Admissions

MSOT Admissions

Pfeiffer University, Department of Occupational Therapy, will use the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS). The admission process will include collaboration between the Graduate Admissions office and the MSOT program. Graduate Admissions will set up a database of applicants received through the OTCAS system. They will record GPA and set up the scoring formulas for the rest of the application. After the application deadline, and when applications are complete, the admissions staff will assign OT faculty including adjuncts and a member from the graduate division as reviewers for each applicant. The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is not required.

The reviewers will score the references, essay, GPA, and direct observation experience for each applicant according to the formula agreed upon by the OT program, yielding an average score in each category. Top ranking candidates will be scheduled for interviews, which will be scored by the interviewers and/or reviewers. When all scores are entered, the MSOT Program Director will meet with the Graduate Admissions staff and the top candidates will be selected to receive admission offers. Others may be placed on a waitlist. The graduate admissions office will send out letters regarding admission status.

Fulfillment of the admission requirements does not guarantee admission to the program, given the competitiveness of the applicant pool. However, current Pfeiffer University students and U.S. military veterans (that meet MSOT admission criteria) will be offered a Guaranteed Invitation to a Falcon Interview. 

The GRE is not a requirement for admissions to the occupational therapy program.

Requirements

Students visit the OTCAS website and select the ‘participating programs’ tab. Find Pfeiffer University on the list to view the program information and requirements. Applicants must:

  • Have a baccalaureate degree (or US equivalent) completed by the summer semester prior to the start of the MSOT program in the fall semester.  A degree in any area of study will be accepted.
  • Have a minimum overall GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale
    • All courses from all colleges/universities are used for this calculation.
    • The Graduate School will make the final determination regarding courses satisfying requirements.
  • Provide an insightful and reflective 700-1000 word essay responding to specific prompts.
  • Submit three letters of recommendation from therapists, professors, and/or other professionals familiar with your knowledge, skills, and achievements. One recommendation MUST be from an Occupational Therapist.
  • Have a minimum of 25 hours of direct observation documented by an Occupational Therapist. This requirement can be fulfilled in a combination of the following:
      • Direct observation in multiple settings with different clients and settings (pediatrics, adults, acute, sub-acute, LTC, etc.) totaling 25 or more hours of direct observation.
      • Completion of the Pfeiffer Online Learning Activities (15 hours indirect OT knowledge acquisition) in addition to 10 or more hours of direct observation.

Online Falcon interviews will be offered to selected candidates.

Disclaimer: Receipt of application packet does NOT grant admission to the program.

ACCEPTED STUDENTS: All applicants offered a seat in the Pfeiffer University MSOT program must notify the University in writing of the decision to accept or decline and pay a $500 non-refundable seat fee.

All the occupational therapy faculty operating as a committee of the whole will make decisions regarding revisions, rubrics, admission policies, and procedures, as well as final decisions on student cohorts admitted into the program.

FELONY CONVICTION STATEMENT 

Please note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. 
Individuals wishing to determine if eligible to take the certification exam should contact NBCOT.

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT)
The Eugene B. Casey Building 800 South Frederick Avenue, Suite 200
Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150
Telephone: (301) 990-7979
Fax: (301) 869-8492

All prerequisites must be completed by the summer semester before starting the program in the fall. Courses will not be able to be taken during the fall semester after the program starts. No more than two prerequisite courses can have a grade of C.

See the table below:

Prerequisite Coursework Credits
Human Anatomy Lecture/Lab; Physiology
(if enrolled in a combined anatomy/physiology course you will need 6 semester hours)		 4-6
Cultural Ideas and/or Global Perspectives
Any course in one of the following areas: world religions, gender studies, sociology or anthropology (Cultural Anthropology or Diversity in Global Context is preferred).		 3
One course in Lifespan OR one course in Human Development or three courses to include Childhood, Adolescent and Adult Development 3-9
Abnormal Psychology 3
Statistics (Social science statistics OR biostatistics preferred) 3
Medical Terminology ( can be an online course) 1-3
English Composition OR Technical Writing 3
Ethics OR Philosophy OR Theology 3
    • Submit ALL official transcripts from each college/university that was attended
    • Transfer Course Credit
      • Subject to approval and review of the transcript, up to 6 hours of graduate transfer credits may be applied toward the MSOT. Graduate transfer credits will only be considered for graduate-level courses completed with a grade of “B” or higher within the last five (5) years. Students wishing to substitute or transfer a course required by the Department of Occupational Therapy must submit a form requesting a transfer or substitution along with the course name and number, course description including the number of credit hours, and course syllabus. The faculty will review to determine if the course meets the curriculum requirement in parts or completely. Faculty reserves the right to have student test out of any section of a course that is being considered for transfer or substitution to ensure mastery of content. Due to the nature of the curriculum, treatment courses and research courses are not eligible for transfer or substitution. Please note that work experience is not acceptable as credit or partial credit for coursework. The MSOT Program Director must approve all course transfers
    • Please note: we do not accept CLEP or AP courses for prerequisites and science courses must be four credits with labs and taken in person, not online. Prerequisite courses may be taken at your local community college or any accredited institution of higher education. These courses may be in progress at the time of application but must be completed by the summer semester prior to beginning the program. Offers of acceptance into the OT program are contingent upon successful completion of all prerequisite coursework.

Submit OTCAS Application

  • All applicants to the Pfeiffer University Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program must apply through the OTCAS
  • Applicants may start applying to the Pfeiffer University Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program through OTCAS on July 21, 2023, and our deadline for applications to be received through OTCAS is June 7, 2024.
  • We will be accepting and reviewing applications on an ongoing basis until the deadline of June 7, 2024.
  • Applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents must submit an International Student Application and Certification of Finances, in addition to the entry-level MSOT program application. There is no additional application fee.
  • International graduate applicants whose native language is not English are required to submit a score for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or for the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
  • A total score of 80 on the TOEFL or 6.3 overall on the IELTS is required.