The demand and scope of the occupational therapy profession are increasing rapidly. The Occupational therapist works in different settings from a general hospital to rehabilitation centers. The occupational therapist primarily involves the patient in his/her daily routine or occupational tasks to improve the function. Occupational therapist and occupational therapy assistant working closely with the patient to help them to recover from the disease or impairment.
The Occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant degree courses are required for entry into the OT profession. The Entry level degree in occupational therapy is a master degree or OTD (occupational therapy doctorate degree).
What is the online Occupational therapy program?
As the name suggests, The Online occupational therapy program is the program offered by the occupational therapy schools for the students and the medium of learning is through the internet. It becomes very easy for the students who don’t want to take admission in the regular classes. The online OT programs provide the own pace and time of learning occupational therapy.
Why choose Online OT programs?
The online Occupational Therapy program offers many positive sides, let’s go through it.
Benefits of online Occupational therapy programs-
- Variety of programs and courses- A student can take admission in different or similar online courses simultaneously.
- Lower total costs- Online OT programs can be a more affordable option than traditional colleges. No house rent/ hostel expenses, no commuting expenses, fewer books required.
- Comfortable learning environment- students can learn from anywhere, at home, hostel, café, etc.
- Convenience and flexibility- Online OT courses give students the opportunity to plan their study time according to them. Students can study and work when they are at their peak energy, whether that’s early morning or late at night.
- Career advancement: Students can take online courses and even complete entire degrees while working, while in-between jobs, or while taking time to raise a family.
- Continue in your OT profession: Currently registered occupational therapist (OTR) can take online classes for the post-professional courses available for them. They don’t need to leave their current job. The previously mentioned flexibility of online OT degree programs enables therapists to keep working while also pursuing academic credentials.
Online occupational therapy schools requirements-
Students who apply to occupational therapy schools online usually need to have earned their bachelors degree from a regionally accredited college. These online occupational therapy programs may require students to have completed coursework in human anatomy, abnormal psychology, statistics, and sociology.
Also, those who apply to an occupational therapy online program may have to show a specific cumulative GPA ( >2.5 GPA), furnish 2-3 reference letters, and write a personal essay. By contrast, students who apply to a post-professional (Doctor of Occupational Therapy) online program are usually occupational therapists who have earned their master’s degree with a license to practice as an OT.
Online Vs regular OT programs?
Regular occupational therapy programs have been running since the beginning of the OT field. The regular or full-time classes include theory as well as practical classes, which helps the students to learn occupational therapy from basic.
Now, the new trend has become popular in the education field. i.e. online degree courses. The online degree course is the demand of the current education system. Many professions are providing their courses online.
Similarly, in the occupational therapy field, some schools had started online OT programs.
But there is no single complete online course is available for the entry-level program in the occupational therapy. Entry level program (where students learn the basics through theory, practicals, and field works) is required to enter into the OT profession. And it is difficult to provide complete training through online mode.
So, AOTA and ACOTE have not approved any OT school in the USA for full online entry level course.
Online Entry level master degree program-
As we have mentioned above, there is no single OT school, which provides 100% online entry-level program. Instead, some school provides a flexible educational option as nearly 40-50% online course and 50-60% on-campus course, thus satisfy the need of students who want to prefer their education as distant learning.
But this option could be time-consuming. Where the regular OT program is of 2-year duration, a semi-online course would be about 2.5 to 3 years.
The following accredited entry-level occupational therapy programs indicated that some portion of the program is offered by distance education or through online mode.
NOTE: Prospective applicants should carefully review the program’s Web site for in-class and fieldwork requirements.
Here is the list of OT schools which provides online Occupational therapy degree (master degree- entry level)-
*percentage- the percentage of online learning in the degree program.
| Cabarrus College of Health Sciences | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Concord, North Carolina | www.cabarruscollege.edu | 8/10 |
| Louisiana St. U. Shreveport | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Shreveport, Louisiana. | www.lsuhscshreveport.edu | 8/10 |
| University of Mary | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Bismarck, North Dakota | www.umary.edu/ | 8/10 |
| University of Minnesota | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Minneapolis, Minnesota | alliedhealth.umn.edu | 8/10 |
| University of Oklahoma | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | alliedhealth.ouhsc.edu/ | 8/10 |
| Bay Path University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-74% | Longmeadow, Massachusetts |
www.baypath.edu/ | 8/10 |
| Grand Valley State University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-74% | Grand Rapids, Michigan | www.gvsu.edu/ot | 7/10 |
| Shenandoah University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-74% | Winchester, Virginia | www.su.edu/ot | 7/10 |
| University of Louisiana | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-74% | Monroe, Louisiana. | www.ulm.edu/ot/ | 7/10 |
| University of St. Augustine | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-74% | Austin, Texas | www.usa.edu/ | 7/10 |
| University of St. Augustine | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-74% | St. Augustine, Florida | www.usa.edu/ | 7/10 |
| Western New Mexico University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-74% | Silver city, New Maxico | www.wnmu.edu | 7/10 |
| Barry University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | Miami, Florida | www.barry.edu/ot/ | 8/10 |
| Belmont University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | Nashville, tennessee | www.belmont.edu/ot/ | 7/10 |
| Brenau University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | Gainesville, Georgia | www.brenau.edu/ | 7.5/10 |
| Concordia University Wisconsin | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | Mequon, Wisconsin | www.cuw.edu/ | 7/10 |
| Howard University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | Washington, DC | www.howard.edu | 8/10 |
| New England Institute of Tech. | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | East Greenwich, Rhode Island | www.neit.edu | 8/10 |
| Philadelphia University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | www.philau.edu | 7/10 |
| Salem State University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | Salem, Massachusetts | www.salemstate.edu | 7/10 |
