Occupational Therapy Pre-requisites

In order to be accepted into an Occupational Therapy Master’s degree program you will need to meet a number of perquisites. First and foremost you will need to have a Bachelor’s degree, preferably in a related field such as Kinesiology, Psychology or Biology. You will also need to meet a number of course specific requirements which will vary from program to program. Many of these requirements will be fulfilled by earning an Occupational Therapy Assistant Associate’s degree from an Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) accredited program.

While courses will vary from school to school here are some examples of some of the more common courses with a brief description:

• Human Anatomy with lab – the names of all major systems and components of the human body.
  
• Human Physiology with lab – a detailed description of how the human systems work.
  
• Kinesiology – the science of the movement of the human body.
  
• Physics – the study of motion, matter and energy.
  
• General Psychology – an introductory course into human psychology.
  
• Abnormal Psychology – An introduction into abnormal behaviors and development in the human psyche.
  
• Developmental Psychology – a course on the changes in cognition throughout the course of the human lifespan.
  
• Statistics – mathematical study of odds.
  
• Medical Terminology – a course explaining the various medical terms meanings based up prefix, suffix and root.
  
• Oral Communications – This class teaches you skills to improve and refine your oral communication skills.
  
• Pathophysiology – the study of deficiencies and disabilities in human systems.
  
• Musculoskeletal Anatomy – an in depth study of the human systems involved with movement and posture.
  
• Applied Human Development – an in depth study of human development with an emphasis on a practical application of the materials studied.
  

In addition to these classes, most schools want their students to have gained mathematical skills, written communication skills such as expository writing, additional sciences and some background in the humanities for a well-rounded communication. You will want to search the website or contact the schools you are interested in to get specifics on what pre-requisites your program might have not included above. In most cases have a strong scientific background with an emphasis on human psychology, anatomy and physiology will give you the foundation you need to build upon while earning your Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. By far the best way to get these skills is to earn your Associates degree from an ACOTE accredited Occupational Therapy Assistant program before you complete your Bachelor’s degree.