Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) Program

Master of Occupational Therapy Curriculum

The Residential MOT format and the Hybrid Immersion MOT format can be completed in 6 trimesters (2 years), while the Flex MOT format can be completed in 9 trimesters (3 years). For all formats of the Master of Occupational Therapy program, students must complete 93 credit hours with virtual didactic coursework, hands-on clinical labs, and Level I and Level II fieldwork.
Upon successful completion of the MOT graduate program, you’ll be eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam.

Residential MOT (San Marcos, CA; St. Augustine and Miami, FL; Austin, TX)

Hybrid Immersion MOT (Dallas, TX Only) Curriculum

Flex MOT Curriculum

Master of Occupational Therapy Admissions Requirements

Applicants must meet the following Master of Occupational Therapy degree admissions requirements to be considered for the Residential, Hybrid Immersion or Flex MOT format.

Bachelor’s Degree: Candidates must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. You can apply while you are still enrolled in an undergraduate degree program or while you are completing prerequisite coursework. You should submit a plan of study with your application that indicates all remaining courses that will be completed prior to program enrollment.

GRE: The GRE is not required for admission to USAHS’ Master of Occupational Therapy Program.

Resume: Include a current resume with your application.

Statement of Purpose: Include a short statement of why you wish to pursue occupational therapy as a career and what attracts you to the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences.

OT Supplemental Questions: Provide five short answers to help us learn more about you.

1. An occupational therapist help people to engage in occupations they want to do, need to do, or are expected to do. What is an occupation you enjoy engaging in, and what positive impact does this have on you? (200 words max)
2. Occupational therapists assist people in doing what they want to do. Can you explain when you have enabled others through occupation?  (200 words max)
3. Please share how you have participated in volunteerism to be a force for good in your community. (200 words max)
4. List two attributes you have which you consider crucial to being an effective occupational therapist. (200 words max)
5. How would your former professors describe you? (200 words max)

Letters of Recommendation: Applicants are required to submit two recommendations. While it is advised that at least one comes from an OT clinician, it is acceptable to have both from college and university instructors. Only recommendations meeting the requirements will count towards the total required confirmed number.

Observation Hours: The Occupational Therapy department does not require observation hours to apply for our graduate programs, however, it is highly recommended that all applicants observe occupational therapy in at least two areas of practice. This will not only support your submission essays; it will also help to ensure that you are well suited for this field of study.

Prerequisites: Admissions recommends that all prerequisite course work be no more than 5 years old. This is a recommendation and is preferred, it is not a requirement to apply. You will be asked to provide official transcripts during the application process.

Prerequisite Check

You can find our OT prerequisite form here. All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of “C” (2.0) or better.

Misrepresentation of Academic Credentials

Misrepresentation of academic credentials includes presenting information known as false and with the intent of obtaining employment or admission to an educational program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Statements made and documents supplied by the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences’ applicants and students must be complete and accurate. The University will not tolerate any misrepresentation by a student or applicant of past or current academic programs, degrees, or professional accomplishments. If unexplained discrepancies appear between statements or documents provided to the University of St. Augustine and information obtained otherwise, except in the case of misspellings and other such inadvertent errors, applicants may be rejected for admission and enrolled students may be dismissed.

Additional Information

• A comprehensive background check requiring fingerprints and drug screen will be administered after acceptance into the program and at the applicant’s expense. A felony charge and or conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or to attain state licensure.
• This is a blended instructional program requiring both virtual (distance education) and face-to-face class participation. Online learners need access to/use of a computer/word processor and basic technical skills to succeed. These skills include the ability to create new documents, use a word processing program, navigate the Internet, and download software. Attendance requirements are enforced.

The Residential MOT program can be completed in 6 trimesters or about 2 years and our Flex MOT program can be completed in 9 trimesters or about 3 years. Total program tuition and cost of attendance for the Fall 2023 academic term is as follows. Tuition estimates are based on the assumption that a student goes straight through the program, without breaks or repeating academic work.

Choose your MOT format and the campus you are interested in attending to see the tuition and fee estimates. All tuition and fee numbers are subject to change.

Residential MOT

San Marcos, CA Campus

St. Augustine, FL Campus

Miami, FL Campus

Austin, TX Campus

Hybrid Immersion MOT

Dallas, TX Campus

Flex MOT

San Marcos, CA Campus

St. Augustine, FL Campus

Miami, FL Campus

Austin, TX Campus

Financial Aid

Student loans may be available to assist with funding your program. USAHS has financial aid counselors who are available to explain your options.

Financial aid counselors can be reached by email, phone, or on campus. Regular office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday in each time zone. If you are unable to meet during regular office hours, after-hours appointments are available by request.

Please visit our Financial Aid Contact page for more information.

MOT Program Accreditation Status

Master of Occupational Therapy – San Marcos Campus

The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree (MOT) program at the San Marcos, California campus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.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. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of all prior didactic portions of the program. For more information about the occupational therapy accreditation process, contact the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, 301-652-AOTA or visit www.acoteonline.org. Complaints about the program that cannot be resolved after following the University’s procedures must be submitted electronically to the ACOTE Chairperson, c/o the AOTA Accreditation Department. The complaint must be submitted as an attachment to an e-mail addressed to [email protected] and must include a signed complaint form, “Complaint Against a Program Subject to ACOTE Accreditation”.

