Occupational Therapy Schools in Connecticut

The Connecticut state has 2 established Occupational therapy Schools which provides entry-level master degree program. Plus, the state also has 4 established Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Schools which provides an associate degree. The license to practice as an OT or OTA is compulsory for the passed out students of OT schools.

The 2 Occupational therapy schools in Connecticut are-

1. Quinnipiac University and
2. Sacred Heart University.

#1 Quinnipiac University-

The University was founded in 1929. The OT school has expert faculties along with modern facilities such as the OT room with life-size patient simulators and a model apartment with adaptive technologies. The University provides one entry-level course and one post-professional course in occupational therapy (online).

The entry-level course is of five-and-a-half-year in duration. This is a combined BS/MOT program. Students will get two degrees after the course completion. The BS in Health Science Studies is awarded after successful completion of the fourth year, and MOT degree is awarded after 5 and ½ years (total duration of the course).

Online Occupational Therapy doctorate (OTD) program-

The OT school provides online OTD program for the practicing occupational therapist. The program facilitates the research orientation in the therapist. It is the best option available for therapists who want to upgrade their knowledge.

The basic admission requirements are-

• A bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy with a master’s degree in occupational therapy.
• Application to the OT schools
• Official transcripts, indicating the year of graduation.
• Proof of initial certification by the NBCOT.
• Minimum of 6,000 hours of OT practice with at least 4,000 hours within the last six years.
• Proof of licensure to practice.
• Two professional references
• Current membership to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
• An essay about OT.
• Complete background check.

Quinnipiac University – Occupational therapy Program
OT Degrees	Combined BS/MOT degree (Entry level) OTD online (Post-professional)
University Campus	Hamden, CT.
Public or Private-	Private Institute
Program Head	Kimberly Hartmann
Course Duration- BS/MOT	Full time regular course. Duration- 5 ½ years.
Seat capacity	Maximum 25
OT Admission	Once a year fall semester.
Minimum requirement for High school students-	Four years of mathematics and science in high school. At least 20 hours of observation in occupational therapy. Essay.
University Curriculum and OT Prerequisite Phase-	Prior to entry in the junior year, students must satisfy the following requirements: Complete a minimum of 40 credits of the University Curriculum, all OT prerequisites and all OT foundational courses with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
Address	Department of Occupational Therapy School of Health Sciences 275 Mount Carmel Avenue, MNH-362 Hamden, CT. Email- admissions@quinnipiac.edu
Website	www.qu.edu

#2 Sacred Heart University-

The OT school offers two entry-level programs in the sacred heart university. The one is a regular master of OT program and another one is a combined BS/MS Occupational therapy program.

Sacred Heart University’s Graduate Occupational Therapy Program was Founded in the year 2000. The OT school was the first in Connecticut to start an accredited entry-level program.

The regular master degree program is of 2 years duration, and it’s the best option for the students having a bachelor degree with a good GPA score. Some prerequisites may be required for admission. Please check the OT school for more details.

Combined BS/MS Program-

The Bachelor of Science (BS) in Health Science Pre-Professional Track is an undergraduate course for students who are interested in enrolling in the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program. First three years is for BS in Health Sciences program and the next two years is for MS in Occupational therapy. The OT program is of 5 years (3+2 years) in duration.

The Sacred Heart University (SHU) has a Pre-Occupational Therapy Club. The Pre-Occupational Therapy Club is for undergraduate students who are considering a Graduate course in Occupational Therapy. The club provides basic learning support to the student who is new to the occupational therapy field. It helps to boost the interaction with faculty and other occupational therapists.

