BS/MOT 5-Year Accelerated Program FAQs

Master of Occupational Therapy Program

gradot@messiah.edu

Julia Varela, Assistant Director of Enrollment for the School of Graduate & Professional Studies

jvarela@messiah.edu 

717-796-1800 ext 2622

The Messiah University entry-level occupational therapy master's degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852. Phone: 301-652-6611. www.acoteonline.org . Students officially enter this master's program after their third year at Messiah.

Graduates of Messiah University's occupational therapy master's degree 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). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR).

In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Messiah University is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Higher Education. It is the highest accrediting authority recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for degree-granting colleges and universities located in Pennsylvania, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and several other locations internationally.

https://www.messiah.edu/gn-about/accreditation/

https://www.messiah.edu/graduate/master-occupational-therapy

Students who wish to apply for admission to Messiah's OT Accelerated Program should submit a Messiah University undergraduate application and all required admission materials or complete the Common Application.

This program operates on rolling admission and does not have an application deadline. However, there is a 20-person cap on our accelerated program, so early applications are encouraged.

First year students who are eligible for admission to the University are eligible for acceptance to the Accelerated MOT program. You can review the undergraduate admissions process and criteria on our website. 

Applicants will need to attend an informational session after their acceptance in order to confirm their seat in the accelerated program.

Observation hours are not required in high school. Students are strongly encouraged to complete 20 observation hours while taking undergraduate courses.

You will choose one of three bachelor’s degrees to complete the occupational therapy accelerated program.

• Applied health science (with a pre-occupational therapy concentration): This major is most appropriate if you enjoy studying the human body, basic science courses and how the body responds to both physical activity and disease. The pre-occupational therapy concentration provides a multi-dimensional approach to studying health and offers coursework in anatomy, exercise physiology, biomechanics, chronic disease, health promotion, exercise psychology and nutrition. Prerequisite psychology courses will be incorporated in the curriculum to prepare you for the integration of the mental and physical components of occupational therapy.
• Human development and family science: This major is ideal for students who are passionate about understanding and supporting individuals and families across the lifespan. With an interdisciplinary approach—including psychology, sociology and gerontology—it provides a strong foundation for occupational therapy. Coursework in lifespan development and family dynamics prepares you to work effectively with diverse populations in a healthcare setting.
• Psychology: This major is most appropriate if you enjoy studying human behavior, the motivations behind behavior and mental processes. You will study a wide-range of foundational psychology courses in lifespan development, abnormal psychology, experimental psychology, and sensation and perceptions. Prerequisite science courses will be incorporated in the curriculum to prepare you to understand the biological basis of behavior required for the field of occupational therapy. 

Summer coursework is not required during the undergraduate portion of the program. Students are encouraged to look at their overall undergraduate curriculum plan and consider summer courses if they want to lighten the course load during some of the heavier semesters. The program's graduate portion runs on a three term calendar year. Classes are scheduled fall, spring, and summer during the 24-month graduate program.

Please contact the department or individual coaches. You may also consider applying to the MOT program as a junior in our early assurance program or as a senior in the traditional post-baccalaureate.

Students in the 5-year Accelerated program are not able to participate in a full semester study abroad experience, however students are able to participate in 3-4 week cross-cultural experience typically offered in May.

Yes, Accelerated students can participate in the University Honors program.

While at Messiah, students are required to maintain a GPA of 3.3 or higher and complete all MOT prerequisite courses with a C or better. Students are encouraged but not required to complete 20 observation hours in two different areas of OT practice (i.e., adult rehab, pediatric, psychosocial, etc.).

Students in the accelerated program will submit a graduate application in the fall of year three demonstrating the successful completion of the requirements to matriculate into graduate coursework.

Yes, students are eligible to live on campus all five years.

For information regarding undergraduate tuition, visit our undergraduate tuition and aid pages.

For information regarding graduate tuition, visit our graduate tuition and aid pages.

A student's merit-based financial aid package is set for the first eight semesters or until you receive your bachelor's degree, unless there are significant changes in your FAFSA data or scholarship requirements are not maintained. Students will continue to be eligible for their undergraduate financial aid through the fall of year four. After that point, students have completed the required hours for an undergraduate degree and will be considered a graduate student, even though they have already been taking graduate courses. After the fall of year four, students complete the remaining 64 credits in the graduate curriculum. View our graduate financial aid page for more information on graduate financial aid.

Occupational Therapy students have three scholarship options to apply for.

• Harry & Nancy Preis Endowed Scholarship
• Rocco and Nancy Ortenzio Endowed Scholarship 
• Soccer Shots Applied Health Sciences Scholarship

For more information about these scholarships, visit our Graduate student scholarships page.