Master of Occupational Therapy – St. Augustine Campus

The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree (MOT) program at the St. Augustine, Florida campus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.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. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of all prior didactic portions of the program. For more information about the occupational therapy accreditation process, contact the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, 301-652-AOTA or visit www.acoteonline.org. Complaints about the program that cannot be resolved after following the University’s procedures must be submitted electronically to the ACOTE Chairperson, c/o the AOTA Accreditation Department. The complaint must be submitted as an attachment to an e-mail addressed to [email protected] and must include a signed complaint form, “Complaint Against a Program Subject to ACOTE Accreditation”.

Master of Occupational Therapy – Miami Campus

The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree (MOT) program at the Miami, Florida campus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.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. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of all prior didactic portions of the program. For more information about the occupational therapy accreditation process, contact the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, 301-652-AOTA or visit www.acoteonline.org. Complaints about the program that cannot be resolved after following the University’s procedures must be submitted electronically to the ACOTE Chairperson, c/o the AOTA Accreditation Department. The complaint must be submitted as an attachment to an e-mail addressed to [email protected] and must include a signed complaint form, “Complaint Against a Program Subject to ACOTE Accreditation”.

Master of Occupational Therapy – Austin Campus

The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree (MOT) program at the Austin, Texas campus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.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. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of all prior didactic portions of the program. For more information about the occupational therapy accreditation process, contact the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, 301-652-AOTA or visit www.acoteonline.org. Complaints about the program that cannot be resolved after following the University’s procedures must be submitted electronically to the ACOTE Chairperson, c/o the AOTA Accreditation Department. The complaint must be submitted as an attachment to an e-mail addressed to [email protected] and must include a signed complaint form, “Complaint Against a Program Subject to ACOTE Accreditation”.

Master of Occupational Therapy – Dallas Campus

State Approvals

MOT

USAHS currently is accepting applications for enrollment in the Master of Occupational Therapy (San Marcos, St. Augustine, Miami and Austin campuses) for residents of the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. USAHS has not made a determination that its curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the following locations:  American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.

For states denoted with clinical field experience restrictions, USAHS does not have the necessary state authorization approvals to offer on-the-ground activities of this kind in those states at this time. However, these restrictions should not impact a graduates’ eligibility for professional licensure in his/her state, provided all other requirements are met. As such, the program prepares students for licensure in all 50 states.

USAHS is not accepting applications from prospective students residing in states where the institution does not have state authorization. However, prospective students are encouraged to check back in the near future as the program may be offered in additional states. Current and admitted students are also advised to monitor this page for any updates prior to relocating to another state, as this can have an impact on continued enrollment in the program and the ability to be placed for clinical field experiences.

It remains the student’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to field education experiences, licensing or certification, authorization or endorsement for the state in which she or he resides.

MOT (Flex)

USAHS currently is accepting applications for enrollment in the Flex Master of Occupational Therapy for residents of the following states:  Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. USAHS has not made a determination that its curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the following locations:  American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.

For states denoted with clinical field experience restrictions, USAHS does not have the necessary state authorization approvals to offer on-the-ground activities of this kind in those states at this time. However, these restrictions should not impact a graduates’ eligibility for professional licensure in his/her state, provided all other requirements are met.  As such, the program prepares students for licensure in all 50 states.

USAHS is not accepting applications from prospective students residing in states where the institution does not have state authorization. However, prospective students are encouraged to check back in the near future as the program may be offered in additional states.  Current and admitted students are also advised to monitor this page for any updates prior to relocating to another state, as this can have an impact on continued enrollment in the program and the ability to be placed for clinical field experiences.

It remains the student’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to field education experiences, licensing or certification, authorization or endorsement for the state in which she or he resides.

MOT Dallas

USAHS currently is accepting applications for enrollment in the Master of Occupational Therapy (Dallas) for residents of the following states:  Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. For states denoted with clinical field experience restrictions, USAHS does not have the necessary state authorization approvals to offer on-the-ground activities of this kind in those states at this time.

USAHS is not accepting applications from prospective students residing in states where the institution does not have state authorization. However, prospective students are encouraged to check back in the near future as the program may be offered in additional states. Current and admitted students are also advised to monitor this page for any updates prior to relocating to another state, as this can have an impact on continued enrollment in the program and the ability to be placed for clinical field experiences.

Post-Graduation Licensure

For states denoted with clinical field experience restrictions, USAHS does not have the necessary state authorization approvals to offer on-the-ground activities of this kind in those states at this time. However, these restrictions should not impact a graduates’ eligibility for professional licensure in his/her state, provided all other requirements are met.  As such, the program prepares students for licensure in all 50 states.

USAHS has not made a determination that its curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the following locations:  American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.

It remains the student’s responsibility to understand, evaluate, and comply with all requirements relating to field education experiences, licensing or certification, authorization or endorsement for the state in which she or he resides.

MOT Student Outcomes

Graduation Rate

San Marcos, CA

Miami, FL

St. Augustine, FL

Austin, TX

NBCOT Exam Pass Rate

Graduates of the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences’ Master of Occupational Therapy programs at the San Marcos, CA; St. Augustine, FL; Miami, FL; and Austin, TX campuses are eligible to take the certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.

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

Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)

Click the campus/program below to view the program data:

San Marcos, CA – Residential | Flex
St. Augustine, FL – Residential | Flex
Miami, FL – Residential | Flex
Austin, TX – Residential | Flex
Dallas, TX – Hybrid Immersion