Admissions

Welcome! We are pleased that you are considering 91成人 for your occupational therapy education. 听

Admissions Process听

Please听note:鈥�� graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for鈥痶he national certification examination for the occupational therapist,鈥痑dministered by the national board for certification in occupational鈥痶herapy (NBCOT庐). After successful completion of this exam, the鈥痝raduate will be an occupational therapist, registered (OTR). In鈥痑ddition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state鈥痩icenses are usually based on the results of the听NBCOT听certification鈥痚xamination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate鈥檚 ability to sit鈥痜or the听NBCOT听certification examination or听attain听state licensure. 听

The TSU听M.OT听Program does not offer credit for听prior听experiential learning听or work experience. Decisions about transferring credit from another accredited occupational therapy program are made on听a case-by-case basis and review of the student鈥檚 transcripts/courses.听 听

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Becoming a TSU听M.OT听student involves three stages. Please read the following information to help you understand the expectations for each stage. If you need clarification about anything, please email the admissions team at听 OTAdmissions@tnstate.edu . We look forward to hearing from you!

Important听Dates:听听

Deadline in OTCAS to be considered for the following fall admission:听 September 30th听annually 听

Deadline to have all admissions requirements complete (e.g., documentation of shadowing hours, final transcripts received) for following fall admission: 听June 30th听annually 听

STAGE ONE: Applying for Admission 听

Program admission is made through the Graduate School of 91成人 and the鈥� application system. Meeting the minimum admission requirements does not guarantee admission due to the competitive nature of the MOT program. In addition to the听general requirements of the Graduate School, documentation of the following is required: 听
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 1 .鈥疓PA and UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE:听 Completion of a cumulative undergraduate degree with a minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.鈥� This requires sending official transcripts from all colleges you have attended to OTCAS with TSU ETS Code: 1893.听 Degree may be in progress at time of听application but听must be conferred by June 1 prior to the fall start.听 听

  1. PREREQUISITE COURSES: Credit for advanced听placement听pre-requisite courses will be accepted if accepted by the undergraduate institution.听Completion of the following prerequisite courses within the last 10 years with a minimum grade of "C" (C- cannot be accepted).鈥�� Six of the nine courses must be completed 鈥痓y September 30th, to apply for the following fall class. Please complete the Academic Update in OTCAS during the availability time.听 Acceptable TSU courses are listed听 here; 听non-TSU courses that are 鈥� not鈥痩isted per听class name听will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis- email questions to OTAdmissions@tnstate.edu. 听
  2. OBSERVATION HOURS: Completion of a minimum of 30 hours of observation, volunteer, or work with an occupational therapy practitioner听in a minimum of鈥� two practice settings 鈥痑nd populations.听Examples of practice settings include inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient clinics, school systems, long-term care facilities, home health, and community settings. Examples of client populations include pediatrics, adults, geriatrics, mental health, and hand therapy.鈥�疧bservation hours may be completed with an听occupational therapist (OT)听or听an occupational听therapy assistant听(OTA). Observation hours must be documented with the signatures of the licensed OT/COTA being shadowed听(must provide 鈥渨et鈥� signatures 鈥� not electronic). You may use any form that captures the required听elements;听however,听here is an optional form to document observation hours to upload into OTCAS:鈥� Observation Hours Form . At least 15 of the total 30 hours must be completed and documented in OTCAS by September 30 th 听to apply for the following fall class; all remaining hours will be due by June 30 th . 听
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     4.鈥� REFERENCES :听Submission of a minimum of 3 professional and/or academic鈥痳eferences or letters of recommendation鈥痑re required听by September 30 th .鈥� Family members or personal friends will not be accepted. 听

STAGE TWO: Interviews and Writing Samples 听

All students who meet the criteria listed in听stage听one will听be invited to interview and provide a writing sample. The interview process is meant to听identify听applicants who have听appropriate social听interaction skills and听layman鈥檚听knowledge of occupational therapy. The writing sample process provides insight into applicants鈥� written communication skills and basic understanding of occupational therapy.听 听

The interview and writing samples will be completed in October-November of the year prior to starting the program.听Typically,听we host an in-person day during which time applicants complete a small group interview and a proctored听electronic writing sample.听A limited number of electronic interviews/writing samples are completed on a different day.听Applicants听also听can听meet with current students during this time for informal question and answer sessions. If students wish to come to campus for a tour of facilities听at other times, please听听to schedule a department visit.

STAGE THREE: Joining a Cohort听

Based on the results of stages one and two, a holistic formula is used to听identify听the top thirty applicants听who will be invited to join the upcoming cohort.听听Invitations will be sent in听late听November-December of the year prior to starting the program.听At this time, students are asked to review the OT student听essential functions document听and confirm their ability to succeed as an occupational therapy student. 听

Once the invited applicant accepts their invitation to join the cohort, they will be听assigned a T number by the TSU Graduate School and听asked to pay a $250 non-refundable seat fee to hold their seat in the upcoming cohort. This seat fee will be applied to fall tuition but is lost if the applicant changes their mind about joining the cohort.听Any remaining admissions requirements must听be听met by the dates listed above, and all holds removed by the Graduate School prior to enrollment.听 听

A waitlist is also created from students who rank lower on the听initial听list. The department will invite students from the waitlist听on a rolling basis as needed to achieve a cohort of 30 students.听If the full 30 seats are not filled using the process described here, a late admissions drive may occur in January 鈥� February, but this is not guaranteed. 听