Graduate Occupational Therapy

The Dominican University New York (DUNY) Occupational Therapy Program offers either a Bachelor of Science/Master of Science (BS/MS) degree for Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) who have an Associate of Applied Science degree, or a Master of Science (MS) degree for individuals with a previously earned bachelor's degree or higher. The program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Evaluation (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814, through the 2030-2031 academic year. ACOTE can be contacted by phone at (301) 652-6611 ext. 1184 or by email at accred@aota.org. 

Program graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination for occupational therapists, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). Successful completion of the exam results in the designation of Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). All states require licensure for practice, which includes passing the NBCOT exam. A felony conviction may restrict a graduate's eligibility to sit for the NBCOT certification exam or obtain state licensure. 

Students enter the program with a solid background in liberal arts and sciences. After completing all prerequisites, the entry-level master's curriculum consists of seven sequential trimesters of academic study, followed by two 12-week full-time clinical fieldwork placements. Level II fieldwork must be completed within 18 months after finishing academic work. 

Dominican University New York's OT Program educates adult learners to be entry-level practitioners. The program adheres to Dominican educational traditions, emphasizing educational excellence, leadership, and service. It focuses on a student-centered environment that promotes lifelong learning through the pursuit of truth and compassionate involvement with the community. It places critical emphasis on integrity, ethical engagement, and self-awareness and reflection. DUNY's OT program addresses the demand for professional education in a non-traditional format through a combination of didactic, experiential, and self-directed learning. Students develop skills in critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and a client-centered, holistic approach to practice. 

FORMATS AVAILABLE TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS
Weekend Format - open to all qualified applicants 
The weekend format schedules students for primarily on-campus sessions six times per trimester--Friday evenings, along with full-day Saturday and Sunday sessions--typically every 2 to 3 weeks. Some courses include experiential learning activities that require weekday attendance at an off-campus clinical site. There are significant requirements for students to complete between scheduled class sessions. The professional program schedule consists of seven consecutive, sequential trimesters, including summers, followed by two full-time 12-week clinical experiences called Level II Fieldwork (refer to the section showing the curriculum sequence).

NOTE: Currently, the weekend format is the only approved option for COTAs who hold only the AAS degree. 

One-Weekday-Per-Week Format (Mondays) - for those possessing a bachelor's degree or higher and DUNY Undergraduate Students or Alumni
This format requires in-person attendance one day per week, on Mondays, from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., for 12 weeks each trimester. The professional program schedule consists of seven consecutive, sequential trimesters, including summers, followed by two full-time 12-week clinical experiences called Level II Fieldwork (refer to the section showing the curriculum sequence). While the schedule is designed for Mondays, specific courses may require attending a clinical learning experience off-campus on a different day. 

One-Weekday-Per-Week (in partnership with The New Seminary) - Wednesdays
Similar to the Monday format, this distinctive format and student group is in the process of being taught out and is not accepting any applications. This format will officially sunset as of August 2027.

There is no switching to a different format once begun, except in extraordinary circumstances and only with the approval of the faculty and Program Director.

ADMISSIONS STANDARDS
Candidates seeking admission to all formats must meet the following standards:

1. Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 across all postsecondary coursework
2. Minimum GPA of 3.0 across all prerequisites; no prerequisite may be repeated more than once.
3. All prerequisites MUST be completed by May 1st of the admission year without exception

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) without a bachelor's degree:

1. In addition to the aforementioned academic standards, COTAs without a bachelor's degree must submit verification of both their National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification as a COTA and at least one full year of full-time equivalent work experience as a COTA.
2. Must complete the approved abbreviated Dominican Curriculum (general education) requirements before applying to the DUNY OT program via OTCAS, with a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Non-DUNY student candidates with a bachelor's degree (including COTAs with an earned bachelor's degree):

1. Candidates with, at minimum, an earned bachelor's degree, who have completed all indicated prerequisites and meet the general admission standards, are eligible to apply via the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS).
2. There is no preferred or required type of degree. Occupational therapy welcomes and is enriched by practitioners who have studied in diverse areas of knowledge and skill.

DUNY undergraduates and alumni:
Current Undergraduates - Health Sciences and Social Sciences degree pathways

Health Sciences - Pre-OT Track and General Track

1. Students in Health Sciences must meet the minimum GPA standards, the same as any other applicant.
2. It is advised that students in Health Sciences with an interest in applying to the DUNY OT program reach out to the OT program before the start of their junior year. This is important to help them understand precisely where they stand in academic eligibility and readiness to apply.
3. All prerequisites must be completed by the start of the two final prerequisites in early May at the end of the senior year. The degree must be conferred before the start of the Fall professional curriculum, which starts in early September.

