Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) FAQS

To get into the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. If you are an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) with the necessary credits and work experience, you may be eligible for our OTA-entry MOT program.

You also have to:

• Complete the required prerequisites with a minimum grade of C
• Submit a personal statement
• Respond to six OT supplemental questions to help us get to know you better
• Provide a current résumé

There’s no GRE requirement, and while USAHS doesn’t require observation hours, they can help strengthen your application.

Yes, if you are an OTA with a minimum of 84 credits and one year of full-time experience, you can apply to our Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program without additional coursework required. The OTA-entry to MOT is one of the fastest available routes from OTA to Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR) professional advancement.

If you are an OTA with a minimum of 84 credits from a U.S. Department of Education recognized institution and one year of full-time OTA experience, you may apply to our MOT program through our OTA-entry to MOT program. With this option, you can quickly advance your career as an OT and take on more responsibility.

Submission requirements for OTA applicants without a bachelor’s degree (in addition to the MOT program admission requirements):

• A copy of a current state OTA license
• A copy of your initial NBCOT certification
• A resume that verifies at least one year of full-time work experience as an OTA
• The completion of the employment verification form on the online application

The OTA bridge pathway for the MOT program requires a minimum of 84 credits from an institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and one year of full-time work experience. You’ll take the same courses as our other MOT degree students in a collaborative environment throughout the program.

Yes, the MOT program at all five USAHS campuses is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). Once you graduate, you’ll be eligible to take the NBCOT certification exam and apply for your professional license.

Yes, the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program meets the educational requirements for licensure in all 50 states, though you’ll want to check any specific rules for the state where you plan to practice.

USAHS also maintains the necessary state approvals for your clinical experiences while ensuring the program meets national standards.

The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification exam is the test you’ll take after graduating from the MOT program to get certified as an occupational therapist. Passing it means you’ll earn your OTR credential and be ready to practice professionally anywhere in the U.S.

Prior to graduating from your OT program, you’ll need to complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork, over two 12-week periods, within 24 months after finishing all of your didactic MOT degree coursework. This hands-on, supervised clinical experience helps you build the real-world skills you’ll need to be a confident, skilled and compassionate occupational therapist.

After earning your MOT degree, you can work in a variety of settings across the U.S., such as:

• Hospitals
• Schools
• Outpatient clinics
• Mental health centers
• Rehabilitation facilities
• Home healthcare
• Private practice
• And more

Plus, the job outlook is strong, with a 14 percent growth expected through 2034 and about 10,200 new job openings each year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

For more information about student outcomes and graduation rates for the MOT program at USAHS campuses, please visit https://www.usa.edu/college-of-rehabilitative-sciences/master-of-occupational-therapy-mot/#outcomes. Along the way, you’ll have access to strong support services and faculty mentorship through every step of your journey.

USAHS MOT program performance data from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online for each campus location at https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.

If you are an OTA, you can complete the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program OTA-entry to MOT pathway, in as little as 1.7 years, with the Residential or Hybrid Immersion formats.* Or, choose the flexible, weekend-based Flex format and earn your MOT degree over 2.7 years.*

This OTA to MOT bridge option builds on what you already know while preparing you for advanced practice.

*Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress, credits transferred and other factors.

You can earn your MOT degree at USAHS campuses in:

• San Marcos, California
• Augustine, Florida
• Miami, Florida
• Austin, Texas
• Dallas, Texas

Each campus has dedicated Activities of Daily Living spaces within our Centers for Innovative Clinical Practice for hands-on training.

The MOT program blends online and in-person coursework with on-campus clinical labs, simulation activities, real and mock client interactions and fieldwork experiences. This mix of learning experiences helps you apply what you learn in class to real-world situations, building your skills and confidence under the guidance of expert faculty.

You’ll complete two immersive in-person lab experiences each term, held on campus over extended weekends as a part of the MOT curriculum.

No, you can’t complete the USAHS Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program fully online because it includes hands-on clinical labs, simulation activities and fieldwork experiences that are held in person and cannot be completed entirely online.