Sacred Heart University Department of Occupational Therapy & Health Sciences
Courses offered –	Master of OT (Entry level program) Combined BS/MS OT Program (Entry level program)
University Campus	Fairfield, CT.
Public or Private-	Private Institute
Program Head	Jody Bortone, ED.D., OTR/L
Course Duration- MOT	Full-time regular course, Duration- 2 years.
Course Duration- BS/MS OT	Regular Course, Duration – 5 years (3+2 program)
Seat capacity	18-50
OT Admission	Once a year fall semester.
Minimum requirement for admission-	Application submission through –OTCAS Graduate OT online application: Completion of a bachelor’s degree Official transcripts from ALL colleges or universities attended Successful completion of all prerequisite courses with a GPA of 3.2 or better with no individual prerequisite course below a grade of C. Science prerequisite GPA (Biology 1, Anatomy and Physiology 1, Anatomy and Physiology 2) of 3.0 or better. Overall GPA of 3.0 or better Essay Two letters of recommendation (one must be from an academic source) Relevant volunteer, observation, and/or work experience in the healthcare field with specific knowledge of occupational therapy is highly recommended Successful interview with the Occupational Therapy Admissions Committee.
Pre-requisite course work	Biology 1 with lab Human Anatomy and Physiology 1 and 2 with lab A Psychology course Abnormal Psychology Life Span Development Sociology/Anthropology or Social Psychology Statistics, Psychological Statistics or Biostatistics Recommended Electives but not compulsory- Exercise science Kinesiology Physics with lab Neuroscience
Address	Department of Occupational Therapy and Health Sciences 5151 Park Avenue Fairfield, CT. Email- bortonej@sacredheart.edu
Website	www.sacredheart.edu

Occupational therapy in Connecticut-

The occupational therapist, Occupational therapy assistant, and OT/OTA students have their own state association i.e. ConnOTA.

The ConnOTA is a non-profit volunteer organization which provides a professional community for its members. The main role of the association is to promote the occupational therapy profession in the state of Connecticut. The ConnOTA is an affiliated state body of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Website – www.connota.org/

Along with this, the students have their own body called as, “The Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA)”. It’s a student-run association. Membership is open to all first and second-year students enrolled in the Graduate Program in Occupational Therapy. SOTA engages in educational, social activities and seeks to promote Occupational Therapy.

Occupational therapy License in Connecticut-

Occupational therapist and Occupational therapy Assistants are required to get license form the public health department of the state of Connecticut.

The minimum requirements for the license are-

• Entry level master degree
• NBCOT exam’s passing certificate.
• Application fees of $200.

OT Temporary Permit
The Department of public health may issue a temporary license to the qualified therapist, who has completed the entry-level course but not appeared the NBCOT’s examination.

The graduates of AOTA accredited programs may apply for a temporary permit to practice under the direct and immediate supervision of a Connecticut licensed occupational therapist.

The permit is valid for 120 calendar days from date of application. Temporary permits are not renewable and may not be issued to individuals who have previously failed the examination or are licensed in another jurisdiction.

In order to obtain a temporary permit as an occupational therapist or OTA, an applicant must provide the following documentation:

• A Complete, notarized licensure application with a cheque of $200.00;
• A Complete, notarized temporary permit application form with a cheque of $50.00.
• Transcripts verifying academic work and field experience, stating degree awarded and date of graduation, sent directly from the college granting the occupational therapy degree, to this office.

For more information- http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/

OT jobs in Connecticut-

The outlook for occupational therapy employment is very good in Connecticut. The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics includes occupational therapy as one of its fastest-growing occupations, with registered occupational therapists predicted to have a faster than average growth (21- 36%). Many Health Care Recruitment providers have reported a shortage of occupational therapists and OTA in Connecticut.

Occupational Therapy Salary in Connecticut-

According to BLS, The average occupational therapist salary in Connecticut is $92,000. The average OT salaries for job postings in Connecticut are 8% higher than average Occupational Therapist salaries for job postings nationwide.

Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) schools in Connecticut-

Currently, 4 OTA schools are providing an associate degree for the OTA. After passing from the below-mentioned courses, an individual will be eligible for the licensure examination. And after passing the NBCOT’s examination, one can practice as an Occupational Therapist Assistant in the state of Connecticut.

Here, is the list of Accredited OTA Schools in Connecticut-

#1 Goodwin College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
Health and Natural Sciences
One Riverside Drive
East Hartford, CT 06118-1837
Status: Probationary Accreditation.
www.goodwin.edu

#2 Lincoln College of New England
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
2279 Mount Vernon Road
Southington, CT 06489
Status: Probationary Accreditation.
www.lincolncollegene.edu

#3 Manchester Community College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
Division of Math, Science, and Health Careers
P.O. Box 1046
Great Path, M.S. #17
Manchester, CT 06045-1046 .
www.manchestercc.edu

#4 Housatonic Community College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
900 Lafayette Boulevard
Bridgeport, CT 06604-4704 .
www.hcc.commnet.edu
*On 7/24/2017, the program requested a voluntary withdrawal from the accreditation process.