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Occupational therapy is a dynamic health care profession that promotes expertise in meaningful daily activities. Occupational therapists work with clients and families to promote wellness, prevent illness or injuries, and to restore function or adaptation skills. The term “occupation” refers to activities in which individuals participate in their daily lives. OT’s ability to foster a client’s performances in self care tasks, work or school performance, to drive, to participate in leisure activities, or to maintain home environments are examples of common occupations. The activities individuals’ value helps to define who they are and the quality of their lives. Occupational therapists work with clients and their families to promote health, restore performance, roles, responsibilities, to remediate limitations to independence, and to adapt for impairments or disabilities. O.T. services assist clients and their families to:
- Prepare a homemaker with paralysis to perform household tasks and meal preparation using modifications, adaptive devices or assistive technology.
- Educate an older adult with a stroke to dress, bathe, and eat again.
- Help a young adult with emotional adjustment issues to cultivate school or work skills, develop effective coping strategies, to participate appropriately in social interactions, and to manage individual roles and responsibilities.
- Assist children and their teachers and family members to foster improvement in sensory processing, balance, or motor skills to improve learning, writing, and socialization.
O.T.s often lead interdisciplinary health care teams in a variety of health and community based systems.
Occupational therapists are employed in hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, developmental-delay centers and mental health facilities, public school systems, home health agencies, private practice, industry and the community.
The field offers rapid advancement into supervisory and administrative positions for therapists with advanced experience and education. Growing opportunities exist in private practice, consultation, research and higher education.
After recently being ranked No. 18 in Laurence Shatkin’s, Ph.D., “150 Best Recession-Proof Jobs” (JIST, 2008), U.S. News & World Report named occupational therapist to its “Best Careers 2009” list. This is the second consecutive year occupational therapy has received this honor.
The MCG Occupational Therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). All O.T. students must complete Level II fieldwork within 24 months after completing academic preparation. Graduates of accredited programs may take the national certification examination for occupational therapists administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT). Graduates who pass this exam are registered occupational therapists. Most states, including Georgia, require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT examination. A felony conviction may preclude taking the exam or obtaining state licensure.
For additional information, contact:
ACOTE
4720 Montgomery Lane
P.O. Box 31220
Bethesda, MD 20824-1220
301-652-2682
Web site: www.aota.org/Educate/Accredit.aspx
E-mail: accred@aota.org
educate@aota.org
NBCOT, Inc.
800 S. Frederick Ave. Suite 200
Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150
301-990-7979
www.nbcot.org
MCG Graduate Application Fee: $30
Applicants should complete the Graduate Admissions Application and the supplemental form for the Department of Occupational Therapy.
Application Deadline: January 15th for Fall Entry
Applications are reviewed as they are received- highly qualified applicants may be invited for interviews prior to application deadline; thus, early application is strongly encouraged. Applications and supporting materials received after the program deadline will be considered on a space-available basis only.
MINIMUM requirements for admissions consideration:
- A grade point average of at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) on all previous college work and an average of at least 2.5 on math and science courses are required for consideration.
- A minimum score of 900 (combined verbal and quantitative) is required on the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).
- Three letters of recommendation from individuals who can rate your academic and work skills
- Volunteer hours are strongly recommended.
- Interviews are by invitation only and will be factored into the final committee decision for admission
- Applicants whose first language is not English must submit official TOEFL scores. A minimum score of 213 on the computer-based exam or 550 on the paper exam is required for admission consideration.
Program Specific Requirements
- Applicants do not need to complete a baccalaureate degree prior to admission into the OT program. Prior to enrollment, the applicant must have completed a minimum of 90 prerequisite hours at another accredited college.
- Completion of specific required prerequisite courses as outlined by the department. These courses may be counted towards the applicants’ 90 hours of college credit.
- Qualified applicants will be invited to attend a mandatory interview session which includes group problems solving activities, a writing sample, and personal interview with faculty members.
Admission Recommendations:
- The Department of Occupational Therapy Admissions Committee selects the applicants who seem best qualified for the profession and the program from among those who apply. Admission is based on all elements of the application including the applicant’s prior academic performance at the college level, volunteer or related experience, references assessing work and academic skills, writing skills, Georgia residency and veteran status. The interview session is also factored into the committee’s decision.
- GPA: The Department considers qualified applicants to have an overall GPA of 3.0 or above, and a math/science GPA of 2.5.The Department may consider candidates with lower GPA based on extenuating circumstances, test scores (GRE), strengths in other areas, or other factors. In such situations the student may be admitted on probation.
In addition to demonstrating personal characteristics appropriate for a health professions career, students must satisfy general and specific technical standards for this program.Visit www.mcg.edu/sah/ot/TechnicalStandards.html to review these requirements.
MCG participates in all federal student aid programs as well as state and private programs. MCG helps students fund their education through grants, scholarships, loans, a service commitment program and/or employment.
Applications received between September and January 15th will be given priority consideration. Applications will continue to be accepted until the class is filled. Earlier application is strongly encouraged, as departmental interviews are conducted in the spring by invitation only.
Apply online at www.mcg.edu/Admissions, or contact:
Office of Academic Admissions
170 Kelly Building–Administration
Medical College of Georgia
Augusta, Georgia 30912
Telephone: 706-721-2725
Toll free: 800-519-3388
Fax: 706-721-7279
E-mail: gradadm@mcg.edu
Prerequisites for Occupational Therapy
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The Department of Occupational Therapy requires completion of 90 college-level semester hours prior to admission to the program. Required courses are identified below, as well as suggested courses to complete the 90-hour requirement.
Students must complete a total of 90 semester hours of prerequisites.
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Required Courses
General Core Courses:
- English Composition I (3 hours)
- English Composition II-Literature based (3 hours)
- American History (3 hours)
Math/Science Courses:
- Biology (with or without lab) - (3 hours)
- Anatomy (with lab) or Anatomy and Physiology I (with lab) - (4 hours)
- Chemistry I (with lab) - (4 hours)
- Physics I (with lab) - (4 hours)
- Kinesiology (Biomechanics or Exercise Physiology may be substituted) - (3 hours)
- College Algebra,Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, or other college-level math - (3-4 hours)
- Statistics (3 hours)
Additional Required Courses:
- Introduction to Psychology - (3 hours)
- Abnormal Psychology - (3 hours)
- Human Growth and Development, or Developmental Psychology - (3 hours)
- Sociology or Anthropology - (3 hours)
- Speech or Communications - (3 hours)
- Ethics or Philosophy - (3 hours)
- Medical Terminology - (2-3 hours)
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Suggested Courses to Complete 90 Hours
Science Courses: Biology; Kinesiology; Exercise Physiology; Chemistry II;
Physics II’Anatomy II or Anatomy and Physiology II; Neuroscience; Physical Science; Exercise Physiology
Humanities Courses: Communication; Fine and Applied Arts; Foreign Language;World Literature; Philosophy; Art or Music Appreciation; Logic; Religion
Social Science Courses: Additional Psychology; Developmental Psychology; Anthropology; History; Group Process; Social Problems; Cultural Diversity; Sociology; Counseling; Critical Thinking
Health and Wellness Course (Basic physical education courses are not accepted toward prerequisite hours)
Basic Computer Course
Demonstration of computer proficience in word processing, search engines and presentation software is expected of all students at the time of admission.
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* CPR certification and completion of a first-aid course are required prior to enrolling.
* Computer literacy, particularly word processing, is expected. Completion and presentation programs of a computer course is recommended.
Estimated Tuition and Fees
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For estimated tuition and fees, please see the Tuition and Fees section of this catalog.
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