Help others live life to the fullest.

Walking the dog. Brushing your teeth. Simple activities for most. But for those with acquired or developmental challenges, the simple activities that many take for granted are monumental, if not impossible, tasks.

Occupational therapists assess the fit between the environment, a person’s abilities and the tasks the individual wants or needs to do, in order to optimize their participation in those tasks. Through App State’s Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program, you will discover how science, creativity and compassion converge in this helping profession, which is in high demand across medical, educational and human service settings.

The program will provide you with a strong foundation in culturally competent and compassionate care, along with the knowledge and skills necessary to become a highly qualified and certified occupational therapist. Your studies will focus on working with people across the lifespan, helping them develop or reclaim the skills to do things they want, need or have to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities.

In addition to a robust curriculum, you will have opportunities for hands-on clinical experiences and fieldwork with regional health care providers and schools,working under the supervision of faculty and staff in the Beaver College of Health Sciences.

App State’s OT program is currently in eligibility status for accreditation through the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, with full accreditation expected by spring 2026. Students who graduate from accredited OT programs are eligible to take the national certification exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. The program is also pending accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), which is expected by the end of fall 2023.

Visit the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences website for more information about the OT program and to learn about the admissions process and prerequisite coursework.