Named a Best Occupational Therapy Program 2021 by U.S. News and World Report

In the latest graduate school rankings, U.S. News and World Report ranked Mizzou’s Occupational Therapy program in the top 8% in the nation.

Admission requirements

Applicants to MU’s Occupational Therapy programs are reviewed holistically. We take the time to get to know you as an individual through your application, not just a number on a score sheet. We are searching for applicants that possess personal attributes of respect, responsibility, discovery and excellence, as well as the ability to perform essential functions fit for a career in occupational therapy. The admission committee reviews applications that contain the following:

1. Undergraduate education requirements

Traditional option

A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college/university to be completed prior to starting the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program.

Early-entry option

This early-entry option is available to prospective students interested in completing the entry-level OTD before completion of a bachelor’s degree. Accepted students start in the OTD program after completing a minimum of 90 credits of undergraduate coursework, all of the prerequisite course requirements, and all other admission requirements. Completion of their undergraduate degree will be contingent on their undergraduate institution allowing courses in the first year of the OTD program to count toward completion of their undergraduate degree. While not required, it is highly recommended students complete a bachelor’s degree either before, during, or after completion of OTD coursework.

For University of Missouri Bachelor of Health Science in Health Science (BHS) students, the first year of the OTD program may count toward some of the BHS degree requirements. This program will allow students to potentially complete both degrees in six years. BHS students must work very closely with their undergraduate advisors before, during, and after application to ensure that they have completed most, if not all, Health Science requirements, including specific degree and University requirements including University general education, as well as all completion of the OTD. Students are not required to complete the BHS degree in order to complete the OTD program.

2. Prerequisite course work

The following prerequisite courses must be completed prior to starting the OTD program.

• Biological Science – 3 credit hour course with a lab or 4 credit hours combined lecture/lab minimum. Suggested courses include, but are not limited to, Biology, Genetics, Neuroscience, and Zoology.
• Human Anatomy* – 3 credit hour course with a lab or 4 credit hours combined lecture/lab minimum.
• Human Physiology* – 3 credit hour course with a lab or 4 credit hours combined lecture/lab minimum.
• Human Movement Science* – 3 credit hour combined lecture and lab minimum. Strong preference for Kinesiology or Biomechanics. Physics is a third option if the first two are not available.
• Social Science – 3 credit hour course minimum. Suggested courses include, but are not limited to, Sociology, Anthropology, Public Health, Epidemiology, and Gerontology.
• Abnormal Psychology – 3 credit hour course minimum.
• Human Development – Must address development across the lifespan. 3 credit hour course minimum.
• Introduction to Statistics – 3 credit hour course minimum. Any introductory statistics course in any discipline is acceptable.
• Medical Terminology – 1 credit hour minimum. Can take for credit or noncredit. Will accept a passing grade if taken as a pass/fail course.

*Courses must have been completed within 4 years of application. Human Anatomy and Human Physiology can be substituted with Human Anatomy & Physiology I and Human Anatomy & Physiology II (both with lab)

Prerequisite course list

Grade Requirements: Students must have earned a B‐minus (2.7) or better in Human Anatomy and Human Physiology coursework. Preferred grade of B-minus (2.7) or better in all PREREQUISITE courses. A minimum GPA of all PREREQUISITE coursework combined must be 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. For prerequisite courses completed in Spring and Summer 2020 semesters when grading scales may have been modified to satisfactory/unsatisfactory or pass/fail, we will accept satisfactory or pass grades.

Advanced Placement, dual credit, and transfer credits for prerequisite coursework are acceptable if they were recognized by your undergraduate institution and appear on official transcripts at the time of application. The only transfer credits that may be applied toward the OTD degree are up to 9 credits of graduate-level elective coursework with approval of academic advisor and program director. The Department of Occupational Therapy does not allow credit for experiential learning or work experience to count toward any of the OTD degree requirements. Prerequisites are subject to minor changes with each application cycle.

3. Prerequisite and cumulative GPA

• Preferred grade of B-minus (2.7) or better for each prerequisite course. REQUIRED grade of B-minus (2.7) or better in Human Anatomy with lab and Human Physiology with lab. REQUIRED GPA for all prerequisite coursework combined must be 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. For prerequisite courses completed in Spring and Summer 2020 semesters when grading scales may have been modified to satisfactory/unsatisfactory or pass/fail, we will accept satisfactory or pass grades.
• Cumulative GPA that includes ALL undergraduate completed coursework must be a minimum of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

4. Recommendations

• Three (3) letters of recommendation are required.

5. Personal statement and essay

6. Resume

• Including a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer experience

Optional Occupational Therapy Observations: While our application requirements do not require observations to be completed, we still highly recommend observing occupational therapy in practice. There are numerous benefits to observing occupational therapy practitioners that will benefit you as an applicant and as a student within the program. This observation form is an option for applicants to document any occupational therapy-related experiences they obtain. This form can be uploaded into your application.

Admission cycle

The Department of Occupational Therapy will begin accepting application for the entry level Occupational Therapy Doctorate program in July each year. Each cohort of 44 accepted students will begin their OTD program in the Summer semester following the application cycle. The admission cycle closes annually on January 15^th but due to the rolling admissions process used by the admissions committee, the program could potentially fill the 44 spots prior to the end of the cycle. Rolling admissions allows for early determination for exceptional applicants.

• New completed applications will be reviewed each month beginning with the start of the admissions cycle.
• Candidates may be considered from time of application until the end of the application cycle on January 15^th.
• Applicants may be invited for interview at any time during the cycle.
• Applicants will be notified of the initial status of their application within 45 days of their completed submission.

A non-refundable deposit in the amount of $500 will be required for all accepted applicants to hold their position in the program. This deposit will be credited to the student account in the Fall semester of their first year in the program once enrolled in MU OT. Applicants have 14 days from time of notification of acceptance to confirm their acceptance and submit their deposit.

Prospective students are encouraged to read the MU OT Student Handbook thoroughly before enrolling to ensure that they can meet the requirements of an MUOT Student. All University of Missouri Occupational Therapy students are required to read, acknowledge, and abide by the policies set forth in the Handbook. These include policies on essential functions, academic standards, professional behavior, background checks, drug screens, immunizations, BLS training, and insurance, among others. If you have questions about your ability to meet any of these requirements, please email us at muot@health.missouri.edu.