| Spalding University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | Louisville, Kentucky | www.spalding.edu | 7/10 |
| University of North Dakota | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | Grand Forks, North Dakota | med.und.edu | 7/10 |
| Utica College | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | Utica, New York | www.utica.edu | 8/10 |
Online entry-level Occupational therapy doctorate program
| Duquesne University | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | www.duq.edu | 8/10 |
| Nova Southeastern University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | Tampa, Florida | www.nova.edu | 8/10 |
| Pacific University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 25-49% | Hillsboro, Oregon | www.pacificu.edu | 8/10 |
| Creighton University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 1-24% | Omaha, Nebraska | spahp.creighton.edu | 7/10 |
| Huntington University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 1-24% | Fort Wayne, Indiana | www.huntington.edu | 7/10 |
| University of South Dakota | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 1-24% | Vermillion, South Dakota | www.usd.edu | 7/10 |
| University of Tennessee | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 1-24% | Chattanooga, Tennessee | www.utc.edu | 7/10 |
| University of the Sciences | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 1-24% | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | www.usciences.edu | 7/10 |
| University of Toledo | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 1-24% | Toledo, Ohio | www.utoledo.edu | 7/10 |
Online Post professional MS program
| A. T. Still University | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Mesa, Arizona | www.atsu.edu | 9/10 |
| University of Southern California | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Los Angeles, California | chan.usc.edu | 9/10 |
| Eastern Kentucky University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50% | Richmond, Kentucky | ot.eku.edu | 7/10 |
| Cleveland State University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-100% | Cleveland, Ohio | www.csuohio.edu | 7/10 |
| Misericordia University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Dallas, Pennsylvania | www.misericordia.edu | 7/10 |
| Mount Mary University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | www.mtmary.edu | 7/10 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-100% | Madison, Wisconsin | kinesiology.wisc.edu | 8/10 |
Online Post professional OTD program
| A.T. Still University of Health Sciences | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Mesa, Arizona | www.atsu.edu | 8/10 |
| Loma Linda University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Loma Linda, California | www.llu.edu | 8/10 |
| Quinnipiac University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Hamden, Connecticut | www.quinnipiac.edu | 8/10 |
| George Washington University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Washington, District of Columbia | smhs.gwu.edu | 8/10 |
| Gannon University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 90-100% | Ruskin, Florida | www.gannon.edu | 7/10 |
| Nova Southeastern University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Rating | |
| 90-100% | Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | www.nova.edu | 8/10 |
| South University-West Palm Beach | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-100% | Royal Palm Beach, Florida | —– | 8/10 |
| The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | St. Augustine, Florida | www.usa.edu | 8/10 |
| Brenau University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Gainesville, Georgia | www.brenau.edu | 7/10 |
| Governors State University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | University Parkway, Ilinois | www.govst.edu | 7/10 |
| The University of Illinois at Chicago | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-75% | Chicago, Illinois | ahs.uic.edu | 7/10 |
| Indiana University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Indianapolis, Indiana | shrs.iupui.edu | 7/10 |
| University of Indianapolis | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Indianapolis, Indiana | ot.uindy.edu | 7/10 |
| University of Kansas Medical Center | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Kansas City, Kansas | http://www.ot.kumc.edu/ | 8/10 |
| Eastern Kentucky University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Richmond, Kentucky | online.eku.edu | 7/10 |
| Towson University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 80-100% | Towson, Maryland | grad.towson.edu | 7/10 |
| American International College | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Springfield, Massachusetts | www.aic.edu | 7/10 |
| Bay Path University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Longmeadow, Massachusetts | www.baypath.edu | 7/10 |
| Boston University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Boston, Massachusetts | www.bu.edu | 7/10 |
| St. Catherine University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | St. Paul, Minnesota | www.stkate.edu | 7/10 |
| Saint Louis University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | St. Louis, Missouri | ot.slu.edu | 7/10 |
| Washington University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-75% | St. Louis, MO | ot.wustl.edu/ | 7/10 |
| Creighton University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Omaha, Nebraska | spahp.creighton.edu | 7/10 |
| New York University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | New York city, NY | ot.steinhardt.nyu.edu | 7/10 |
| Chatham University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | www.chatham.edu | 7/10 |
| Duquesne University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | http://www.duq.edu/ot | 7/10 |
| Gannon University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 90-100% | Erie, PA | www.gannon.edu | 7/10 |
| Misericordia University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Dallas, PA | www.misericordia.edu | 7/10 |
| Salus University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-100% | Elkins Park, PA | www.salus.edu | 7/10 |
| Temple University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Philadelphia, PA | cph.temple.edu | 7/10 |
| Thomas Jefferson University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Philadelphia, PA | www.jefferson.edu | 7/10 |
| University of the Sciences | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Philadelphia, PA | www.usciences.edu | 7/10 |
| Texas Woman’s University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75% | Denton, TX | www.twu.edu/ot | 7/10 |
| University of Texas Medical Branch | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Galveston, TX | shp.utmb.edu | 7/10 |
| Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50% | Provo, Utah | www.rmuohp.edu | 7/10 |
| University of Utah | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Salt Lake City, UT | health.utah.edu | 7/10 |
| Jefferson College of Health Sciences | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Roanoke, Virginia | www.jchs.edu | 7/10 |
| Virginia Commonwealth University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 50-100% | Richmond, VA | sahp.vcu.edu | 7/10 |
| Mount Mary University | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 100% | Milwaukee, Wisconsin | www.mtmary.edu | 7/10 |
| University of Wisconsin-Madison | |||
| Percentage | Campus | Website | Rating |
| 75-100% | Madison, WI | kinesiology.wisc.edu | 7/10 |
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