2020-2021 Catalog 
    
    Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Occupational Therapy


Students wishing to enter the field of occupational therapy (OT) must complete a master’s degree (MSOT) or a doctoral degree (OTD) in occupational therapy, complete a six-month internship, and pass a national board examination. Calvin students have two options, described below, for preparing for admission to a graduate program in occupational therapy. Students should meet with the pre-occupational therapy advisor, A. Wilstermann of the Biology department to discuss these options and design an academic plan.

Completion of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Degree


Admission to most graduate MSOT and OTD programs requires a bachelor’s degree. However, a particular major is not required, so long as specified prerequisite courses are taken. Students selecting this option will take courses that fulfill requirements for the completion of a Calvin major of their choice (such as Psychology, Spanish, or Recreation Therapy) in addition to prerequisite courses specified by the graduate occupational therapy programs to which they intend to apply. While requirements vary between graduate schools, prerequisite courses typically include:

3-2 Combined Curriculum Program with Washington University


Calvin offers a combined curriculum with the Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. A student participating in this program will spend three years at Calvin completing the coursework listed below (99-100 credits), gaining work or volunteer experience in occupational therapy and completing the Graduate Record Exam. Students that meet admissions requirements will apply to the MSOT or ODT program at Washington University, and if accepted, transfer to Washington University for two additional years of coursework and clinical training. Upon successful completion of the first year of study at Washington University (32 credits), the student will receive a Bachelor of Science in Letters and Occupational Therapy from Calvin. Upon completion of a second year of study, the student will receive a MSOT from Washington University. Alternatively, a student accepted into the OTD program will spend three years at Washington University. It should be noted that admission to graduate OT programs at Washington University is competitive and that 3-2 students are not given preference in admissions decisions. Students that complete the Calvin (three year) portion of the 3-2 program but are not accepted into the graduate program at Washington University, will complete a bachelor’s degree of their choice at Calvin and will be eligible to apply to a large number of graduate programs in occupational therapy.

The requirements for the Calvin (three year) portion of the 3-2 Combined Curriculum Program are: