Master of Science in Occupational Therapy

A student applying for admission to a graduate program at West Coast University must:

1. Submit a completed application for admission with all admissions requirements through the Centralized Application Service for Occupational Therapy system (OTCAS).  

2. Meet the program admissions requirements.

3. Submit a copy of official transcripts through OTCAS.

4. Participate in a qualitative admissions interview arranged by the admissions department.  

5. Complete an enrollment agreement if accepted into the program. 

6. All requirements must be met by the application deadline in order to be considered.   

Program specific application requirements:

Traditional Admissions Pathway

1. Have obtained a bachelor’s degree from an accredited post-secondary institution.  3.0 minimum GPA preferred for the last 60 semester units.  

2. Application can be submitted during enrollment in an undergraduate degree program or during completion of prerequisite course work.  However, pending coursework/undergraduate degree along with and all other requirements must be completed, met, and verified through OTCAS by the deadline in order to qualify.  

3. Medical terminology course required. 

4. Applicants must have obtained an overall 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) of program prerequisite courses (from accredited post-secondary institutions) within the last ten years and with a grade of a C or better.  

5. West Coast University requires proof of English Proficiency. Applicants for whom English is not their primary language should refer to the University Admissions Requirements section of the catalog.

OTA Pathway

1. Must provide evidence of current certification and license as an OTA.

2. Must provide evidence of one year of work experience as an OTA – fieldwork experience will be counted.

3. Application can be submitted during completion of prerequisite course work. However, pending coursework along with all other requirements must be completed, met, and verified through OTCAS by the posted deadline on OTCAS in order to qualify.

4. Applicants must have obtained an overall 3.0 Grade Point Average (GPA) of program prerequisite courses (from accredited post-secondary institutions) within the last ten years and with a grade of a C or better.

   1. Required prerequisite courses (credits earned from an OTA program can be evaluated for acceptance):

      1. Two (2) courses in the humanities or social sciences (Psychology, Sociology, Humanities, Anthropology, Philosophy, Religion, Ethics, Cultural studies, Group Dynamics - 3 semester units each).  

      2. One (1) Statistics course. (3 semester units).

      3. One (1) course in Human Anatomy plus Lab (3 semester units).

      4. One (1) course in Physiology plus Lab (3 semester units).

      5. One (1) course in Human Development or Lifespan (Human Growth & Development, Developmental Psychology, Lifespan Psychology (3 semester units).

      6. One (1) course in Abnormal or Behavioral Psychology (Abnormal Behavior, Abnormal Psychology, Psychopathology, Behavioral Disorders) (3 semester units).

      7. One (1) course in Advanced Writing (3 semester units).

   2. Student should have:

      1. Basic computer skills in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint

      2. Three (3) references: (1-2) occupational therapists; 1 faculty member/advisor; 1 professional

   3. Full-time devotion to this program is highly recommended; any employment can interfere with the successful completion of this program.

   4. In order to be considered, all program specific admissions requirements and prerequisites must be met by the deadline posted on OTCAS.

Health Insurance Requirement - Students enrolled in the MSOT program will be required to provide evidence of health insurance prior to participation in fieldwork.  Participation in fieldwork is required to complete the program.

An Occupational Therapy student will be dismissed from the program if:

1. A grade of "D+" or lower is received in any course, or

2. Two (2) grades of "C" or below are received, or

3. The minimum cumulative GPA as specified for each trimester is not met:

   a. At the completion of the 1st trimester (17 credits), have a cumulative GPA of 2.5

   b. At the completion of the 2nd trimester (36 credits), have a cumulative GPA of 2.8

   c. At the completion of the 3rd trimester (42 credits), have a cumulative GPA of 3.0

   d. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 for the remaining trimesters of the program.  

4. They receive two (2) failing grades during Fieldwork Level II

Graduation from the MSOT program is predicated on student fulfillment of satisfactory grade point average, professional conduct, and completion of Fieldwork.  Graduation requirements include: 

• A student must complete all 72 didactic/practical course credits before he/she can enter Fieldwork Level II.

• The 24 credit Fieldwork Level II A and B must be completed to graduate.

• Students are allowed a maximum of 3 attempts to complete Fieldwork Level II.

• Students must complete the program within a maximum timeframe of 150% of the published length of the program.  

• GPA of 3.0 or better