Discover How Long It Takes To Earn a Master’s in Occupational Therapy

Wondering “How long is an occupational therapy master's program?” At MCPHS, it's only two years, helping you land a promising career quickly and efficiently.

Whether you're in high school thinking about higher education or in undergraduate studies and considering your next steps, your time is valuable. That's why the time to completion in any degree—especially master's programs—is critical for maximizing your educational journey and getting into your dream job ASAP.

Oftentimes, these programs take three years to finish, but at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), it takes only two years to get a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT). This guide will fill you in on what you can expect during those two years. We'll also share helpful tips on undergraduate prep, prerequisite coursework, and fieldwork expectations.

What Is a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy?

If you're looking for a patient-focused health profession, occupational therapy could be the career path for you. However, you must first go to occupational therapy school to get your MSOT. This degree is a professional, entry-level master's designed to thoroughly prepare every occupational therapy student for the complex role. An occupational therapist (OT) assists people of all ages to regain mobility and maintain skills for daily life through training, home or work environmental changes, and meaningful activities.

Upon graduating from this program, you'll be eligible to sit for the NBCOT certification examination and pursue state licensure after successful completion of your state's specific clinical practice requirements.

Typical Undergraduate Preparation: How To Get Ready for Graduate School

Before starting graduate studies, you must think about finishing every prerequisite course, getting fieldwork experience, and ensuring you find proper undergraduate programs to support your long-term goals. Let's look at a few of the most common considerations as you prepare for your master's program:

Undergraduate Studies Timeline

Standard bachelor's degrees take about four years to complete, depending on the chosen school and program. Students who anticipate getting their master's in occupational science typically go into majors like:

• Psychology
• Biology
• Kinesiology
• Exercise science
• Health sciences
• Sociology
• Education

While every student's timeline is different, many begin planning for occupational therapy school as early as their sophomore year. Freshman year is when it's best to dive deep into the topics of health science and learn the foundations to determine if you feel it could be a health profession you'd excel at. Then, during your sophomore year, you can begin actively mapping out your prerequisite course load, researching occupational therapy programs, and getting involved in related volunteer work or shadowing.

Your third and fourth years of undergrad mark the start of the application strategy and submissions phase. Build relationships with professors and occupational therapists, finalize your application components to relate to the occupational therapy program you're applying to, and interview with universities that you're considering.

What Prerequisites Are Required for OT Programs?

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences requires common undergrad courses, like:

• Statistics 
• Anatomy and Physiology     
• Social Sciences     
• Exercise physiology 

Factors That Can Extend Undergraduate Prep

If you've decided to go into occupational therapy a bit later in your undergraduate studies or want more time to gain relevant volunteer or work experience, it can extend your timeline. There's nothing wrong with this; just be aware of your chosen program's application deadline and know what's feasible given the graduate admission requirements.

MCPHS Pathways Into the Occupational Therapy Program

There's no wrong way to get an MSOT degree—some options just take a little longer than others. MCPHS offers two OT program options when striving to become a registered occupational therapist:

Option 1: Postgraduate Track

The traditional route of completing a four-year bachelor's, finishing prerequisites, and applying separately to the two-year MSOT takes a total of six years–or seven if you opt for a longer undergraduate program.

This is ideal for students who want more flexibility in their undergraduate studies or aren't completely sure about their career paths.

Option 2: BS/MSOT Pathway

Option two is a pathway that combines both your bachelor's and master's degrees. With this choice, you'll earn a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. First, you'll do three years of undergrad studies, laying the foundation for more complex topics, then you'll complete the professional two-year phase. This allows you to have a structured curriculum that's aligned with MSOT prerequisites from day one.

Quick Comparison: Which Is Right for You?

• 3+2 pathway: This offers a streamlined, time-efficient route with built-in academic continuity, reduced application stress, and faster career entry
• Postgraduate track:  Offering greater flexibility in undergraduate major choice and pacing, this option is well-suited for students who decide on occupational therapy later

How Long Is the Master of Occupational Therapy at MCPHS?

MCPHS's MSOT is a two-year, full-time program at the Manchester and Worcester campuses. During those two years working alongside experts in their field, here's what you can expect:

Year One

In your first year of grad school, you'll learn about critical reasoning and contemporary theory, and how they work together. This knowledge creates a basis for decision-making and intervention planning to assist with patient problems. During this time, you'll try out different practices that could be available to you after graduation, including mental health and therapeutics.

Year one is also when experienced professors will walk through motor performance, fundamental skills across the human lifespan, and the neuroscience foundations of therapy. The year will round out by embarking on your first apprenticeship and field practice, giving you hands-on clinical experience and helping you create impactful connections for your future career.

Year Two

The second and final year of the OT program consists of learning about challenges involving children and adolescents. This will help familiarize yourself with common roadblocks you'll help patients work around. You'll learn about non-age-related symptoms like cognitive and visual impairments. Year two will give you the tools necessary to create long-term patient treatment programs, as well as the chance to look into different advanced management concepts for occupational therapy practices.

As you come to the end of your two-year master's program, you'll participate in real-world environments like labs that will give you similar experiences to traditional clinical settings. Your professors will also help you explore the various occupational therapy careers available to you upon graduation.

Fieldwork Requirements, Licensing, and Postgraduate Steps

Fieldwork is a critical component of your higher education, and most occupational programs require two levels of fieldwork, each serving a distinct purpose:

• Level I fieldwork: Integrated with academic coursework to provide early exposure to occupational therapy practice. These opportunities have shorter time spans and take place in a variety of settings, giving you the chance to observe professionals and interact with patients.
• Level II fieldwork: Concentrated, more intensive clinical experiences highlight experiences in practice settings. Level II fieldwork is meant to prepare you for entry-level work and is often done in full-time blocks. Clinical rotations commonly include two rotations, each consisting of about 12 weeks.

After successful completion of this program, you're eligible to take the NBCOT exam. Upon passing this test, you must meet all state-specific licensing requirements before being able to practice legally. Make sure you know what's expected of you in the state you expect to work in.

Choose a Tried-and-True Program from MCPHS

Most students spend about six or seven years total taking the traditional MSOT pathway, with four years of undergraduate studies and two or three years of undergraduate studies. While this method works, there's a faster and more streamlined approach.

MCPHS offers an accelerated BS/MSOT degree program that enables you to get both a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in just five years. Not only does this get you into a coveted role earlier, but it also enables you to solely focus on occupational therapy education for the entirety of your higher education, streamlining two degrees through one single program.

Further your occupational therapy education with a master's program from a world-renowned university. Apply to MCPHS today.