Pre-Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy

St. Catherine University offers two alternatives for completing the Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy (MAOT). A dual-degree program is available to undergraduate students resulting in a B.A. or B.S. degree in select majors (see below and Dual Degree Programs tab), and a Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy (MAOT). The graduate entry-level MAOT program is available to students who have completed a B.A. or B.S. in another major. The graduate program is available in a weekday format.

There are three options for admission to the dual-degree program and the master of arts in occupational therapy (MAOT). Each option requires completion of the following prerequisite courses.

Prerequisites

It is strongly recommended that all prerequisite courses be completed within the past 10 years.

BIOL 2610Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab4
BIOL 2620Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab4
INDI 2220Medical Terminology2
or IPE 1030 Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology
PSYC 1001General Psychology with Lab4
PSYC 2025Lifespan Developmental Psychology4
PSYC 3010Understanding Psychological Disorders4
Select one of the following:4
Principles and Concepts of Sociology
Sociology of Health and Medicine
Cultural Anthropology
Select one of the following:4
Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences
Statistical Analysis for Decision Making
Biostatistics
Statistical Methods in Psychology
Statistical Analysis with Corequisite
Statistical Analysis

Option 1: Guaranteed Admission Program (GAP)

Students may apply to the University and to the guaranteed admission program during their senior year in high school. Students must meet the following criteria to be eligible for consideration for the MAOT guaranteed admission program:

Required:

  • ACT score of 24 or better
  • Cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better on a 4.0 scale
  • Declare one of the four dual-degree majors (see below) as their intended area of study

Select students are admitted to the guaranteed admission program each year. Students who apply on or before February 15 of their senior year will be given priority consideration for admission to the program.

Once admitted to the GAP pre-OT, students must meet all the admission criteria and submit a standard application as outlined in Option 2 (see below) along with other Dual-Degree Graduate OT Program applicants. GAP pre-OT students who have met all admission and application criteria will be given the first open Dual-Degree spots in the program before other Dual-Degree applicants are considered.

Option 2: Standard Application Process for the Dual-Degree MAOT Program

In this option, students enter one of the University's pre-occupational therapy areas of study in communication studies, exercise and sport science, psychology, or public health: public policy that include all MAOT prerequisites, liberal arts core requirements, and major course work in the particular field of study.

Students are eligible to apply to the MAOT program in their junior year provided all MAOT admission requirements have been met. Applicants must complete a dual degree application and meet all other admission criteria for consideration to the program including:

  • Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or better

  • Prerequisite course work GPA of 3.2 or better

  • Have met with a pre-occupational therapy advisor
  • At least six of the prerequisite courses were completed before applying to the MAOT program, including at least two from the sciences (anatomy, physiology, statistics)
  • Only one prerequisite course may be repeated, and it may not be repeated more than once
  • If two or more prerequisite courses have a grade lower than a C the student is ineligible for the dual-degree program

Students accepted into the MAOT for their senior year will be granted a B.A. or B. S. degree after successful completion of the first year of the MAOT program if they have met all graduation requirements. The student’s major will be public health: public policy, applied science in communication studies, applied science in exercise and sport science, or applied science in psychology. Students continue with approximately one more year of graduate-level occupational therapy coursework to complete the MAOT degree.

Students who are not accepted into the MAOT program can complete a major in communication studies, exercise and sport science, psychology, or public health: public policy. The curriculum for each of the areas of study is listed on the Dual Degree Programs tab.

Option 3: Entry-Level Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy Program

This option is designed for students who have completed a B.A. or B.S. in another major. 

Students are eligible to apply to the MAOT program provided all MAOT admission requirements have been met. Applicants must apply to the program using the OTCAS online application system and meet all admission criteria for consideration to the program including:

  • Cumulative GPA of 3.2 or better

  • Prerequisite course work GPA of 3.2 or better

  • Have met with a pre-occupational therapy advisor
  • At least six of the prerequisite courses were completed before applying to the MAOT program, including at least two from the sciences (anatomy, physiology, statistics)
  • Only one prerequisite course may be repeated, and it may not be repeated more than once
  • If two or more prerequisite courses have a grade lower than a C the student is ineligible for the entry-level Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy program

For more information, please contact the Office of Graduate Admission or the Department of Occupational Therapy at St. Catherine University.

The curriculum for each of the dual degree programs - communication studies, exercise and sport science, psychology, and public health: public policy - is listed below.

NOTE: The graduate courses students take after completing their bachelor's degree are listed at the very bottom of this section.

Communication Studies

This major is available in the College for Women only.

