Chair: S. Classen
Program Director: C. Myers

The Department of Occupational Therapy offers graduate programs in occupational therapy leading to the Master of Health Science (M.H.S.) degree and the entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy (M.O.T.) degree. However, we are no longer admitting students into these programs because the Department is transitioning to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (O.T.D.) degree. Please see the Department website at http://www.ot.phhp.ufl.edu for more information. Complete descriptions of the requirements for the M.H.S. and M.O.T. degrees are provided in the Graduate Degrees section of this catalog.

Master of Health Science: This program is designed for students who have earned an undergraduate degree in Occupational therapy. The thesis option requires four semesters of course work and a formal research thesis, while the non-thesis option requires three semesters of course work and a research project. The program emphasizes research and advanced theories related to occupational therapy practice.

Additional information about the Master of Health Science is available at http://www.ot.phhp.ufl.edu or by telephone at (352) 273-6817.

Master of Occupational Therapy: This entry-level degree program is designed for students who do not have an undergraduate degree in occupational therapy. The program provides students with a holistic perspective, including an understanding of the philosophical and theoretical bases for practice in the current health care environment. The M.O.T. program provides a strong background in theory, assessment, and therapeutic interventions. Before their professional preparation in the M.O.T. program, students receive a liberal education in their pre-professional baccalaureate studies, including several courses specifically focused for students planning to enter the M.O.T. program. Students complete these courses in the Bachelor of Health Science degree program at the bachelor’s level, or they may complete these courses as part of the M.O.T. program. Currently enrolled students are only admitted into the M.O.T. program once a year and can expect to graduate at the end of the fall term after 1.33 years of successful full-time M.O.T. coursework (5 semesters) and 58 credits.

This program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association. The address for ACOTE is:

4720 Montgomery Lane
Suite 200
Bethesda, MD, 20814

The phone number is (301) 652-2682. Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the national certification exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). The website address of NBCOT is www.nbcot.org.