Program Overview

Department of Occupational Therapy

The Department of Occupational Therapy at San José State University is part of the College of Health and Human Sciences. The department offers several programs, including the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT), the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD), and the Pre-OT program.

Master of Science in Occupational Therapy

The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program is designed for students who have earned a baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than occupational therapy. The program enables students to obtain the education and degree necessary to be eligible to practice as an occupational therapist.

Program Curriculum

The program curriculum is organized around the core principle of participation in occupation to promote health, well-being, and social inclusion. The curriculum is designed to enable students to acquire the knowledge and competencies necessary to become qualified as a generalist in occupational therapy practice within four semesters of graduate academic study and six months of supervised fieldwork experience.

Curriculum Design

The curriculum is composed of six clusters:

1. Occupationthe core of the profession
2. Foundations for occupational therapy practice
3. Professional development
4. Practice in the Community
5. Research and knowledge development
6. Practice of occupational therapy

The curriculum also includes six curricular threads:

• Integrating affective experiences
• Embracing diversity
• Developing professional identity & leadership capacity
• Becoming creators of knowledge
• Understanding humans as occupational beings
• Engaging and serving communities of practice, scholarship, and learning

Graduation Requirements

To graduate, students must complete the MSOT degree requirements and meet the SJSU requirements. The progression and graduation requirements can be found in the Progression and Graduation Requirements document.

Accreditation

The Occupational Therapy Program at San José State University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

Application Deadlines

The department accepts applications once per year, beginning on October 1st, with a deadline for submitting applications and application materials on March 1st of each year.

Admission Criteria

The admission criteria for the MSOT program include:

• Earned baccalaureate degree in a discipline other than occupational therapy
• Completion of required prerequisite courses
• Submission of application and supporting materials

Program Resources

Additional resources for the MSOT program include:

• Applications and Admissions
• Information and Criteria for Acceptance
• Application Checklist
• Forms
• Frequently Asked Questions
• MSOT Degree Roadmap
• MSOT Course Descriptions
• MSOT Program Learning Outcomes
• Graduate Writing Support Services
• Required Prerequisite Courses
• SJSU OT Academic Catalog
• Tuition and Other Fees

International/Cross-Cultural Experience

All students in the OT program are required to participate in an international/cross-cultural experience as part of their academic program.

Criminal Background Check

A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination and may preclude attainment of state licensure. Students with a prior felony conviction are urged to contact the certification and licensing boards prior to the start of the program to determine their potential to practice as an occupational therapist.