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Occupational Therapy

Important Note: This is the archived version of the 2012–2014 Graduate Catalog. The information on these pages was archived on August 22, 2012 and will not be updated as requirement and/or program changes are approved.

Admission Requirements Degree Requirements

Mailing Address:
Department of Occupational Therapy (MC 811)
1919 West Taylor Street
Chicago, IL 60612-7250

Campus Location: 311 AHSB
Program Codes: 20FS1511MS (Professional/Entry-Level MS); 20FS5000OTD (OTD)
Telephone: (312) 996-3051
E-mail: OTDept@uic.edu
Web Site: http://www.ahs.uic.edu/OT
Head of the Department: Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar

Director of Graduate Studies: Elizabeth Peterson (Professional/Entry-Level MS); Joy Hammel (OTD)

 

The Department of Occupational Therapy offers a Master of Science (MS) degree for students who have a bachelor’s degree in another subject. This course-only program prepares students to be eligible for a national certification examination and for practice as an occupational therapist. The MS program has been fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The ACOTE office at AOTA is located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220. AOTA’s telephone number is (301) 652-AOTA, and its Web site is http://www.aota.org.

The Department of Occupational Therapy offers a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree that prepares students to fulfill roles as advanced practitioners, educators, and leaders or managers.  Students ordinarily choose a primary and secondary area of focus.

Two PhD programs are available to students who wish to complete advanced preparation for research. These programs are in the areas of Disability Studies and Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Rehabilitation. Please refer to the Disability Studies section of the graduate catalogue for a description of the PhD in Disability Studies and the Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Rehabilitation section for that program.

Admission Requirements

Applicants must obtain supplemental application materials from the department or Web site. MS applicants must apply at otcas.org. Applicants are considered on an individual basis. In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, applicants must meet the following program requirements

Master of Science Degree (Entry-Level Degree)

If prerequisites were completed more than 3 years prior to beginning occupational therapy course work, it is highly recommended that the applicant review a current text prior to enrollment so he or she has up-to-date knowledge. If prerequisites were completed more than 8 years ago, it is recommended that the applicant retake the course(s) or complete an intensive self-study prior to enrollment. If the anatomy course was completed more than three years prior to beginning the occupational therapy courses, or if a grade of C was earned in the anatomy course, a 30-hour human cadaver lab will be required. This lab will be offered at UIC across the fall and spring semesters of the first year, and includes 30 contact hours.

Doctor of Occupational Therapy

a Applicants who do not meet the GPA or GRE expectations, but who demonstrate strengths in other areas, may be considered.

Degree Requirements

In addition to the Graduate College minimum requirements, students must meet the following program requirements:

Master of Science Degree (Entry-Level Degree)

UIC graduates are able 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). Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Tuition and Fees

The total cost associated with either the Master of Science Degree program or the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program includes graduate tuition, the occupational therapy program tuition differential, fees and assessments. Information regarding all MS or OTD-related costs can be found at:  (http://www.uic.edu/depts/oar/grad/tuition_grad.html). Fees include a general fee, service fee, health service fee, and a Chicago Transit Authority Fee. Also included is a health insurance fee which can be waived with proof of insurance. The assessments are for building maintenance, library upgrades and technology. Graduate tuition, the tuition differential, fees, and assessments are subject to change.