Pre-Occupational Therapy
Introduction
Students interested in a career in Occupational Therapy may pursue any major along with completing specific prerequisites. Occupational Therapy schools requirements typically vary from a minimum of 60 credit hours to a bachelors degree being completed prior to enrolling in the program. Students may pursue either a masters or doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy. We encourage students to consider applying to doctoral level OT programs as the field is increasingly shifting to require doctoral skills/degrees. Students must gain a thorough understanding of the profession through a range of shadowing experiences. The Canisius Institute for Autism Research provides excellent opportunities for students. Some programs may require a competitive score on the GRE. Students should work with the Pre-Health Advisor to select appropriate coursework based on their schools of interest and plan appropriate co-curricular experiences to build a high quality application. In addition to the information in this section, please check the general information at the pre-medical and pre-health section of the catalog.
Guaranteed Admission Program
Canisius students in the Sports and Exercise Health Care major meeting all requirements are guaranteed admissions to the D'Youville University Master of Occupational Therapy (OT) program. Contact the Pre-Medical Center for specific requirments for this program.
Recommended Pre-Occupational Therapy Courses
Academic admission requirements vary by school, but the following courses typically prepare a student to apply to multiple programs:
Anatomy & Physiology
At least one year of anatomy/physiology with laboratory:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Option 1: | ||
| BIO 114 & 114L | Human Biology: Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology and Human Biology: Introduction to Human Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory | 4 |
| BIO 115 & 115L | Musculoskeletal Anatomy and Physiology and Musculoskeletal Anatomy and Physiology Laboratory | 4 |
| Option 2: | ||
| BIO 324 & 324L | Human Anatomy and Human Anatomy Lab | 4 |
| BIO 340 & 340L | Physiology and Physiology Laboratory | 4 |
Mathematics
One semester of statistics:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| PSY 201 | Basic Statistics for Behavioral Sciences | 3 or 4 |
| or MAT 131 | Statistics for Social Sciences | |
| or MAT 141 | Inferential Statistics and Computers for Science | |
| or KIN 398 | Statistics and Research Design | |
Psychology
Psychology requirements vary at different schools. Students work with the Pre-Health Advisor to plan for any additional courses.
Note that completing these four courses, along with PSY 201 and PSY 202 is an excellent way to earn a minor in Psychology while satisfying OT psychology prerequisites for a broad range of schools.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | ||
| PSY 101 | Introduction to Psychology I | 3 |
| or PSY 102 | Introduction to Psychology II | |
| Take both of the following: | ||
| PSY 203 | Lifespan Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| PSY 303 | Psychopathology | 3 |
Sociology
One course in Sociology:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| SOC 110 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| or SOC 111 | Contemporary Social Problems | |
Medical Terminology
One course in medical terminology is required by some schools:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HRP 111 | Medical Terminology | 1 |
Additional Pre-Occupational Therapy Courses
Some schools recommend additional coursework from the Sciences such as General Biology and/or General Chemistry. Please work with the Pre-Health Advisor to determine the best option for your future pathway.
Elective Courses
HRP 101 allows students to explore different health professions.
HRP 111 introduces students to medical terminology.
HRP 201 and HRP 202 allow students to explore areas of medicine in more depth.
HRP 498 is an internship in medical informatics. A medical scribe internship is also available.
HRP 498A is a medical service learning trip.
