College of Allied Health Sciences

Department of Occupational Therapy

Leonard Trujillo, Chair, 3305E Health Sciences Building

Master of Science in Occupational Therapy

There are two degree paths in occupational therapy. The professional (entry-level) master’s degree offers preparation for certification for individuals with baccalaureate degrees in fields other than occupational therapy. The second degree path is a post-professional master’s degree, which offers course work for individuals who have an undergraduate degree in occupational therapy and who are certified occupational therapists (OTR). Students who complete a professional (entry-level) master’s degree at ECU cannot apply for the post-professional master’s degree in occupational therapy.

Admission

Application for admission to the graduate program in occupational therapy must be initiated through the Graduate School. (See Section 2, Admission and Readmission.) The department requires that the applicant meet the following minimum admission requirements: a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, satisfactory Graduate Record Examinations, and acceptable TOEFL or TSL score for non-English foreign students. At the time of application, the applicant must submit two letters of reference, a resume, and a completed statement as specified in the Graduate School application.

For the professional (entry-level) master’s degree path, the applicant must present evidence that the required prerequisite course work will be completed and an undergraduate degree (other than occupational therapy) conferred before the start of the program in the fall. Required undergraduate prerequisite courses include anatomy, physiology, statistics, developmental psychology or other course with emphasis on human development across the lifespan, abnormal psychology, introduction to anthropology or sociology, an introduction to occupational therapy course, and a reasoning course such as logic, ethics, or research inquiry in social sciences. Students must demonstrate a proficiency in medical terminology or take a course in medical terminology.

For the post-professional master’s degree path, applicants must present evidence of an undergraduate degree from an accredited baccalaureate occupational therapy program.

Degree Requirements

Minimum degree requirement is 73 s.h. for the professional (entry-level) path and 30-33 s.h. for the post professional path as follows:

Core courses - 10 s.h.

OCCT 6080, 6455, 6500, 6550, 6600

Research options (Choose one.) - 5-9 s.h.

Master’s project: - 5 s.h.
OCCT 6650, 6660

Thesis: - 6-9 s.h.
BIOS 7022 or Qualitative analysis - 3 s.h.
OCCT 7000 - 3-6 s.h.

Choose one path:

Professional (entry-level) path - 57 s.h.
OCCT 6000, 6001, 6002, 6003, 6004, 6005, 6006, 6007, 6008, 6009, 6100, 6150, 6200, 6250, 6300, 6350, 6400, 6450, 6500, 6701

Post-professional path - 12 s.h.
OCCT 6020 - 3 s.h.

Concentration Area - 3 s.h.
OCCT 6060 or 6070
Electives - 6 s.h.

Successful completion of OCCT 6455 with a grade of B or better serves as a comprehensive examination.

Standard grading policies will follow Graduate School guidelines. Verification by the department chair of the completion of the professional (entry-level) master’s degree requirements is necessary to meet occupational therapy practice licensure statutes of the North Carolina Board of Occupational Therapy. Verification by the registrar for completion of the professional (entry-level) master’s program is required to take the national certification examination.

Accreditation

The occupational therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is 301-652-2682. Graduates of this 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) located at 800 S. Frederick Ave., Suite 2000, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, 301-990-7979. After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an occupational therapist, registered (OTR). In addition, most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. However, a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Accelerated Program in the Professional Master’s Degree Path in Occupational Therapy

Top

The accelerated program provides a means by which highly qualified undergraduate students at East Carolina University enroll in the undergraduate program of Health Services Management with the intention of preparing for a professional master’s (entry-level) degree path in Occupational Therapy. The student in this program does not obtain an undergraduate degree, but completes a master’s degree in five years by completing a total of 162 credit hours including all foundations curriculum courses and core requirements of the undergraduate degree and graduate degree programs.

Admission

Students must maintain an accumulated grade point average (GPA) of 3.2/4.0 at East Carolina University in the undergraduate program. Students should apply to the graduate school in their junior year or after completing at least seventy-five (75) credit hours, including credits earned from advanced placement. Completion of the course requirements does not guarantee an admission to the Graduate School. Students who do not complete the occupational therapy program, must complete all required courses to obtain an undergraduate degree in Health Services Management.

Degree Requirements

Required courses include: foundations curriculum courses, BIOL 2140, 2141, 2150, 2151; BIOS 1500; CHEM 1120; ECON 2113; HIMA 3000, 3120, 4030; HSMA 3020, 3025, 3030, 3035, 4010, 4050, 4055; OCCT 3000, 6000, 6001, 6002, 6003, 6004, 6005, 6006, 6007, 6008, 6009, 6080, 6100, 6150, 6200, 6250, 6500, 6600, 6300, 6350, 6400, 6450, 6455, 6550, 6650; 6701; 6660 or BIOS 7022; OCCT 7000; PHIL 1110, 1175, 1180, 1500, or 2275; PSYC 1000, 3206, 4375; SOCI 2110.

Certificate in Assistive Technology

Top

The certificate in assistive technology will equip students with specific skills and knowledge in assistive technology. The overall objective of the program is to prepare educational and/or health care professionals in the knowledge and skills needed to utilize assistive technology for the enhancement of a student and/or client’s functional performance. Specifically, candidates who successfully complete the certification will have a broad-based knowledge of assistive technology, the ability to assess assistive technology needs with clients/students and plan implementation based upon that assessment, the ability to work with a collaborative team to implement assistive technology, and the knowledge and skills to effectively manage resources for procurement of assistive technology.

Applicants seeking admission must be graduate students or education or health care professionals working in their respective fields. Professionals can enroll as non-degree seeking students. Admission is based on completion of the certificate application and approval by the program coordinator.

The certificate program requires 12 s.h. of graduate-level course work in assistive technology, emphasizing practical application and collaborative team work. Required courses include SPED/OCCT 6701, 6702, 6703, and an elective.