligible to apply later as Regular Graduate applicants.
In addition to the minimum admission requirements listed above, advanced undergraduate applicants also
must acknowledge an understanding of the following:
* according to University policy, no more than 60 semester hours of transfer credit from junior colleges
will be accepted.
* in addition to the OT prerequisites they must have completed the general University requirements for
graduation.
* they will be officially classified as an undergraduate for the first two semesters of the program but will
be taking graduate courses in the program.
* for the entire program they will be held to the same standards and policies as students enrolled in the
graduate school (see the policies of the Graduate School).
* upon satisfactory completion of all course work in the first two semesters of the program, they will be
awarded a Bachelor of Science Degree in Professional Health Science. The students will then complete
all necessary paperwork for reclassification as graduate students and will continue through the
remainder of the program. Upon satisfactory completion of the entire program, students will be
awarded a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy.
* tuition will be assessed at the graduate level for the entire professional program.
* in the first two semesters of the program, while classified as undergraduate students, any financial aid is
restricted to the types and amounts for which undergraduate students are eligible.
* the academic program for students in both categories is identical in its entirety.
*Application deadline dates for admission in the fall term 2017 are September 15, 2016, and January 5, 2017.
OTCAS APPLICATIONS
OTCAS applications are accepted, but are Not Required. OTCAS applications must be “verified” before the
application deadline in order to be considered complete. If the OTCAS application has not been verified,
official copies of ALL transcripts must be received by the OT Department by the application deadline.
All OTCAS applicants must ALSO submit the USA OT Department application and $75.00 processing fee, have
GRE scores reported directly to the University (institution code 1880), and submit signed documentation of a
minimum of 25 hours of OT observation (see required form). The USA OT application processing fee is not
included in any fees paid to OTCAS.
NOTE:
A minimum of 25 documented OT observation hours are required (see required form below).
Extra credit is given for 25 additional hours in at least one additional setting. Applicants are encouraged to observe
occupational therapy in a variety of settings under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapy professional.
Many applicants acquire this experience by working or volunteering. Observation hours must be completed within
two years of application to the program
The Occupational Therapy program offers “early acceptance” to regular graduate applicants (Category I) with
outstanding academic qualifications. Students who have completed at least 80% of the prerequisite courses,
have strong GPAs, have received their GRE scores, have completed the required observation hours and will
complete the prerequisite courses and receive their undergraduate degree by June of 2017 may choose to
apply in September. Some of these applicants may be offered “early acceptance” in December. Applicants not
accepted in December will be included in the regular January applicant pool.
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA
DEPARTMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY
DOCUMENTATION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY EXPERIENCE
A MINIMUM OF 25 DOCUMENTED OT OBSERVATION HOURS ARE REQUIRED.
STUDENT'S NAME:
The above student has volunteered or worked for me at the following:
NAME OF ORGANIZATION:
ADDRESS:
CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE:
PHONE NUMBER:
NAMES AND CREDENTIALS OF OTR and/or COTA SUPERVISOR:
License #
OT SUPERVISOR’S EMAIL:
TYPE OF EXPERIENCE:
STUDENT'S ROLE:
(please check all that apply)
(please check all that apply)
inpatient
outpatient
pediatrics
geriatrics
mental health/psychiatry
physical rehabilitation
health promotion/disease prevention
other, please specify
WAS THIS A PAID
DATE
observation
assist in transport of clients/patients
assist therapist in treatment of clients/patients
other, please specify
OR VOLUNTEER
NUMBER OF HOURS
POSITION?
DATE
(Please check one)
NUMBER OF HOURS
TOTAL OF HOURS:
OTHER COMMENTS:
Date:
Signature:
Occupational Therapy Supervisor
This form may be duplicated and sent to the appropriate number of occupational therapists.
Please return this form to:
University of South Alabama
OT Admissions Committee
Department of Occupational Therapy
5721 USA Drive North, Room 2027
Mobile, Alabama 36688-0002
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