Apply to the School of Occupational Therapy

The University of Puget Sound School of Occupational Therapy participates in the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS). If you wish to apply to programs that are on the OTCAS system you only need to submit one application, one set of references, and one set of official transcripts directly to the OTCAS system. The complete application is then distributed to each program that you select. For details about applying to University of Puget Sound using the OTCAS system, please go to the OTCAS website.

The Puget Sound Occupational Therapy program Admission Committee bases its academic decisions on a blend of factors. These include your academic ability as demonstrated by grade point average, written communication skills, understanding of the role and functions of occupational therapy, letters of reference, and more.

• Apply online via Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Services (OTCAS).
• Submit official transcripts from every college attended via OTCAS.
• Puget Sound School of Occupational Therapy Application Essays submitted via OTCAS
• 1 Letter of Recommendation from a licensed Occupational Therapist (OTR/L) submitted via OTCAS
  • We recognize that due to COVID-19 restrictions it may be difficult for many applicants to complete an observation in an OT setting or obtain a recommendation from an occupational therapist. If you have been unable to obtain a recommendation from an occupational therapist, you may substitute references from an employer or a professor from whom you have taken a college course. Your recommender must be able to speak to the following:
    • Your ability to be successful in a graduate program.
    • Your ability to work as a healthcare provider.
    • Your work ethic.
  • Occupational Therapy Observation
    • You must demonstrate experience with the practice of occupational therapy in your supplemental essay.
    • Documentation of observation hours is not required.
    • If due to COVID-19 restrictions you are unable to complete an OT observation in a clinical setting, select at least two of the alternative activities below to enhance your knowledge of OT and clearly describe in your essay how they have deepened your understanding of the profession (you will need to have completed this prior to writing your supplemental essay).
      • Interview an Occupational Therapist (cannot be an OT faculty member).
      • Explore resources about OT.
      • Interview a client or family member/caregiver of a client who has had occupational therapy services.
  • Standardized Testing
    • We do not require the GRE. You will have the opportunity to describe your preparation for graduate school in supplemental essays.
    • International applicants and non-native English speakers who are fluent in English must also submit official TOEFL scores.
  • Supplemental Application Fee
    • We require you to submit a $50 supplemental application fee, which is in addition to any fees charged by OTCAS. This can be submitted electronically through the Puget Sound admission portal, which you will gain access to after you submit your application, or by check or cash via US mail.

Puget Sound Occupational Therapy Application Checklist (PDF)

General requirements:

• Completed baccalaureate degree prior to starting occupational therapy classes (unless you are currently enrolled at Puget Sound as a 3-2 or 3-3 student). Any undergraduate major may lead to the successful study of occupational therapy; you may major in any field that maximizes your talents and interests as there is no preferred major. In fact, the department seeks a diversity of educational backgrounds among its students. A liberal arts education is a vital component in the preparation of today's health care practitioner.
• Overall GPA of all baccalaureate work of 3.0 or better. If applicant has multiple degrees the GPA of the more recent degree completed is used as qualifier. Completed graduate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or better will qualify an applicant with a low undergraduate GPA. The admissions committee will also consider the GPA from your last two years of undergraduate study, if that is higher than your overall undergraduate GPA.
• Exposure to the practice of occupational therapy (either volunteer or paid) under the supervision of a licensed occupational therapist is optimal. The faculty of the School of Occupational Therapy recognize that during the pandemic it has been much more difficult to arrange such observations or work in an OT setting. For this year's applicants, knowledge of the field obtained from reading written resources or watching videos of occupational therapists in action, or observations of occupational therapists during Telehealth sessions is acceptable. There is no minimum number of hours of observation. The applicant must demonstrate knowledge about the profession in the supplemental essay.

Specific prerequisite courses:

• One course in introductory Statistics (Puget Sound MATH 160)
• One course in Medical Terminology (GLAM 120)
• Two sequential Human Anatomy and Physiology courses (EXSC 221 & 222), preferably with labs 
• A total of three (3) courses in Human Behavioral Science/Human Development, distributed as follows:
  • Human Development through the lifespan (PSYC 220 & 221): Developmental Psychology: Prenatal through Childhood or equivalent and Developmental Psychology: Adolescence through End of Life or equivalent. 

    Note: It is sometimes possible to meet the Human Development prerequisite within a single course in which case an applicant must have completed 2 courses in category (b) listed below.

  • Human Behavioral Science courses (one or more courses as needed to complete the three-course Human Behavioral Science/Human Development requirement): Psychology, Anthropology or Sociology at the 200 level or above addressing at least one of the following content areas:
    • Normal and abnormal behavior of individuals and/or groups;    
    • The analysis of behavior of individuals and/or groups and their interactions; or
    • Culture and mental health.
• All prerequisite courses must be completed before the beginning of the program, and you must earn at least a 3.0 in each course.
• Due to academic challenges associated with the COVID-19 crisis, prerequisite courses receiving CREDIT during Spring 2020 through Summer 2022 will be accepted. If more than two of your prerequisite grades are this type, we may ask you for more information about those courses.
• We do not generally accept prerequisite coursework that was completed more than 7 years before entry to the program. If you wish to use older coursework, you may request a waiver of this rule in the Questions section of the application.

Questions about distribution of the three Human Behavioral Science/Human Development courses, if taken at another school, should be directed to the Office of the Registrar, accompanied by a course description including the name of the school and an unofficial transcript if the coursework has been completed.

There are several deadlines for the MSOT/OTD programs:

• Sept. 30: MSOT/OTD Priority Fellowship & Admission Deadline
  • Benefits of submitting your application by September 30:
    • Priority consideration for admission and Fellowship
    • Receive your admission decision early
    • Opportunity to be considered for Fellowship funding offer
    • Supplemental application fee of $50 waived
  • Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST / 8:59 p.m. PST on Sept. 30
• Dec. 1: MSOT/OTD Regular Fellowship & Admission Deadline
  • Benefits of submitting your application by December 1:
    • Receive your admission decision earlier
    • Opportunity to be considered for Fellowship funding offer
  • Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST / 8:59 p.m. PST on Dec. 1
• Mar. 15: MSOT/OTD Final Admission Deadline pending space available
  • Applications must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST / 8:59 p.m. PST on Mar. 15

• It is possible for a University of Puget Sound student to interlock the final year of an undergraduate program with the first year of the MSOT or OTD program. If you are planning a 3-2 program or 3-3 program, you should work closely with an undergraduate adviser in your major as well as a graduate adviser in the Occupational Therapy Program.
• During your first year of study in the Occupational Therapy Program, you will retain your status as an undergraduate for financial aid, housing, and other purposes. At the time of bestowal of the bachelor’s degree you will acquire graduate standing in the Occupational Therapy Program.
• The Puget Sound Occupational Therapy 3-2 or 3-3 Program is only for those who have been full-time, Puget Sound undergraduate students.

Please note that in most years more applications are received for the incoming class than there are spaces available, and that admission to the University of Puget Sound does not guarantee admission to the Occupational Therapy Program. Applicants who have been or will be granted an undergraduate degree from Puget Sound, however, and who are competitive within the applicant pool, are offered admission prior to transfer students.