Occupational Therapy (MS)

Provide compassionate care for diverse individuals and groups of all ages

Our master’s of Occupational Therapy program will prepare you to become an occupational therapist who treats children and adults with various developmental physical, cognitive and psychological conditions. You’ll be trained to work in a variety of settings, including schools, hospitals, clinics and private practice.

With an emphasis of providing care to members of our urban, global environment, this program is rooted in our Catholic, Vincentian mission. Here, Occupational Therapy program students will learn to:

Advocate for access, inclusion and social justice within health, educational and community settings
Develop culturally-relevant, occupation-based interventions to improve health and participation within communities
Utilize evidence-based practices to deliver ethical and effective care

Through our master’s of Occupational Therapy program, your classes will cover four themes:

Community, justice and advocacy
Effective occupation-based practice
Critical skills for identity as an occupational therapist
Lifelong learning

As you connect with fellow students, the DePaul community and Chicago’s world-class health care community, you’ll receive a wide range of academic, research and clinical experience here. You'll engage in a variety of learning methods—including problem-based learning, community-engaged learning, simulated learning and classroom-based active learning. And you’ll gain the critical thinking, problem solving and interpersonal skills you need to become an independent clinical practitioner.

A dynamic field with significant growth

Nationally, there is a significant demand for occupational therapists. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts 18% growth by 2028, resulting in more than 31,000 new positions in the U.S. Additionally, in 2019, U.S. News & World Report ranked occupational therapy in the top 20 of both the ‘Best 100 Jobs” and “Best Healthcare Jobs” lists.

93%

of College of Science and Health graduates were employed, continuing their education or pursuing other goals within six months of graduation.

Your path to becoming a practicing occupational therapist

Our Occupational Therapy degree is the entry-level credential required by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), the accrediting agency for occupational therapy education recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Our program will also prepare you to pass the national board exam through the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

Alumni Network

Graduates of DePaul’s Occupational Therapy program will be connected to the larger alumni network of more than 20,600 graduates of the College of Science and Health.

Accreditation Note

The entry-level occupational therapy master's degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE's telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

The program must have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 12 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.

Scholarships

Graduate school is an investment in your future. Learn more about the financial aid and scholarship opportunities available to you.

Learn More

Contact Information

For more information about applying, contact The Office of Graduate Admission for DePaul’s College of Science and Health at (773) 325-7315 or cshgrad@depaul.edu.

Take the next step

We’ll send you information about the degree, admission requirements and upcoming info sessions. Let’s get started.

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Occupational Therapy