The Master of Science Program in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) at Pace University College of Health Professions is a graduate degree program designed to prepare competent and ethical Occupational Therapy practitioners who maximize clients’ quality of life and occupation engagement through technology, evidence-based, client-centered, and inter-professional practice.
The curriculum is delivered using a blended/hybrid method combining both online and face-to-face instruction. The online instruction of a didactic course can range from 30%-80% depending on the nature of each course. All lab, clinical, and experiential hands-on learning components occur in-person at our state of the art laboratories and at a local community. Students come to campus several days a week for face-to-face instruction and have increased accessibility and flexibility regarding when and where they learn best for the rest of the week.
Students can complete the program within 28 months with a total of 70 credits of didactic coursework and fieldwork components. Students are engaged in two levels of clinical fieldwork, Level I and Level II. There are three Level I Fieldworks that are associated with three practice courses: Pediatrics, Mental Health, and Physical Dysfunction. Level II fieldwork is the last component of the curriculum and consists of 24 weeks of full-time experiences in two different practice settings. Students must complete Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.
The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at • 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611 and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.