Occupational Therapy M.S.
Degree: Master of Science
https://www.towson.edu/chp/departments/occutherapy/programs/gradoccutherapy/
Program Director: Amanda Jozkowski, PhD, OTR/L
Phone: 410-704-2272
Email: ajozkowski@towson.edu
This program admits fall term only.
The entry-level Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy is designed to prepare graduates to assume key roles in practice, research, education or administration. Occupational therapists’ responsibilities in these roles are to assure high-quality services for client groups and to advance the practice of occupational therapy.
NOTE: Applicants for the entry-level master’s degree in Occupational Therapy follow procedures for submitting their application materials through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Admission Service (OTCAS). ALL applicants for the master’s degree program in Occupational Therapy must complete the Graduate application and supplemental forms. Contact the Occupational Therapy Admissions Counselor at 410-704-2653 or OTadmissions@towson.edu for questions regarding the application process.
Program Accreditation
Towson University's entry-level master's degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE's telephone number is (301) 652-6611.
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 of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this examination, the individual will be an occupational therapist, registered (OTR). In addition, most states require licensure to practice; however, licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. (Persons convicted of felonies may be unable to sit for the Certification Examination and should inquire in advance of program entry regarding eligibility.)
For more information about occupational therapy, visit the AOTA website.
Course Fees
A course fee will be applied to select courses to cover course materials and supplies.
Admission Requirements
Application deadlines and a full listing of materials required for admission can be found on the website.
Prerequisites for Admission
Complete 8 prerequisite courses prior to entering the Professional M.S. Program. Five of the eight prerequisites must be completed at the time of application. One must be in Anatomy and Physiology I or Anatomy and Physiology II. Any outstanding prerequisites must be completed with qualifying grades prior to beginning the program. GRADE ALTERNATIVES: Certain CLEP and/or AP scores may be used for non-science prerequisites, and medical terminology may be satisfied by a certificate course offered by an accredited college or university; visit the Admission Requirements & Deadlines page for specific details. Please contact us if your undergraduate degree was earned 10 or more years ago and you are concerned about your last-60-credit GPA.
- The following prerequisite courses must be completed with a “B-” or better:
- Introduction to Sociology or Introduction to Anthropology
- Abnormal Psychology
- Basic Statistics
- Human Anatomy and Physiology I with an in-person lab, taken within the last five years
- Human Anatomy and Physiology II with an in-person lab, taken within the last five years
- Human Growth and Development (must cover development across the entire lifespan)
- Medical Terminology
- Foundation in Mechanics (must include an in-person lab and include study of Newton's Laws of Motion). Often satisfied by physics or kinesiology course work.
Degree Requirements
The professional Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy is 28 months completed over 2.5 years and consists of 76 units of graduate course work, which includes a graduate research project. All students complete two 12-week, 480-hour, full-time Level II Fieldwork experiences: one in physical disabilities and one in psycho-social practice (either may be with a children and youth focus), where they apply theoretical knowledge and demonstrate entry-level competence for a licensed occupational therapist. Level II Fieldwork is a full-time commitment often requiring additional time for preparation on the evenings and weekends. Students are advised that employment during this time should be limited to 10 hours per week. While local sites (within 90 miles of the university) are available, students may be assigned out of the local area or out of the state for one or both of the fieldwork experiences. All Level II Fieldwork must be completed within 24 months of completion of academic course preparation.
All students must complete the Occupational Therapy Knowledge Exam (OTKE) as a degree requirement, and the registration fee is covered by the department.
Completion of an online exit survey is required for graduation clearance in addition to successful completion of all other program requirements.
Required Graduate Courses
Students must complete required graduate course work.