Required Prerequisite Courses (pre-MAOT)
BIOL 2610Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab4
BIOL 2620Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab4
PSYC 1001General Psychology with Lab4
IPE 1020Medical Terminology1
or IPE 1030 Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology
PSYC 2025Lifespan Developmental Psychology4
PSYC 3010Understanding Psychological Disorders4
Select one of the following:4
Principles and Concepts of Sociology
Sociology of Health and Medicine
Cultural Anthropology
Select one of the following:4
Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences
Statistical Analysis for Decision Making
Biostatistics
Statistical Methods in Psychology
Statistical Analysis with Corequisite
Statistical Analysis
Communication Studies Core Courses
COMM 1000WIntroduction to Communication: Women and Social Change4
COMM 1030Speaking to Lead and Influence4
COMM 2050Media, Culture and Society4
COMM 3070WGender and Rhetoric4
COMM 3100Communicating across Cultures, Identities and Differences4
COMM 4600Leadership and the Art of Persuasion4
COMM 485XSenior Seminar 4
One additional 4000-level course 4
Graduate Courses Taken After Admission to Dual Degree Program
OCTH 5010Human Occupation3
OCTH 5200Mental and Behavioral Health3
OCTH 5410Children, Adolescents, and Families3
OCTH 5500Neuroscience3
OCTH 5600Kinesiology for Rehabilitation3
OCTH 6000Foundational Skills for Occupational Therapy Practice3
OCTH 6010Seminar A: Entering the Profession1
OCTH 6020Seminar B and Level I Fieldwork - Psychological and Social Factors Impacting Performance1
OCTH 6310Evidence Based Practice3
OCTH 6410Foundations of Research3
OCTH 6610Rehabilitation Concepts3
OCTH 6700Older Adults in Context3
Total Credits93

Students who do not gain entry into the MAOT program after their junior year complete the major (B.A. degree) in communication studies.

Exercise and Sport Science

This major is available in the College for Women only.

Required Prerequisite Courses (pre-MAOT)
BIOL 2610Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab4
BIOL 2620Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab4
IPE 1020Medical Terminology1
or IPE 1030 Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology
PSYC 1001General Psychology with Lab4
PSYC 2025Lifespan Developmental Psychology4
PSYC 3010Understanding Psychological Disorders4
Select one of the following:4
Principles and Concepts of Sociology
Sociology of Health and Medicine
Cultural Anthropology
Select one of the following:4
Statistical Analysis for the Social Sciences
Statistical Analysis for Decision Making
Biostatistics
Statistical Methods in Psychology
Statistical Analysis with Corequisite
Statistical Analysis
Exercise and Sport Science Core Courses
EXSS 2650Introduction to Exercise and Sport Science1
EXSS 2800WIntroduction to Research Methods in Exercise Science4
EXSS 3200Health Behavior Psychology4
EXSS 3350Kinesiology and Biomechanics with Lab4
EXSS 3450Exercise Physiology with Lab4
EXSS 3550Exercise Testing and Prescription with Lab4
EXSS 3615Motor Learning and Motor Control4
EXSS 3750Care and Prevention of Athletic Injuries2
IPE 4200WHealthcare Teams - Evidence-Based Practice4
Graduate Courses Taken After Admission to Dual Degree Program
OCTH 5010Human Occupation3
OCTH 5200Mental and Behavioral Health3
OCTH 5410Children, Adolescents, and Families3
OCTH 5500Neuroscience3
OCTH 5600Kinesiology for Rehabilitation3
OCTH 6000Foundational Skills for Occupational Therapy Practice3
OCTH 6010Seminar A: Entering the Profession1
OCTH 6020Seminar B and Level I Fieldwork - Psychological and Social Factors Impacting Performance1
OCTH 6310Evidence Based Practice3
OCTH 6410Foundations of Research3
OCTH 6610Rehabilitation Concepts3
OCTH 6700Older Adults in Context3
Total Credits92

Students who do not gain entry into the MAOT program after their junior year complete the following courses for a major (B.S. degree) in exercise and sport science:

EXSS 3400Foundations of Sport Psychology4
EXSS 3500Methods of Strength Training and Conditioning4
EXSS 4612Fieldwork2
EXSS 4614Fieldwork4
EXSS 4850Capstone1
CHEM 1110General Chemistry I with Lab4
FSNU 2300Nutrition Foundations4
FSNU 3400Sports Nutrition4
IPE 2800Healthcare Teams: Opportunities and Challenges in Aging4
Total Credits31

Psychology

This major is available in the College for Women only.