Social Sciences - Psychology Emphasis Pre-OT Pathway - 2 options: 
Accelerated Pathway - 3 years in Social Sciences before starting the Master's OT program 

1. Students seeking this pathway must have entered DUNY as a Freshman, no later than the second semester of the Freshman year, OR transferred no more than 30 credits from other colleges/universities.
2. Must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 to be considered for this pathway.
3. Must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 throughout the remaining semesters.
4. It is advised that students in Social Sciences with an interest in applying to the DUNY OT program reach out to eh OT program before the end of their sophomore year. This is important ot help them understand precisely wherer they stand in academic eligibility and readiness to apply.
5. All degree requirements for the BA in Social Sciences, except for the DC minor capstone course and the undergraduate OT prerequisites, with the minimum grades, must be completed before beginning the final two OT prerequisites in early May at the end of the junior year.
6. Failure to maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA, or complete the SS degree requirements on time will result in ineligibility to remain on the accelerated pathway.
7. Qualified accelerated students apply to the OT program in the Fall of the junior year.

Four-year Traditional Pathway
Students on track to complete all university degree and OT prerequisite requirements by the end of the spring term of their senior year, with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and 3.0 prerequisite GPA, are eligible to apply to the OT Program in the Fall of senior year. 

Other DUNY Undergraduate Degrees

1. DUNY Students completing any undergraduate BA or BS degree who have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 and will have completed all OT prerequisites by graduation, are eligible in the fall semester of the senior year.

DUNY Alumni

1. DUNY Alumni with an earned BA or BS with a minimum GPA of 3.0 and completed OT prerequisites with appropriate grades and within any designated time limits, may apply before March 15. 

PREREQUISITES
The following courses requires a minimum grade of B-:

• Anatomy and Physiology I with lab (4 CR) **
• Anatomy and Physiology II with lab (4 CR) **
• Neuroscience - with or without lab (3-4 CR) - must be biology-based to include the entire human nervous system
• General Physics with lab (4 CR) - must include motion, light, sound, force, heat, electricity, and magnetism - does not need to be a pre-calculus-based course; college algebra-based is acceptable
  • Potentially acceptable alternatives to General Physics - as noted on transcripts from other institutions as part of an earned degree - Kinesiology or Biomechanics - must be at least 4 credits for consideration

        ** A&P I and II must have been completed within 7 years of applying to the OT program; if either course is older than 7 years, the course must be retaken

The following courses require a minimum grade of C:

• Intro to Statistics (3 CR) or Psychological Statistics
• Lifespan Human Development (3 CR) - must include the ENTIRE human lifespan from before birth to end-of-life
• Abnormal Psychology (3 CR)
• Introduction to Sociology (3 CR) or an Introductory Anthropology course (3 CR)

        NOTE: Applicants may only repeat a prerequisite once to earn the minimum required grade.

If any course taken at another institution has a name different from the above prerequisite list, it is strongly recommended that the applicant contact either the Graduate Admission Department or the OT program to ensure that the course is acceptable as equivalent to that prerequisite. 

DUNY-Only OT Prerequisites
The following two courses are graduate-level prerequisites that can only be taken at DUNY and are available only to students who have been accepted into the DUNY OT program. They begin in early May each year and serve as the final assessment of students' readiness to enter the graduate-level professional curriculum in the fall term.

• OT 521 Introduction to Occupational Therapy Practice (3 CR)
• OT 532 Kinesiology in Occupational Therapy Practice (6 CR)

Students taking these courses must earn a minimum B in both to progress into the professional OT curriculum in the fall term.

APPLYING TO THE OT PROGRAM
All applicants to the OT program must submit the following with their application, whether applying through OTCAS or the DUNY Graduate Application:

• Official transcripts from all post-secondary coursework and institutions
• Three (3) letters of recommendation: One (1) from a professor who can speak to the applicant's potential for success in graduate occupational therapy education; one (1) from a work supervisor who can speak to the applicant's work ethic; and one (1) from another professor, work/volunteer supervisor, or occupational therapist who can speak to the applicant's potential and ability to work with others. No letters from family, friends, friends of family, clergy, or other individuals are accepted.
• Completion and uploading of the two required essays as specified in the directions within the OTCAS or DUNY Graduate application. Both must be the applicant's own original composition and not generated using any artificial intelligence (AI) method or copied from any source. Essays found to contain a significant amount of AI-generated content or plagiarized from another source will render the application invalid and ineligible for consideration for admission at any time.

