PDF version of this chapterMaster of Arts
The Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy offers a Master of Arts degree with two routes of entry. Those with a baccalaureate degree in occupational therapy who are certified or eligible for certification by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy begin taking graduate course work (500 level) immediately. Those with baccalaureate degrees in fields other than occupational therapy take 400-level courses before beginning graduate work. For these students, eligibility to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy examination occurs when all course work is completed, including the six months of internship, and the M.A. degree has been awarded.
Admission Requirements
For those with baccalaureate degrees in occupational therapy: prerequisites are a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy from an accredited college or university; registration (or eligibility for registration) by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy; a minimum grade point average of 3.0 (A = 4.0); acceptable scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations; three letters of recommendation and an autobiographical sketch/statement of purpose.For those with baccalaureate degrees in fields other than occupational therapy: prerequisites are a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; successful completion of the following courses: human anatomy with laboratory and human physiology (or combined anatomy/physiology for a two-semester sequence), human life span development, introductory psychology, abnormal psychology, and either cultural anthropology or sociology.
Also required are a minimum undergraduate grade point average of 3.0; a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in departmental prerequisite courses (see above) with no course work grade less than "C" (pass/fail grading is not acceptable for the departmental prerequisites); acceptable scores on the General Test of the Graduate Record Examinations; three letters of recommendation and a statement of purpose/autobiographical sketch.
Courses prerequisite to master's degree work include: OT 405, OT 415, OT 420, OT 440, OT 441, OT 452, OT 453, OT 463, OT 464, OT 465, OT 466, OT 467, OT 468, OT 485 and OT 486.
Application Procedure
For those with baccalaureate degrees in occupational therapy: applications are accepted at any time, preferably by February 15 for fall admission and October 15 for spring admission.For those with degrees in fields other than occupational therapy: applications are due February 15. The 400-level courses which are prerequisites to 500-level work in occupational therapy begin in June.
Applications received after the February 15 deadline are considered on a space available basis. Application materials include: (1) separate Application for Graduate Admission; (2) departmental application form obtained from the Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy Department; (3) three references indicating the applicant's perspectives on occupational therapy; (4) transcripts from all colleges/universities attended; (5) results of the aptitude test of the Graduate Record Examinations. This should be taken no later than February prior to summer and fall admission requests and no later than October for spring semester requests. A personal interview may be requested. Application must be made to the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, 1540 Alcazar Street (CHP 133), Los Angeles, CA 90089-9003, as well as to the USC Admission Office. Transcripts must be sent to the department as well as to the Graduate Admission Office.
International Students
Occupational therapists educated outside of the United States must have credentials evaluated by the Office of Admission before application to the department can be reviewed. See the Admission section of this catalogue. International students must demonstrate competency in English, as measured by the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).Degree Requirements
This degree is under the jurisdiction of the USC Graduate School. Students should also refer to the Graduate School section of this catalogue for general regulations. All courses applied toward the degree must be courses accepted by the Graduate School.Requirements include: GPA of 3.0 in all course work attempted and all course work applied to the degree; at least two-thirds of units applied to the degree must be at the 500 level or higher.
| Required courses for both options | Units | |
|---|---|---|
| OT 506 | History of Occupational Therapy Practice | 4 |
| OT 507 | Theory in a Practice Profession | 4 |
| OT 510 | Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of Occupational Data | 4 |
| OT 550 | Occupational Behavior Model | 4 |
| OT 588 | Research Methods | 4 |