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| OCTH 521 | KINESIOLOGY OF OCCUPATION | 3 |
| OCTH 600 & 600L | FOUNDATIONS OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY and FOUNDATIONS OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY - APPLICATIONS [LAB] | 4 |
| OCTH 601 | GROUP DYNAMICS IN DIVERSE CONTEXTS | 3 |
| OCTH 603 | ISSUES IN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY | 3 |
| OCTH 606 | ADULT AND OLDER ADULT NEUROLOGICAL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY | 3 |
| OCTH 607 | ADULT AND OLDER ADULT MUSCULOSKELETAL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY | 3 |
| OCTH 609 | ADVANCED RESEARCH METHODS AND DATA ANALYSIS IN OCCUPATION BASED PRACTICE | 3 |
| OCTH 611 | ADVANCED THEORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF OCCUPATION | 3 |
| OCTH 612 | OT HEALTH PROMOTION INITIATIVES IN THE COMMUNITY | 3 |
| OCTH 614 | PRINCIPLES OF PSYCHOSOCIAL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTICE | 5 |
| OCTH 619 | ADULT PHYSICAL REHABILITATION LEVEL I FIELDWORK | 3 |
| OCTH 620 | PSYCHOSOCIAL LEVEL I FIELDWORK | 3 |
| OCTH 624 | OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PRACTICE WITH CHILDREN AND YOUTH | 5 |
| OCTH 626 | OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY FIELDWORK FOR CHILDREN AND YOUTH | 3 |
| OCTH 627 | ADMINISTRATION AND ORGANIZATION OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICES | 3 |
| OCTH 635 | LEVEL II FIELDWORK I | 9 |
| OCTH 636 | LEVEL II FIELDWORK II | 9 |
| OCTH 678 | ASSESSMENT THROUGHOUT THE LIFESPAN | 3 |
| OCTH 782 | RESEARCH PRACTICUM | 3 |
| BIOL 527 | NEUROMUSCULAR MECHANISMS OF THE UPPER BODY | 2 |
| Total Units | 76 | |
NOTE: Students have the option of earning a graduate certificate in Autism Studies or in Family-Professional Collaboration. Students who elect to earn a certificate may be required to extend the length of the master’s degree program in order to complete the entire certificate program.
Annual Health, Insurance and CPR Requirements
All students in entry-level clinical OT programs must submit and maintain the health documentation as detailed in the Department of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science Policy for Health, Insurance, and CPR Requirements to maintain good standing in the program and be eligible for fieldwork. Students who do not remain compliant with the requirements as outlined in the full policy will fall out of good standing in the program and may be prohibited from enrolling in course work and participating in fieldwork placements. The full policy is provided upon admission to an entry-level clinical OT program and available by request.
Abbreviated Departmental Health-related Documentation Policy
- Secure and maintain a CastleBranch account (instructions provided upon admission).
- Annual PPD, Tspot, or Quantiferon Gold Blood Test required for duration of program.
- Adult Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (Tdap) vaccination must remain current for duration of program.
- Positive Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) Titer.
- Positive Varicella Titer.
- Positive Hepatitis B Titer OR Hepatitis B Declination Waiver.
- A Physical Examination (may be requested annually).
- Annual Seasonal Influenza Vaccine for duration of program.
- Current American Heart Association CPR Certification for Healthcare Providers for duration of program (Instructor-Led and Blended courses accepted; fully online courses are not permitted).
- Proof of Health Insurance Coverage for duration of program.
-
Covid-19 Vaccination, including any subsequent boosters - not required by program, but mandatory for most fieldwork sites, so vaccination is strongly encouraged.
-
Criminal Background Check(s) and/or Drug Test(s) as required for fieldwork.
Suggested Plan of Study
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Term (Fall) | Units | Second Term (Spring) | Units | Summer | Units |
| OCTH 600 | 3 | OCTH 614 | 5 | OCTH 627 | 3 |
| OCTH 600L | 1 | OCTH 620 | 3 | OCTH 611 | 3 |
| OCTH 601 | 3 | OCTH 521 | 3 | ||
| OCTH 609 | 3 | OCTH 670 (Neural Mechanisms of Function) | 1-3 | ||
| 10 | 12-14 | 6 | |||
| Second Year | |||||
| First Term (Fall) | Units | Second Term (Spring) | Units | Summer | Units |
| OCTH 606 | 3 | OCTH 624 | 5 | OCTH 635 | 9 |
| OCTH 607 | 3 | OCTH 626 | 3 | ||
| OCTH 619 | 3 | OCTH 612 | 3 | ||
| OCTH 603 | 3 | OCTH 782 | 3 | ||
| OCTH 678 | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 14 | 9 | |||
| Third Year | |||||
| First Term (Fall) | Units | ||||
| OCTH 636 | 9 | ||||
| 9 | |||||
| Total Units 75-77 | |||||
- Develop and modify occupational therapy evaluation and intervention processes and occupational therapy programs using theoretical models and research evidence.
- Facilitate the ability of clients to lead their lives with meaning and balance by analyzing, adapting, and applying purposeful activities and other modalities in areas of human occupation.
- Use knowledge of health care systems, organizations, and management principles to fulfil an occupational therapist's role as a member of the service delivery team.