Degree Requirements

Effective December 2021   

Expenses

Students admitted in the Occupational Therapy program will be charged a matriculation deposit of $300 required to secure a seat in the entering class. This amount is not refundable but will be applied towards tuition expenses after classes begin.

Students should be prepared for extra expenses associated with professional studies including books, local travel to and from fieldwork sites and out-of-town travel and living expenses during Level II Fieldwork assignments. Special lab fees are assessed for the following courses:

Retention Policies In accordance with the Policies of the University of South Alabama Graduate School:

• A minimum overall 3.0 GPA on all work attempted in the student's specific program of study is required. A maximum of two courses with the grade of "C" may be counted toward a degree program.
• Any term in which a graduate student drops below a 3.0 GPA, the student is placed on probationary status and has a period of two terms to attain a 3.0 GPA or be dismissed from the Graduate School.

In addition, the following Departmental Retention Policies apply:

• Students in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy degree program are required to achieve a minimum grade of "C" in each course in the occupational therapy curriculum. This minimum grade of "C" reflects only the letter grade since many courses will require an 80% or 90% competency in order to be considered passing level.
• A student who receives a grade below "C" will be academically dismissed.
• Any combination of nine (9) semester hours of grades of "C" in OT courses will result in academic dismissal.
• Students who earn more than two "C" grades in any OT courses will result in academic dismissal
• If for any reason a student must withdraw from the occupational therapy program, re-admission will require approval of the department chairperson and the Dean of the Pat Capps Covey College of Allied Health Professions.
• All occupational therapy coursework taken prior to Level II Fieldwork must be successfully completed with a grade of "C" or better and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in order for a student to be eligible to proceed with Level II Fieldwork.
• Level II Fieldwork will be graded as Pass/Fail using the criterion scores developed by the American Occupational Therapy Association. A student will be allowed to withdraw from fieldwork, without penalty, under special circumstances, for example, a serious illness/newly acquired disability. Withdrawal from Level II Fieldwork requires the recommendation of the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and the permission of the Department Chairperson. All repeat fieldwork experiences must be completed within one year.
• If a student fails a Level II Fieldwork course (OT 550, OT 555), a "U" or unsatisfactory will be recorded as the grade. IF the student is permitted to repeat the Level II Fieldwork course, the student may be required to complete remediation tasks prior to repeating the course. The Academic Fieldwork Coordinator will schedule the repeated fieldwork at the earliest available time, but no later than 12 months following completion of all other academic requirements. A student failing to satisfactorily complete two out of three attempts of the 12-week fieldwork placements (OT 550, OT 555) shall be dismissed from the program.

Note: In some semesters, courses may not start and/or finish during the regular University beginning and ending dates for the semester. For example, one course may start at the beginning of a semester and finish at the semester midpoint, while another course starts at the midpoint of the semester and finishes at the semester's end. Accreditation: The Department of Occupational Therapy MSOT Program is accredited by:

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200
Bethesda, MD 20814

ACOTE's phone number is (301) 652-6611 (x2914). Graduates of the program will be eligible 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 NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may adversely affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Clinical fieldwork placements will be provided, as safely available, to our students and may require variations in dates for starting and for completion of the clinical rotations. In addition, simulation may be utilized for the completion of level I fieldwork

Graduation Plan

(95 Total Hours)

See Degree Requirements