Occupational Therapy Department
What We Do:
Occupational therapy is a client-centered profession that promotes health and well-being of clients through personally meaningful occupations. Students learn the physical, psychological and cognitive foundations of human performance, and gain the skills to help people who have limitations caused by illness, injury, developmental delays or normal aging.
Our Mission: The Department of Occupational Therapy at The 51¶ÌÊÓƵ aspires to develop leaders of occupational therapy to meet societal needs. Aligned with the Catholic and Jesuit traditions of The 51¶ÌÊÓƵ, future occupational therapists are educated in the liberal arts and practice their profession guided by intellectual, moral, and ethical values embedded in a framework of social justice. Life-long learning and the ongoing pursuit of knowledge and wisdom are fostered through reflection and contemplation in action.
How We Stand Out:
- Excellent professional program within a Jesuit liberal-arts university
- State-of-the-art facilities with well-equipped practice labs
- Extensive research labs
- Clinical experience embedded in the academic program
- Strong community partnerships
- Diverse and dedicated faculty
Programs:
Master of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy
The 5 ½-year MS degree program accepts students at the freshman level which allows students time for academic preparation, professional socialization, and development of a strong professional identity. Our graduates are well prepared for any entry-level clinical position.
In addition to the generalist areas of pediatrics, mental health practice, and physical rehabilitation, our students are immersed in specialty areas of hand, low-vision, cognitive rehabilitation, geriatrics and community-based practice.
Clinical fieldwork is embedded within the curriculum enabling students to integrate classroom learning with real world experiences. We have contracts with numerous facilities through the northeast and across the country to allow the best placements for each student’s needs.
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Students enrolled in the Occupational Therapy Program have the option of applying for entry into the OTD program at the end of their junior year. This program is 6 ½-years (6 academic years and two summers). In addition to a robust clinical education, the OTD program prepares students for leadership positions including program development, research and teaching.
Both the MS and the OTD are entry-level clinical degrees and graduates are eligible to take the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Examination and for licensing in every state.
Meet Our Faculty:
Inside the Classroom:
At 51¶ÌÊÓƵ we emphasize active and experiential learning which is facilitated through our many specialized labs including an independent living apartment with Streetscape environments, a sensory-motor play environment, hand therapy lab, low-vision lab and gross anatomy/cadaver lab.
Student Research:
Research and scholarship are emphasized throughout the curriculum and all students are involved in faculty-led research projects. Topics of research study are as diverse as our faculty, from pediatric assessment to geriatric low-vision. Each year several students along with their faculty mentor present their work at state, national and international conferences. Some have also been published in professional journals.
Career Outcomes:
Our graduates are employed in hospitals, clinics, schools, camps, rehabilitation and long-term care facilities, home health, community agencies, and private practice. Employment for occupational therapists is strong and is expanding into new areas of practice.
Accreditation:
The MS in OT program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The OTD program is currently under Candidacy status and anticipate full accreditation review by the spring of 2025.
Contact ACOTE: address - 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814; phone number - 301-652-6611; & web address - .
Graduates of the program who have completed all academic and fieldwork requirements are able 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 examination, the individual is an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). Candidates will need to provide documentation of all graduation and credentialing requirements, including certification/licensure. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the certification examination or attain state licensure. Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.
NBCOT program performance data can be found at .
Retention and Certification
Graduation Year |
Students Entering/Graduating |
Graduation Rate |
NBCOT Exam Pass Rate |
2023 |
57/55 |
96% |
99% |
2022 |
64/59 |
92% |
98% |
2021 |
61/57 |
93% |
97% |
Tuition and Fees
The cost for attending the 51¶ÌÊÓƵ can be accessed through the links below. Please note that the MS program is 4 years undergraduate and 1 year graduate, and the OTD program is 4 year undergraduate and 2 years graduate. Fieldwork credits are during summer/intersession and are not included in a semester’s tuition.
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Occupational therapy students will have additional costs for fieldwork including background checks, CPR certification, PPD tests and others. These requirements and costs vary greatly by state and site requirements, but generally range from $850 to $1200 over the course of 5 fieldwork placements.