Occupational Therapy Schools in New Jersey

The New Jersey state has 3 ACOTE accredited Occupational therapy Schools which provides an entry-level master degree or Doctor of Occupational therapy program. Plus, the state also has 2 ACOTE accredited 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 3 Occupational therapy schools in New Jersey are-

1. Kean University
2. Seton Hall University and
3. Stockton University.

Occupational therapy in New Jersey-

The occupational therapist, Occupational therapy assistant, and OT/OTA students have their own state association, i.e. NJOTA (New Jersey Occupational Therapy Association).

The NJOTA is a non-profit volunteer organization which provides a professional community for its members. The NJOTA is a state-based professional organization and public voice for the occupational therapy profession in New Jersey.

The main role of the association is to promote the occupational therapy profession, create public awareness, provide support to the therapist in continuing education and improve and maintain the quality of occupational therapy profession in the state of New Jersey. The NJOTA is an affiliated state body of the American Occupational therapy association.

Website – www.njota.org

Occupational therapy License in New Jersey-

Occupational therapist and Occupational therapy Assistants are required to get a license from the Occupational Therapy Advisory Council.

The minimum requirements for the license are –

• Entry level master degree or OTD degree
• NBCOT exam’s passing certificate.
• Application fees of $100.

Temporary OT/OTA License:

A temporary license to practice as an occupational therapist (OT) or as an occupational therapy assistant (OTA) may be granted to persons who have completed the educational and experience requirements for licensure and are waiting to take or receive the results of the certification examination. NJ license expires upon failure of the exam and can be renewed until the next exam date.

List of Occupational Therapy Schools in New Jersey- OT School Overview

#1 Kean University

The occupational therapy school at Nathan Weiss Graduate College offers a direct entry-level master degree and a dual degree program (combined baccalaureate/master’s). The dual degree offers 9 undergraduate majors with the Pre-OT track. The 9 options are Biology (General), Communication (Public Communication Option), Earth Science (General), Fine Arts, History, Psychology, Recreation Administration (Therapeutic Recreation Option), Sociology, and Spanish.

But there is no guaranteed progression from undergraduate major to MSOT program. The candidate must satisfy the minimum requirement for MS admission.

Recently, the OT school has applied for the entry-level doctoral program and the ACOTE status for the OTD program is – Applicant OTD.

Kean University Nathan Weiss Graduate College
Courses Offered–	BS/MS Occupational Therapy (Dual Degree) Master of Science Occupational Therapy (MSOT)
University Campus	Hillside, New Jersey
Public or Private-	Public Institute.
Department Chair-	Mariann E. Moran, OTD, OTR, CHT
Course Duration-	MSOT- 2.5-year program.
Class Size	30 students per year.
OT Admission	Once a year (Fall).
Application Procedure	Submit an admission application to the college. A departmental interview may be required
Minimum Requirement (MSOT)	A baccalaureate degree; A minimum grade of “B” or better in each prerequisite course; Official transcripts from all institutions attended; 3 letters of recommendation; A minimum OT observation of 40 hours in two or more practice settings; Current Professional Resume/CV Personal Statement Respond to a departmental question-“Describe a current event or societal issue and how you feel OT could impact the situation.” TOEFL or IELTS scores (for International candidate).
Prerequisite Coursework (MSOT)	General Psychology; Intro to Sociology or Cultural Anthropology; Anatomy & Physiology l and ll (with lab); Abnormal Psychology; Lifespan Developmental Psychology; Psychological Statistics; Introduction to OT.
Address	Nathan Weiss Graduate College Department of Occupational Therapy 215 North Avenue, EC Room 224 Hillside, NJ 07205 Email- ot@kean.edu
Website	grad.kean.edu

#2 Seton Hall University

The OT school at Seton Hall University offers a direct entry-level master degree and a dual degree program (combined baccalaureate/master’s). The innovative dual degree program leading to a Bachelor of Arts in Social and Behavioral Sciences (SOBT) and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT). The dual degree program is a six-year (3+3) program and offers guaranteed admission into the Occupational Therapy graduate program in the senior year of the SOBT program.

Seton Hall University School of Health and Medical Sciences
Courses Offered–	BA/MS Occupational Therapy (Dual Degree) Master of Science Occupational Therapy (MSOT)
University Campus	South Orange, New Jersey
Public or Private-	Private Institute.
Department Chair-	Ruth Segal, Ph.D., OTR
Course Duration-	MSOT- 3-year program.
Class Size	80 students per year
OT Admission	Once a year (Fall).
Application Procedure	Submit an online admission application to the college.
Minimum Requirement (MSOT)	A baccalaureate degree; Overall cumulative GPA of no less than 3.2 on a 4-point scale. 3 letters of recommendation; Fifty (50) observation hours with an OTR. TOEFL or IELTS scores (for International candidate).
Prerequisite Coursework (MSOT)	Human Anatomy and Physiology (with lab); English; Statistics; Sociology; General Psychology; Abnormal Psychology; Developmental Psychology.
Address	Occupational Therapy Department McQuaid Hall 400 South Orange Avenue South Orange, NJ 07079-2689 Email- shms@shu.edu
Website	www.shu.edu

#3 Stockton University

The OT school offers an entry-level master degree program. The school is famous for the following things-

• Highly Affordable Tuition
• New, state-of-the-art electronic classroom facilities
• Extensive collection of occupational therapy resources to enhance academic achievement
• Dedicated faculty representing expertise in a variety of clinical practice areas
• The faculty-student ratio provides individualized attention and learning opportunities.

Stockton University School of Health Sciences
Course Offered–	Master of Science Occupational Therapy (MSOT)
University Campus	Galloway, New Jersey
Public or Private-	Public Institute.
Department Chair-	Kimberly A. Furphy, DHSc, OTR, ATP
Course Duration-	2.5-year program.
Class Size	26 students per year
OT Admission	Once a year (Fall).
Application Procedure	Submit an online admission application through OTCAS. Submit a supplemental CAS application.
Minimum Requirement (MSOT)	Completion of a baccalaureate degree Cumulative 3.2 GPA or higher documentation of 40 hours of observation/volunteer/work or other community services in a variety of occupational therapy settings; 3 letters of recommendation; Completion of prerequisite coursework with a grade “B-” or better
Prerequisite Coursework (MSOT)	Human Anatomy and Physiology (with lab); Statistics or applied Biostatistics; Intro to General Psychology; Abnormal Psychology; Lifespan Development; Introduction to Anthropology or Introduction to Sociology.
Address	School of Health Sciences Occupational Therapy Program 101 Vera King Farris Drive Galloway, NJ 08205 Email- gradschool@stockton.edu
Website	stockton.edu

Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in New Jersey-

#1 Eastwick College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
10 South Franklin Turnpike
Ramsey, NJ 07446

#2 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, School of Health Professions
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
1776 Raritan Road
Scotch Plains, NJ 07076-2928

Occupational Therapist jobs in New Jersey-

The outlook for occupational therapy employment is very good in New Jersey. The United States’s 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 New Jersey.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 4270 employed and licensed occupational therapists in New Jersey in May 2016. And the requirement of license practitioner is increasing. Huge opportunities are there in New Jersey for the occupational therapist and occupational therapy Assistant.

Occupational Therapy Salary in New Jersey-

As per indeed.com, the average salary of an occupational therapist in New Jersey were $92,000 per annum (in 2016) and According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual and hourly income of occupational therapy professionals were $91,660 and $44.07, respectively in May 2016.