The master's degree in occupational therapy (MSOT) is a two-year, 60 credit program, that when completed, allows the graduate to sit for the required national certification exam to become a registered occupational therapist (OTR). The MSOT at Southern will enter its first class of 40 students in the summer of 2025. Students will complete 4 academic semesters, including two summers, followed by the required 6 months of supervised fieldwork, prior to graduation.
Our mission is to intentionally cultivate a diverse and compassionate community with a sense of belonging, who will embrace human differences, and excel in the provision of occupational therapy with hope, humility, and creativity. As occupational therapists who believe in occupational rights, we will champion access to personally meaningful activities, and skillfully promote, and inspire positive change for the health, wellbeing, and resilience of all people.
We envision an effective interprofessional health care system, where occupational therapy is a diverse profession that is understood and valued for its unique perspectives and skills and sought after by community members who believe in the power of human occupation to improve health and wellbeing.
Our motto will be OT Unbounded, as we seek to create occupational therapists who will identify needs, and creatively generate collaborative and effective solutions that are not limited by the “traditional” occupational therapy practice boundaries within our U.S healthcare system. Our goal is to unleash a diverse occupational therapy force for change, with students who understand and appreciate the value of human differences, who understand that there may be multiple correct solutions and multiple opinions, who will seek out the knowledge of others within their learning community when needed, and who will actively work for change where change is needed.
We share the philosophy espoused by AOTA (2020) and Hooper and Wood (2019), that humans are occupational by nature and require occupation to thrive and flourish. Occupations influence health, well-being, and quality of life. The occupational therapy profession’s core values of altruism, equality, and justice, therefore, insist that we must adopt the stance that equal access to occupational opportunities is a human right (Hammell, 2015).
We believe that humans have evolved as social beings who naturally and intentionally engage in occupations and seek human connection and belonging. Humans continually shape and are shaped by their families, culture, communities, environments, opportunities and/or circumstances. Therefore, no two human lives are identical. Each life is a dynamic adventure created by one’s occupational choices. These individually fashioned patterns of occupational engagement influence health and wellbeing. We believe that while all humans have the right to engage in a variety of meaningful occupations, not all humans have equal access or opportunity. Therefore, we pledge to do our part to forge changes to make occupations accessible within our communities.
Many creatures on this planet engage in “doing” and many live in social groups, however, humans have the capacity to self-reflect, make meaning, create community, plan, create, imagine, innovate, and choose to alter their lives. Occupational therapy supports human hope, change, and growth, imagining with our clients, lives that are filled with valued and meaningful occupations.
Explore the benefits of an Occupational Therapy career, including job flexibility, autonomy, and salary prospects, alongside an overview of the program's structure, curriculum, clinical experiences, faculty, and admission requirements. Consider if this career aligns with your goals, interests, and skills.
Occupations are the meaningful activities that people do every day and occupational therapists help people to engage in their chosen occupations. Occupational therapists work with people from birth to death, to promote their ability to DO what they want and need to do. Occupational therapists offer hope, and provide solutions, so that individuals can live their lives engaging in the things that are important to them. Occupational therapists work in the hospital, in outpatient clinics, in the home, private businesses, and in the community for a variety of community organizations. The two largest practice settings are the public schools and extended care facilities or nursing homes.
A career in occupational therapy is an excellent career choice. There are good jobs available that provide an exceptional salary. According to the BLS, employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 14 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations and the median annual wage for occupational therapists was $85,570 in May 2021. In the state of CT, occupational therapists make even more on average, over $94,000 per year.
Learn about the admissions process. To apply, visit the Admissions Guide.
See detailed information regarding tuition and fees.
The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree program has applied for accreditation 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 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must be granted Candidacy Status, have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be 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. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 12 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
School / College
College of Health & Human Services
Department
Recreation, Tourism and Sport Management
Contact
Dr. Heather Kuhaneck
Dr. Kyle O'Brien