Admission Requirements: Occupational Therapy Graduate Programs

This fact sheet offers guidance on collecting all documents required for application to the Carlow University Occupational Therapy program (MSOT). Current Carlow undergraduate degree-seeking students as well as Carlow alumni may choose to apply through the Carlow website. All other students must apply via the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS).

For assistance, please contact the OT Program Office by email: carlowot@carlow.edu.

If you are a Carlow Undergraduate Bachelor of Health Science student, you may apply for conditional acceptance into the graduate OT program as early as your first semester. Please see the BSHS Pre-OT to MSOT Early Assurance Fact Sheet for more details.

Steps to Apply

1. Applicants must have completed a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or plan to complete one prior to enrollment.

2. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative college/university GPA of 3.0. A prerequisite cumulative GPA of 3.25 is recommended, with a minimum grade of “C” in all prerequisite courses.

3. Prerequisite courses must have been completed within the last 10 calendar years. Conditional admission may be granted when one or more admission requirements are currently in progress. Applicants must submit verification of all admission requirements before beginning Occupational Therapy program coursework.

4. Submit a professional resume or curriculum vitae (CV).

5. Submit a personal statement of at least one page and no fewer than 200 words describing your interest in occupational therapy.

6. Provide documentation verifying at least 20 hours of occupational therapy observation, volunteer, or work experience completed in at least two practice settings within the last three calendar years. Documentation must be provided by an OT practitioner — either a registered occupational therapist (OTR) or certified occupational therapy assistant (COTA) — to verify completion.

7. Submit at least two professional letters of recommendation. One must be from an OT practitioner or a related therapy field such as physical therapy (PT) or speech-language pathology (SLP).

8. Complete the asynchronous virtual interview through Kira Talent.

Prerequisite Courses

English Written Composition
3–4 credits

Anatomy & Physiology
At least 2 courses including laboratory components

Medical Terminology
1–2 credits

Introductory Psychology
3–4 credits

Developmental Psychology or Lifespan Human Development
3–4 credits

Abnormal Psychology
3–4 credits

Statistics or Quantitative Research Methods
3–4 credits

Social Science Courses
2 courses totaling 6–8 credits. Courses may include psychology, sociology, anthropology, public health, social work, international studies, disability studies, philosophy, or ethics.

Recommended Courses

Neuroscience or Neurobiology
3–4 credits

Introductory Exercise Science or Kinesiology
3–4 credits including laboratory component

▸ Accreditation Statement