To become an Occupational Therapist, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy or a doctorate in Occupational Therapy.
There are several different educational paths you can take to become an occupational therapist.
- You can attend the same college for your undergraduate degree and your master’s degree or doctorate degree. For example, Russell Sage College’s Biology, Expressive Arts in Mental Health, English, Health Sciences, Psychology, and Sociology programs all provide an excellent foundation for Sage’s Occupational Therapy graduate programs.
- You can attend one college for your undergraduate degree and another college for your master’s degree or doctorate degree. Many colleges with Occupational Therapy graduate programs have articulation agreements, or partnerships, with undergraduate colleges and may offer preferred acceptance to qualified students. For example, Russell Sage College has articulation agreements for its OT master’s program and articulation agreements for its OT doctorate program.
- You can attend a college with an accelerated Occupational Therapy program. Also known as a 3+2 program, Russell Sage’s accelerated OT program allows you to earn a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in Occupational Therapy in just over five years — less time than it would take to earn the degrees separately.
Keep reading for more information that will help you decide if an accelerated Occupational Therapy program is right for you.
The Occupational Therapy Career Field: What to Know
Occupational therapists help individuals who are recovering from an illness or an injury to return to activities that are important to them.
OTs work with people of all ages, from infants to the elderly, in patients’ homes, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, schools, private practice, and community agencies.
Demands and Opportunities: The Future of Occupational Therapy
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook for Occupational Therapists, the 2022 median pay for occupational therapists was $93,180 per year, and opportunities for OTs are expected to increase 12% between 2022 and 2032. That’s much faster than average; the bureau indicates that the average growth rate for all occupations is 3 percent.
Choosing an Occupational Therapy Program: Master’s vs. Doctorate in Occupational Therapy
A master’s degree in Occupational Therapy is also called an MSOT. A doctorate in Occupational Therapy is also called an OTD.
Both an MSOT and an OTD will prepare you to take the occupational therapist licensure exam and to work with patients as an OT.
Individuals with a doctorate in Occupational Therapy have additional opportunities to be listed as a primary investigator on research, take on leadership roles in health care practices and policy organizations, or join the faculty of Occupational Therapy education programs.
Benefits of a Master’s in Occupational Therapy
An Occupational Therapy master’s degree takes less time to earn than an Occupational Therapy doctorate, while still allowing you to prepare for the occupational therapist licensure exam needed to work directly with patients.
Benefits of a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy
A benefit of an OTD is the additional coursework in advocacy, leadership, and education, as well as a 14-week doctoral capstone experience.
Your career goals will help you decide whether to pursue an MSOT or an OTD. Both an OT master’s and an OT doctorate prepare you for the occupational therapist licensure exam needed to work directly with patients.
A doctorate is required for some positions in higher education and research, and may also be an advantage for occupational therapists interested in leadership roles in health care practices and policy organizations.
Accelerated Occupational Therapy Program Factors
Some prospective college students already know they want to become an occupational therapist. If this describes you, you might be interested in an accelerated Occupational Therapy program.
An accelerated Occupational Therapy program will allow you to earn a bachelor’s degree and graduate degree in Occupational Therapy in less time than it would take you to earn the degrees separately.
Eligibility Criteria
Admission criteria for accelerated Occupational Therapy programs vary among schools, but in general are very competitive, requiring a high GPA and a high class rank.
If you are interested in entering an accelerated Occupational Therapy program, reach out to an admission counselor at the colleges you are interested in. They can show you around the OT program labs, introduce you to faculty and current students, and answer all your questions about applying to an accelerated OT program.
Accelerated OT Program Rigor
Once you are accepted to an accelerated Occupational Therapy program, you’ll have to take certain prerequisite undergraduate classes and continue to maintain a high GPA in college. You will also have to complete at least 20 hours of clinical observation under the supervision of an occupational therapist early in your college career.
It is a lot of work, but students in Russell Sage College’s accelerated OT program also have two advisors, one in their undergraduate major and one from the Occupational Therapy department, to support them on their accelerated path.
How to Select an Accelerated Occupational Therapy Program
There are several factors to consider when you are choosing an Occupational Therapy program.
- Health sciences expertise: A college’s overall reputation, and specific reputation in the health sciences are important. For example, Russell Sage College is well-known throughout New York state and the entire northeast for its Health Sciences programs. OT students get lots of interaction with other health care fields, preparing them to work effectively on interprofessional health care teams.
- Fieldwork opportunities: The more hands-on experience, and the more diverse those experiences, the better! For example, Russell Sage College’s OT program includes more Level-I fieldwork than other programs, so you’ll begin making connections between courses and professional practice almost immediately. Two different Level-II fieldwork placements will help you develop a lifespan approach to OT practice. And an academic fieldwork coordinator will help you arrange it all.
- College culture: Occupational Therapy education programs are demanding, and accelerated programs even more so. Some students prefer smaller colleges like Russell Sage, where it is easy to get help and to get to know classmates and professors. (If this is important to you, you might also be interested in learning about The Gator Gateway, the powerful undergraduate success program Sage offers along with our bachelor’s degrees.)
Accreditation
The Russell Sage College Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program and the Russell Sage College entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate program are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association.
Program Length
A master’s degree in Occupational Therapy takes two-and-a-half years; it would take six-and-a-half years to earn a traditional, four-year bachelor’s degree followed by an MSOT.
You can save a whole year if you apply and are accepted to an accelerated Occupational Therapy program like Russell Sage’s 3 + 2 program.
A doctorate in Occupational Therapy takes three years. Eligible students who begin an MSOT may request a transition to the OTD program.
Request more info on Russell Sage’s Accelerated Occupational Therapy Programs
Reach out to an admission counselor to learn more about Russell Sage College’s accelerated Occupational Therapy program and decide if it’s a good fit for you.