BS/MOT 5-Year Accelerated Program FAQs
Master of Occupational Therapy Program
Julia Varela, Assistant Director of Enrollment for the School of Graduate & Professional Studies
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.
Applications for admission should be submitted before February 1. Students accepted to Messiah's undergraduate program and who have met the requirements for the accelerated program will be invited to interview with the OT faculty for a spot in the accelerated program.
Selected students will be invited to interview after being accepted to the University. Interviews will be offered virtually on Thursday, November 21, 2024 and Thursday, February 27, 2025.
Applicants will be notified with an admissions decision within two weeks of the interview.
The minimum cumulative GPA is 3.5 and grades of A or B are required in all high school science and math courses.
SAT/ACT/CLT testing is optional. In addition to a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 and grades of A or B in all high school science and math courses, applicants will be reviewed for evidence of extracurricular activities and/or strong leadership in school or community activities and evidence of academic rigor in course selection (honors courses, evidence of dual enrollment or AP courses is preferred).
Observation hours are not required in high school. Students are strongly encouraged to complete 20 observation hours while taking undergraduate courses.
Students interested in the Applied Health Science major can contact Dr. Scott Kieffer at kieffer@messiah.edu.
Students interested in the Psychology major can contact Dr. Jennifer Thomson at jthomson@messiah.edu.
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 invidiual 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 need to submit a graduate application with supporting documentation by July 15 of year two demonstrating the successful completion of the requirements to matriculate into graduate coursework.
Yes, students are eligible to live on campus all five years.
Please contact Student Financial Services at studentfinsvcs@messiah.edu for information on tuition and financial aid.
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. Under the current 24/25 graduate rate, the graduate tuition would total $65,280. We anticipate approximately a 2% tuition increase each year.
Currently, there is a graduate scholarship for which MOT students can apply, the Harry & Nancy Preis Endowed Scholarship. As a graduate student, you will be eligible for federal student loans at the graduate level.