Occupational Therapy Admissions Requirements
Major Information
First-year undergraduate students may complete a Bachelor of Science in Health Science and a Master of Science (BS/MSOT) in Occupational Therapy at Springfield College in 5.5 years or the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (BS/OTD) in Occupational Therapy in 6 years. The professional portion of the MS and OTD programs begin in your fourth year and continues through 1.5 (MSOT) or 2(OTD) graduate years.
Admissions Criteria
- The average grade point average (GPA) of students admitted to the occupational therapy program is a 3.5.
- We do not require the SAT or ACT for admission into this program.
- Documented job shadowing hours (minimum 10-20) with an occupational therapist
As a part of the application process, applicants are strongly encouraged to complete a minimum of 20 shadowing or observation hours and/or hours spent in human service and/or volunteering. Please list any observation hours, volunteer and work experiences that you've participated in related to occupational therapy or other helping professions. Please be sure to include the hospital or organization with which you observed and the number of hours.
If you are not able to complete a shadow, observation, human service, or volunteer experience related to occupational therapy, we strongly encourage you to interview an occupational therapist and document your conversation.
- Letter of recommendation from the occupational therapist shadowed or health-care professional
- Character reference from a person of your choice
- Complete occupational therapy supplemental essays within the Common Application
- Four years of high school college preparatory mathematics (junior/senior year: pre-calculus, calculus, etc.)
- Four years of high school college preparatory science (junior/senior year: physics, AP biology, etc.)
- Must satisfy other general Springfield College admissions requirements
Matriculation Standards
- Meet the performance standards for academic and professional behavior outlined in the Occupational Therapy Student Manual
- Earn a C or better for all major requirements
- Earn a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Earn a minimum 3.2 GPA in the foundational science requirements
- Earn a minimum 3.0 GPA in the social science requirements
- Earn a minimum 3.0 GPA in the occupational therapy preprofessional requirements
- Earn a minimum 3.0 GPA in the occupational therapy professional core requirements
- Earn a minimum 3.0 GPA in the occupational therapy professional science requirements
Clinical Fieldwork
Clinical courses include two full-time internships of 12-week duration each, working in the field under the direction of experienced therapists. Such collaborative activities facilitate the learning of essential technical and clinical skills, critical problem-solving techniques, leadership skills, and the development of self-confidence and professional identity.
Springfield College occupational therapy students accumulate fieldwork experience throughout the entire program at a wide variety of fieldwork sites, both near and far. The occupational therapy department has active contracts with more than 300 affiliating fieldwork sites across the country, and a full-time fieldwork coordinator who works closely with students to arrange fieldwork placements that help meet their professional goals.
