Master of Occupational Therapy

The MOT program at Concordia University Wisconsin prepares students to obtain employment in a variety of settings. The didactic coursework, community-based experiences, and clinical education come together to prepare students as entry-level occupational therapists. Students participate in clinical experiences which include individual and group treatment sessions in pediatric and adult populations. At CUW, we prepare uncommon OTs who are ready to serve their communities and clients.

Mission Statement

The mission of Concordia University’s Master of Occupational Therapy program is to positively impact communities by developing Christ-centered occupational therapists who empower others to reach their highest potential through leadership, best practice, advocacy, and innovation.

Accreditation

The Master of Occupational Therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611 and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org.

Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program.

Licensure/Certifications

Graduates of the program may sit for the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) located at 1 Bank Street, Suite 300, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, (301)-990-7979. Graduates who successfully complete the exam will receive the credentials: Occupational Therapist Registered OTR®. Please note that all states require additional licensure/certification to practice. Be forewarned that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Program data specific to Concordia University Wisconsin on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Exam can be found on the NBCOT website

General Academic Information

Our occupational therapy curriculum offers you exposure to many real-world scenarios that will test your knowledge. You’ll have multiple opportunities for client contact, ranging from children to older adults, schools to acute care to outpatient adult rehabilitation. Some of these experiences are clinical fieldwork placements, while others are client evaluation and consultation in a classroom or community setting. In your first year, you’ll begin working with clients in the on-campus community clinic to put theory into practice.

This is a full-time graduate professional program taught in a hybrid format. Students interact with their classmates and professors online before and after in-person classes, which focus on active learning and/or lab activities. Students apply to and enroll in one of two tracks, as determined by their educational background:

  • Face-to-Face Track
    • Post-baccalaureate entry
      • Applicants holding a bachelor's degree looking to earn a master's degree
    • Accelerated entry
      • High school students looking to earn a bachelor's and master's degree in under 5 years
      • High school students should apply through undergraduate admissions for the BSRS program
         
  • Bridge Track
    • COTAs looking to further their education and opportunities as an OTR
      • Candidates holding an associate's degree must apply through the Bridge BSRS 
      • Direct entry for those holding a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution

Students should expect to pay the tuition and fees as noted on the website

Program Learning Outcomes 

Occupational Therapy graduates will: 

  • Demonstrate the skills to be effective change-makers in surrounding communities.
  • Facilitate the health and wellbeing of individuals of all ages in various community settings.
  • Combine theory, evidence, and clinical reasoning in a reflective process of evaluation, intervention, and targeting of outcomes.
  • Effectively and efficiently solve occupation-based problems. 
  • Be competently prepared for direct access.
  • Intentionally make clinical decisions using Christ-centered values. 
  • Develop leadership skills.
  • Effectively communicate and collaborate in a variety of communities.
  • Demonstrate professional behaviors while using knowledge based skills for the effective practice of occupational therapy.

Curriculum

Please contact the Occupational Therapy Department for the course progression by track.

OT 5520Concepts of Occupation3
OT 5550Research in Practice I4
OT 5530Functional Anatomy4
OT 5560Occupations Across the Lifespan3
OT 5575Community Clinic Foundations5
OT 5590Functional Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation I4
OT 5600Research in Practice II3
OT 5620Clinical Reasoning: Behavioral Health3
OT 5630Occupational Kinesiology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation I4
OT 6520Clinical Reasoning: Pediatrics3
OT 6550Level 1 Fieldwork Experience1
OT 6580Clinical Reasoning: Adult Practice Areas3
OT 6610Clinical Reasoning: Orthopedic Rehabilitation II3
OT 6620Community Advocacy and Leadership3
OT 6630Occupations of Health and Wellness3
OT 6650Community Clinic: Leading the OT Process3
OT 6740Community Clinic Administration4
OT 6760Professional Advocacy & Leadership2
OT 6800Clinical Reasoning: Gerontology3
OT 6850Clinical Reasoning: Neurorehabilitation II3
OT 7550Level II Fieldwork A6
OT 7580Level II Fieldwork B6
Total Hours76

Admission Requirements

All applicants to the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) Program must meet the following criteria:

  • Earned bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution -OR- current enrollment in a BSRS degree program at Concordia University Wisconsin
  • Cumulative GPA, from all attended institutions, of 3.0 or higher
  • 8 semester credits of Human Anatomy & Physiology, from a Biology, Anatomy, or Physiology department with a lab component, completed with a grade of B or better in each course
  • 3 semester credits of Statistics, completed with a grade of B or preferred
  • Ability to perform the essential functions of an occupational therapy student

Applicants will also be required to submit the following:

  • Official college transcripts from all previously attended institutions
  • Three (3) letters of recommendation, which address potential for academic success and as an occupational therapist
  • Essay on program and mission fit
Qualified applicants will be invited to interview.

International applicants

  • International applicants who would attend on a student visa and whose native language is not English must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (iBT TOEFL) or the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). The test score cannot be more than two years old at the time of application. 
  • The minimum TOEFL score is 89. 
  • The minimum IELTS score is 6.5. 
  • The minimum DuoLingo score is 120.
  • There are no exceptions to the TOEFL, IELTS or DuoLingo requirement for the OT program. International applicants will be admitted through the International Admissions and are subject to International Office policies, in coordination with graduate admissions.

Additional application requirements and details can be found on the MOT website.

All accepted students will be required to submit a $500 tuition deposit within four (4) weeks of acceptance to hold their spot in the program.

Plan

Plan of Study Grid
Semester 1Hours
OT 5550 Research in Practice I 4
OT 5520 Concepts of Occupation 3
OT 5530 Functional Anatomy 4
OT 5575 Community Clinic Foundations 5
 Hours16
Semester 2
OT 5560 Occupations Across the Lifespan 3
OT 5620 Clinical Reasoning: Behavioral Health 3
OT 5560 Occupations Across the Lifespan 3
OT 5590 Functional Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation I 4
OT 6550 Level 1 Fieldwork Experience 1
 Hours14
Semester 3
OT 5630 Occupational Kinesiology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation I 4
OT 6650 Community Clinic: Leading the OT Process 3
OT 6620 Community Advocacy and Leadership 3
OT 6610 Clinical Reasoning: Orthopedic Rehabilitation II 3
 Hours13
Semester 4
OT 6740 Community Clinic Administration 4
OT 6630 Occupations of Health and Wellness 3
OT 6580 Clinical Reasoning: Adult Practice Areas 3
OT 6610 Clinical Reasoning: Orthopedic Rehabilitation II 3
 Hours13
Semester 5
OT 6520 Clinical Reasoning: Pediatrics 3
OT 6800 Clinical Reasoning: Gerontology 3
OT 6760 Professional Advocacy & Leadership 2
OT 7550 Level II Fieldwork A 6
 Hours14
Semester 6
OT 7580 Level II Fieldwork B 6
 Hours6
 Total Hours76

Course options and schedule are subject to change.