COTAs with only an AAS degree

1. Apply to Dominican University New York via the Graduate Application to have all prior coursework and prerequisites evaluated
2. Submit evidence of initial NBCOT certification as a COTA, and proof of at least one full year of full-time work, or its equivalent, as a COTA
3. Use the Evaluation of Credits information to plan the best pathway remaining to qualify to apply to the OT program
4. Unless otherwise specified in an active articulation agreement with the OTA program from which an applicant graduated, courses and credits from OTA courses are not transferable
5. Work closely and frequently with the Coordinator of Graduate Pre-Occupational Therapy Advisement and Admissions to know best when qualified to apply to the OT program
6. Complete all abbreviated undergraduate general education requirements and OT prerequisites
7. Apply to the DUNY OT program via OTCAS, selecting the Weekend format only, before March 15 of the desired entry year

Non-DUNY Candidates with an earned BA or BS degree, or higher

1. Submit a fully completed OTCAS application, selecting the choice of One-Weekday and/or Weekend format before March 15

DUNY Undergraduates and Alumni

1. Submit the DUNY Graduate Application with all required elements before March 15

All Applicants

• Only  complete applications will be reviewed for admissions consideration
• Eligible applicants will be invited to interview with the OT Faculty
• Final decisions for offers of admission occur on a rolling basis until the cohort is filled

Offers of Admission:

• Applicants selected for entry into the next cohort receive a telephone call and an email notifying them of the official offer
• If the applicant accepts an offer of admission, an additional official letter with information about the mandatory orientation session, time limit for accepting the offer, nonrefundable seat deposit, and other program information will be sent.

SPECIAL NOTE ABOUT TRANSFERS FROM OTHER OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAMS
Due to the wide variations in occupational therapy curricula, transfers from other graduate occupational therapy programs are not accepted. Individuals who previously attended another program must follow the same application as all other potential candidates. Additionally, permission must be given to the Dominican University New York OT program to communicate with the other OT program about the student's performance during their time there. It is also important to know that per DUNY policy, only six (6) credits of prior identical graduate coursework may be considered for transfer credit toward the program requirements.

OT PROGRAM CURRICULUM - One-Weekday and Weekend Formats

Graduate-Level Final Prerequisites - Summer Trimester - Early May through Early August

• OT521 - Introduction to Occupational Therapy (3 CR)
• OT532 - Kinesiology in Occupational Therapy (6 CR)

Graduate Professional Curriculum Course Sequence

DUNY OT PROGRAM ACADEMIC STANDARDS

• There is no part-time option.
• All students must attain and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, with no course grade below a C+, to remain in good standing.
• A grade of C in any course requires the student to repeat at the next available offering of the course.
• A grade of F in any course may result in dismissal from the program.
• A student may repeat a course only once. Needing to repeat more than one course in the curriculum may result in the student exceeding the maximum allowable time to program completion, resulting in dismissal.
• Courses must be taken in the order established for the curriculum, without exception.
• There are no "excused" absences.
• Failure to attend all or part of the first session of any course in each trimester may result in the student needing to immediately withdraw from the course and register for it at the next available opportunity, delaying progression in the curriculum by a full year.
• The academic portion of the curriculum must be completed within 200% of the published professional curriculum sequence length.
• The Level II Fieldwork portion must be completed within 18 months of the completion of the didactic (academic) portion of the curriculum.
• Failure to complete either the academic or Level II Fieldwork portion of the program in a timely manner for any reason will result in dismissal from the program.
• No student may progress to Level II FW or graduate with the BS/MS or MS degree with a cumulative GPA below 3.0.
• Breaches of the program's academic, academic integrity, and/or professional behavior standards and requirements may result in dismissal from the program.
• All current program policies and procedures are found in the Graduate Occupational Therapy Program Student Handbook.

HONORS 
Pi Theta Epsilon - Gamma Alpha Chapter
The Gamma Alpha Chapter of Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE), the National Occupational Therapy Honor Society recognizes and encourages scholastic excellence in Occupational Therapy students.

PTE aims to advance the field and provide a vehicle for students in accredited programs to exchange information and collaborate on scholarly activities. Students are eligible to apply when they are in the top 35% of the occupational therapy class and have completed at least two trimesters in the professional curriculum.

Applicants must provide evidence of a piece of scholarly written work completed while in the program and submit an essay stating why the prospective member whishes to join PTE and how they will both benefit and benefit from membership.

DUNY Graduate Honors
Students completing a graduate degree at DUNY receive the designation of "Graduate Honors" at Commencement with GPAs of 3.75 and higher.