Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Part-time Track Option

Applicants to the School of Occupational Therapy who are pursuing a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) must complete a primary application through Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS). To be eligible to apply, applicants must meet criteria 1, 2, and either criterion 3 or 4 (below).

1. Attain a minimum age of 18 years at the time of matriculation into PNWU.
2. Be a US citizen, have US permanent resident status, or have a Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.
   AND EITHER 3 or 4
   
3. Complete a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university, or be eligible to receive a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university by the end of summer term prior to matriculation to the program. OR
4. Be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) with an associate’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university and a minimum of 3 years of full-time clinical practice experience. NOTE: Practice requirements will be verified through employment verification. The PNWU pathway is not a bridge program. COTA applicants, if accepted to the program, take the same classes at the same time, and in the same delivery format as a non-COTA student.

NOTE: There is no minimum GPA requirement for undergraduate coursework, however, a 3.0 GPA or higher is highly recommended to be competitive.

As part of the OTCAS application process, students must submit:

1. Official transcripts of all academic coursework.
   • Applicants should send all official transcripts directly to OTCAS (not to Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences). We strongly encourage you to submit all transcripts in advance of the application deadline because OTCAS requires several weeks to verify transcripts. Transcripts from foreign institutions must be evaluated for US equivalence by an evaluation service. An official electronic copy of the equivalency report will be sent directly from the evaluation service to PNWU through the OTCAS system. PNWU does not accept equivalency reports sent directly from applicants. OTCAS only accepts electronic foreign evaluations from World Education Services (WES), Inc. Paper WES evaluations are not accepted.
2. Two letters of reference submitted through OTCAS. Applicants should choose letter writers who know them well so they can comment on the following:
   • The applicant’s ability to be academically successful.
   • The applicant’s professional behaviors such as timeliness, communication, accountability, teamwork, work performance, and/or service commitment.
   • The applicant’s fit with the profession of occupational therapy.
     • One letter from a current or previous instructor/professor or someone who has worked with the applicant in a supervisory role (either paid or voluntary work/service).
     • One letter from an occupational therapist. However, if an applicant did not have an opportunity to shadow an occupational therapist, the applicant may submit a letter from either a second instructor/professor or a second supervisor.
       • Applicants who are Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) and who are currently employed as a COTA must provide at least one letter of reference from their current occupational therapist supervisor.
       • Applicants who are Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) and who are NOT currently employed as a COTA must provide one letter of reference from a prior occupational therapist supervisor.
3. Personal Statement and Three Supplemental Essays: The prompts for the supplemental essays will be available in OTCAS  once the cycle opens in mid-July. To find out more about the supplemental essays and the application process, we encourage potential applicants to attend a free, online information session.
4. Employment Verification Form: COTA applicants without a bachelor’s degree must complete an employment verification form to complete their application. The information will be verified by a PNWU selected vendor if the student is admitted to PNWU-SOT.

• The SOT does not require drug testing as part of the application process. However, clinical education opportunities may require drug testing after acceptance to the program. In those instances, the student is responsible for paying for, and obtaining any additional drug or background tests.
• The School of Occupational Therapy does not defer admissions, but it encourages students to apply again in the following year.
• Acceptance is conditional until all required documentation is received and completed to PNWU’s satisfaction. If accepted to the MSOT program, applicants must complete all program entry requirements as outlined in the applicant’s offer letter from the School of Occupational Therapy before the start of the summer semester prior to enrollment in the MSOT program (typically the 2^nd week in June).

• Pass a criminal background check
• Possess a current CPR certification
• Meet medical and immunization requirements
• Attest they meet minimum technical standards as specified in the student catalog
• All final, official transcripts from every college or university attended must be on file prior to matriculation
• Employment verification for COTA applicants without a bachelor’s degree
• Parts of the PNWU MSOT curriculum may be delivered online. Students are required to have a computing device that meets the minimum hardware and software requirements detailed in the “Technology Services” section of the PNWU Student Catalog