ºÚÁÏÍø

Pre-Med/Pre-Health

Pre-Occupational Therapy

ºÚÁÏÍø the Profession

Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability. 

Preparation Starts Now

From the time you begin college, you are assembling a complete dossier with which to apply to professional schools. Applicants are expected to have:

  • Completed a bachelor’s degree in any major
  • Completed prerequisite course requirements
  • Achieve excellent grades; overall and science GPAs should, at a ³¾¾±²Ô¾±³¾³Ü³¾, be at a 3.0 *
  • Letters of Recommendation: academic and clinical
  • Involve yourself in documented, sustained shadowing and volunteer experience in a variety of (more than 1) occupational therapy settings, such as schools, skilled nursing facilities, community and private clinics, etc). 

Course Requirements

Start planning as a first year student to meet the following course requirements for OT programs.  Programs vary in course requirements, so be sure to review the requirements of all the schools you plan on applying to.  Below are the courses at ºÚÁÏÍø that are recommended you complete based on a compilation from schools offering a Masters in Occupational Therapy: 

Course RequirementsºÚÁÏÍøNotes
One year of Biology

BIOL 117 and119

BIOL 118 and 120 (labs

Pay attention to course offering schedule (i.e. Fall/Spring)
One year of Anatomy and PhysiologyBIOL 365 and 366Pay attention to course offering schedule (i.e. Fall/Spring)
One semester of Statistics or BiostatisticsMATH 262 or BIOL 350
One semester of EnglishINTD 105 or another ENGL courseINTD 105 is the Basic Communication General Education requirement
General Psychology PYSC 100
Abnormal Psychology (Psychopathology)PSYC 260
Developmental psychology or human development covering the lifespan (from birth to death)PSYC 215, 216, or 321PSYC 321 has prereqs: PSYC 215, 216, or 217
Social Sciences/Cultural Studies  
Humanities (ancient and modern languages, literature, philosophy, history, human geography law, politics, religion, art, etc)
Medical Terminology*BIOL 210
Neuroscience (with Neuroanatomy)*

*Check with schools you are interested in apply to for specific course requirements. Some schools may require additional and/or variable coursework from that listed above.

It is recommended that course requirements are completed at ºÚÁÏÍø, but there are instances where a student would need to complete one or two courses elsewhere. If that is the case, it is suggested that coursework be completed at a four-year higher education institution. All course requirements must be taken for a grade and demonstrate mastery, no lower than a B, for most professional schools.

For more information visit  

All programs require you to create an account on along with completing the school’s application 

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