Occupational therapy (MOT)

• 80 credits you can finish in 24 months so you can start making a difference right away
• Build connections with a cohort of learners that goes through the journey with you
• Learn from OT faculty who are both Christian educators and experienced OT professionals  
• Get hands‑on experience that helps real people, including community-engaged learning, service projects, and leadership development
• Join a nationally ranked, accredited private Christian university — the first in the Northeast/Mid‑Atlantic CCCU network to offer a graduate OT program
• Study at an ACOTE-accredited program that prepares you to pass the NBCOT exam
• Get real-world experience right on campus with our on-site clinic

5-year BS/MOT accelerated pathway:  Apply as a high school senior and earn both your bachelor's and MOT in just 5 years—saving time and getting into your career sooner.

Early assurance pathway:  Apply as a Messiah junior and secure your acceptance into OT school a year early.

Post-baccalaureate MOT:  Already in college or considering a career change? Apply using the OTCAS application or use Messiah's graduate admissions application.

You’ll build the clinical expertise and the people skills that great OTs use every day, including how to:

• Understand why meaningful activities matter and how everyday routines shape the health, well‑being, and quality of life.
• Use theory, science, and real evidence to guide your OT decisions—from evaluations to interventions—and practice like a confident, informed clinician.
• Think like a researcher, learning how to analyze, question, and apply scholarly work so your care stays modern, effective, and rooted in evidence.
• Connect Christian faith to leadership and service, discovering how purpose and compassion shape you as both a person and a practitioner.
• Build strong therapeutic relationships by using your personality, communication, and presence to support clients in meaningful, client‑centered ways.
• Develop habits that protect your own well‑being, learning strategies that promote a sustainable, fulfilling career in OT.
• Collaborate with classmates, clients, and colleagues in ways that show professionalism, respect, and a genuine team‑first mindset.
• Make ethical decisions with confidence, especially in complex or uncertain situations where values, safety, and integrity matter most.
• Master the skills of a safe, competent OT practitioner, meeting professional standards and delivering high‑quality clinical care.
• Provide equitable, culturally aware care that promotes belonging and support for people of all backgrounds, identities, and communities.

Our mission

Advance the profession by developing skilled and compassionate occupational therapy leaders and practitioners who are committed to a life of service and clinical excellence.

Our vision

Consistent with the American Occupational Therapy Association's (AOTA) Vision 2030, we support an accessible, collaborative, effective OT profession that builds leaders who influence change and embrace diversity. We will cultivate healthy learning environments to prepare future OT practitioners through community-engaged learning, diverse perspectives and ethical practice.

NBCOT pass rate:  100% across the past 3 years

Graduation rate:  100% across the past three cohorts 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Students who withdrew due to military, health, family issues, death and other reasons not related to academic and clinical performance are not part of this number.

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 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. (301)652-6611

Graduates of Messiah University's MOT 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 graduate 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 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.

• No-fee tuition:  No additional fees for labs, courses, services or technology.

• A locked‑in per‑credit rate:  The price you start with is the price you finish with. 

• Financial support options include loans, employment, scholarships, veterans’ benefits, tuition discounts, and monthly payment plans. 

• Dedicated graduate student financial services coordinators:  Caring counselors who are committed to simplifying the billing and financial aid process.

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