MSOT Prerequisite Requirements
Prerequisites Course |
Credits |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
Human Anatomy & Physiology with Lab |
8 |
Or equivalent of (1 human anatomy course + lab) and (1 human physiology course + lab) |
Physics or Upper Level Biomechanics or Upper Level Kinesiology |
3 |
|
Statistics or Research Methods |
3 |
|
Abnormal Psychology |
3 |
|
Human Development |
3 |
Must cover the lifespan |
Sociology |
3 |
|
Medical Terminology |
1 |
May be taken online, credit or no-credit |
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for last 60 hours at time of application is required and must be maintained prior to start of program (3.0 for prereqs.)
- All courses must have been taken within the last 10 years at time of application.
- AP and CLEP credit will not be accepted for any science prerequisite course. There is no advanced placement, transfer of credit or experiential learning credit within the UMHB MSOT Program.
- Labs may NOT be taken online.
- 40 hours of observation required in at least 2 different practice settings (see observation documentation form for specifics) Paid or volunteer hours will not count as observation hours.
- GRE not required
- Must have a bachelor’s degree in any field prior to the January start date each year
- At the time of application, prospective student must have a minimum of 9 credits of prerequisite hours complete. Additionally, there should be no more than 2 outstanding prerequisites for fall semester prior to start of program.
Master's Degree Level Occupational Therapy Program
The 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. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is acoteonline.org.. Graduates of the program 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. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
Doctoral Degree Level Occupational Therapy Program
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status 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. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is acoteonline.org.. The program must 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 to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
Page last updated June 29, 2026