The UT Martin Pre-Occupational Therapy (OT) Plan is designed to prepare students for application to a graduate occupational therapy program. By following the Pre-OT Plan recommendations, students will be eligible for admission into most Master of Occupational Therapy (M.O.T.) and Doctor of Occupational Therapy (O.T.D.) programs; however, the undergraduate courses required for admission vary significantly from one institution to the next. The courses listed below are intended only as a guideline and students are strongly encouraged to review the requirements for their school(s) of choice as they vary from school to school. Additionally, the Pre-OT Plan is not a major and does not fulfill the requirements for a baccalaureate degree at UT Martin. The courses listed below are recommendations and are not required for degree completion unless also listed under the student’s chosen major.
Most M.O.T. and O.T.D. programs require applicants to earn a baccalaureate degree before matriculation into the professional program. The Biology-Organismal Biology Concentration and Health and Human Performance: Exercise Science and Wellness majors include many of the courses listed below. However, students may choose a major in any subject area they wich as long as they aso complete the courses required by their chosen M.O.T. or O.T.D. program(s). Students may also wish to pursue a Psychology or Sociology major as an understanding of those fields is valuable when practicing occupational therapy.
For most M.O.T. and O.T.D. programs:
- Applicants are required to earn a baccalaureate degree prior to matriculation.
- Applicants must demonstrate that all required course work will be completed with a grade of C or better prior to admission.
- Applicants must complete the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) and meet the technical skills as defined by the professional school.
- Applicants are expected to have knowledge of the field from direct observations as part of their pre- professional experiences. Some professional schools require documentation of observation prior to admission.
- Applications should be submitted directly to each occupational therapy school or through the Occupational Therapy Central Application Service (OTCAS) in the summer or fall of the year preceding the desired admission date.
At a minimum, most occupational therapy schools require:
- Medical terminology
- 3 hours of human development/lifespan psychology
- 8 hours of anatomy and physiology
- 3 hours of general psychology
- 3 hours of general sociology or anthropology
- 3 hours of abnormal psychology
- 3 hours of statistics
- 4 hours of physics or kinesiology
As noted above, most OT schools require a baccalaureate degree; schools that do not require a baccalaureate degree usually require a combination of prerequisite classes and electives for a total of up to 90 hours. While not an exhaustive list, the following courses are strongly recommended for students considering applying to OT school. Students should always check with their adviser and/or school(s) of choice before deciding which classes to take.