Required Prerequisite Courses (pre-MAOT)
BIOL 2610Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab4
BIOL 2620Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab4
IPE 1020Medical Terminology1
or IPE 1030 Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology
Select one of the following:4
Principles and Concepts of Sociology
Sociology of Health and Medicine
Cultural Anthropology
Psychology Core Courses
PSYC 1001General Psychology with Lab 14
PSYC 1090Statistical Methods in Psychology 14
PSYC 2025Lifespan Developmental Psychology 14
PSYC 3000Research Methods in Psychology4
PSYC 3010Understanding Psychological Disorders 14
PSYC 3XXX or 4XXXElective4
PSYC 4220WHistory and Systems4
Graduate Courses Taken After Admission to Dual Degree Program
OCTH 5010Human Occupation3
OCTH 5200Mental and Behavioral Health3
OCTH 5410Children, Adolescents, and Families3
OCTH 5500Neuroscience3
OCTH 5600Kinesiology for Rehabilitation3
OCTH 6000Foundational Skills for Occupational Therapy Practice3
OCTH 6010Seminar A: Entering the Profession1
OCTH 6020Seminar B and Level I Fieldwork - Psychological and Social Factors Impacting Performance1
OCTH 6310Evidence Based Practice3
OCTH 6410Foundations of Research3
OCTH 6610Rehabilitation Concepts3
OCTH 6700Older Adults in Context3
Total Credits73

Students who do not gain entry into the MAOT program after their junior year complete the following courses for a major (B.S. degree) in psychology:

PSYC 2850Seminar I: Psychology Engages the World2
PSYC 4850Seminar II: Current Issues in Psychology2
Select two courses offering laboratory experimentation from the following:8
Health Psychology with Lab
Socialization Processes with Lab
Learning Principles and Applications with Lab
Memory and Cognition with Lab
Industrial/Organizational Psychology with Lab
Experimental Social Psychology with Lab
Biopsychology with Lab
Select one additional philosophy course in consultation with advisor. Recommended courses include:4
Ethics
Philosophy of Psychology
Biomedical Ethics
Total Credits16
1

 Meets MAOT required prerequisite

Public Health: Public Policy

This major is available in the College for Women and the College for Adults.

Required Prerequisite Courses (pre-MAOT)
BIOL 2620Human Anatomy and Physiology II with Lab4
IPE 1020Medical Terminology1
or IPE 1030 Healthcare Teams Foundations and Medical Terminology
PSYC 1001General Psychology with Lab4
SOCI 2300Sociology of Health and Medicine4
or SOCI 3250 Cultural Anthropology
Public Health Core and Concentration Courses
HLTH 1090Biostatistics 14
HLTH 2050Foundations in Public Health4
HLTH 3150Epidemiology4
HLTH 3250Global Health4
HLTH 3350Environmental Health4
HLTH 4700Practicum Preparation2
HLTH 4754Practicum4
HLTH 4800WSenior Seminar in Public Health4
BIOL 2610Human Anatomy and Physiology I with Lab 14
MGMT 3850Healthcare Policy4
or ECON 3250 Healthcare Economics
PSYC 2025Lifespan Developmental Psychology 14
PSYC 3010Understanding Psychological Disorders 14
One course related to the legal, economic and communication dimensions of health4
Graduate Courses Taken After Admission to Dual Degree Program
OCTH 5010Human Occupation 23
OCTH 5200Mental and Behavioral Health3
OCTH 5410Children, Adolescents, and Families3
OCTH 5500Neuroscience3
OCTH 5600Kinesiology for Rehabilitation3
OCTH 6000Foundational Skills for Occupational Therapy Practice3
OCTH 6010Seminar A: Entering the Profession1
OCTH 6020Seminar B and Level I Fieldwork - Psychological and Social Factors Impacting Performance1
OCTH 6310Evidence Based Practice3
OCTH 6410Foundations of Research3
OCTH 6610Rehabilitation Concepts3
OCTH 6700Older Adults in Context3
Total Credits95

Students who do not gain entry into the MAOT program after their junior year complete the following courses for a major (B.S. degree) in public health: public policy:

One additional social science course selected in consultation with advisor4
Total Credits4
1

 Meets MAOT required prerequisite

2

Counts for one Public Health major course

Graduate-Level OT Courses Taken after Completion of One of the Bachelor's Degree Programs Listed Above

OCTH 5210Mental and Behavioral Health: The OT Process3
OCTH 5450Children, Adolescents, and Families: The OT Process3
OCTH 5560Participation and Technology3
OCTH 6030Seminar C and Level I Fieldwork Practice Reflection1
OCTH 6040Seminar D: Readiness for Level II Fieldwork1
OCTH 6045Community and Advocacy3
OCTH 6060Physical Assessment and Intervention Planning3
OCTH 6615Rehabilitation Practices3
OCTH 6620Ethical Management3
OCTH 6710Older Adults - The OT Process3
OSOT 7000Master's Project Seminar1
OSOT 7500Master's Project3
OCTH 7700Level II Fieldwork5
OCTH 7710Level II Fieldwork5
Total Credits40