Entry-Level Dual-Degree BS in Health Science Studies / Master of Occupational Therapy (4+1.5)

Entry-Level Dual-Degree

BS in Health Science Studies / Master of Occupational Therapy (4+1.5)

On Campus

It’s easy to take for granted everyday life activities such as driving, socializing, cooking, bathing or playing ball. When people with physical or mental challenges struggle with these basic activities, they can rely on the occupational therapists who help them return to work, be successful in school and manage daily tasks so they can lead richer, more meaningful lives.

Two occupational therapy students work with a child on a swing board in the movement lab.

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Sep 21

Undergraduate Open House

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Oct 16

University Wide Career Fair

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Oct 20

Undergraduate Open House

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Program Overview

Occupational therapists work with people at all stages of life. They teach children with learning disabilities techniques to achieve in school. They provide effective strategies for the elderly to help them remain independent and active. They help regain or adapt the abilities of people with injuries or lifelong disabilities so they may participate in daily activities at work, school, home or in the community.

With the maturing of the baby boomer generation, the rise in autism diagnoses and the return of military personnel with injuries, the demand for occupational therapists is growing.

In our five-and-a-half-year BS/MOT program, you’ll work alongside expert faculty using modern facilities, such as our suite of life-size patient simulators and a model apartment with adaptive technologies. You’ll apply theory to practice beginning in your first year with an OT course. In your junior year, you’ll participate in supervised learning in community settings with our renowned clinical and community partners.

Our Reputation

Named a Best Grad School for Occupational Therapy

U.S. News & World Report

Ranked #3 - Best Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions Schools in the New England Region (2022)

College Factual

Profession Statistics

$93K Well Compensated

The media annual salary for occupational therapists in 2022 was $93,180. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023)

+11% In Demand

The projected percent change in employment for occupational therapists from 2022 to 2032. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023)

#4 Best Healthcare Jobs

U.S. News and World Report ranked occupational therapist the fourth-best job in the healthcare field. (2024)

Choosing Your College Major

Video Occupational Therapy versus Physical Therapy — Do you know the difference between PTs and OTs? Learn how these entry-level programs give you the skills you need to help patients achieve their health and recovery goals.

Comparing the Master’s and Doctorate Degree

There are some differences between earning a master’s degree in occupational therapy or a doctor of occupational therapy degree.

What are the differences in outcomes?

	Master's Degree	Doctorate Degree
Clinical Practice	Prepared to practice in any traditional clinical area; has the opportunity to gain breadth of knowledge in specialized areas	Ready to practice in either traditional or non-traditional area; has opportunity to gain in-depth knowledge in specialized areas
Scholarship and Research	Can participate in research in collaboration with others	Can lead a research project in collaboration with others
Leadership and Management	Understands the skills for management and effective supervision	Understands the skills for management, effective supervision, and entrepreneurship Has additional training in leadership skills and understanding of systems
Program Development	Has the basic skills to develop and implement programs	Has leadership skills to develop, implement, and evaluate programs
Teaching	Understands the skills to work in academia; prepared to be a fieldwork educator	Has skills and theoretical preparation to work in academia; prepared to be a fieldwork educator and clinical educator

What are the differences in the academic curriculum?

Master of Occupational Therapy

Breadth of Practice

Children and youth
Adults and older adults
Mental health
Work and industry
Choice of special topic as electives

Length of Study

5.5 years
- 4 undergraduate years
- 1.5 graduate years

Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Depth of Practice

Children and youth
Adults and older adults
Mental health
Work and industry
Leadership and entrepreneurship
Advocacy and health policy
Program development and scholarship
Higher education / academia

Length of Study

6 years
- 4 undergraduate years
- 2 graduate years

What are the differences in the clinical curriculum?

Master of Occupational Therapy

Breadth of Practice

Focus:

Two, 12-week fieldwork experiences in established areas of practice (hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, schools)
Choice of settings that cater to children and youth, adults and older adults, or persons with mental health/psychosocial needs

Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Breadth of Practice

Focus:

12-week fieldwork experience in established areas of practice (hospitals, clinics, rehabilitation centers, schools)
12-week fieldwork experience in role-emerging or non-traditional settings that address the unmet needs of populations. For example:
- community reintegration for the homeless
- work programs for teens with intellectual disability
- adaptive sports for persons with physical disability
- social participation for elderly experiencing isolation

14-week capstone experience focusing on in-depth knowledge in clinical practice, research, leadership, program development, advocacy or academia

Which OT Program is Right for You?

Earning a Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) or Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree allows you to take the national certification exam and become a licensed occupational therapist. Our degrees in occupational therapy position graduates to promote health and participation for people across the lifespan — whether you are a newcomer to the field or an experienced practitioner looking to advance your credentials.

Explore and compare our Occupational Therapy programs

Student Experience

Occupational Therapy students play in a ball pit

Our programs will provide you with an innovative and experiential education that prepares you to thrive as a holistic clinician and make an impact in healthcare and the community. You'll be equipped with the tools and insights to become a trailblazer, not just a practitioner. Within our environment of support and respect, you will grow into an occupational therapist who shapes the future of our profession in both traditional and emerging OT environments. As a part of our program, students have endless opportunities:

Be advised by occupational faculty beginning day one of your first year.
Earn certificates and badges including Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Certificate and Interprofessional Healthcare Education Badge.
Participate in global learning opportunities to address needs in underserved communities in South and Central America and the Caribbean Islands as well as those closer to home.
Get involved in initiatives such as Lions Low Vision Center, CarFit, Camp No Limits, Skiers Unlimited adaptive skiing, Dementia Friends and more.
Conduct faculty-mentored research and present at venues such as the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference.
Become part of a First-Year Occupational Therapy Living-Learning Community or the Interprofessional Healthcare LLC.
Learn in state-of-the-art facilities including Human Anatomy Lab, Standardized Patient Assessment Center and high-tech clinical practice labs.

Our Students in Action

Two health sciences students smile with a skiing camp participant, starts video — Do you like to ski? Are you interested in helping others? Follow Annemarie Allen ’22, MOT ’24, an occupational therapy major, as she volunteers with the Skiers Unlimited program.

An occupational therapy student smiles, starts video — Each year, Quinnipiac University’s occupational therapy and physical therapy programs host Camp No Limits, an overnight camp for children and adolescents with limb loss and their families. Follow Nicole Moran ’17, MOT ’19, as she takes you through what it’s like to take part in the camp.

Student Spotlight

Students talk with a resident at Masonicare.

Unique partnership matches students-in-residence with Masonicare community

August 17, 2023

When Annemarie Allen, ’23, MOT ’25, and Elise Maiorano, ’23, MOT ’25, learned they could provide effective strategies to help the elderly remain independent and active, while spending an academic year residing at Masonicare’s assisted living community, they immediately had the same thought.

Program Outcomes

Graduating Year	Students Graduated/Entered¹	Graduation Rate
2023	91/104	88%
2022	81/90	90%
2021	86/99	87%

Graduation Rate from the past 3 years (2021-2023): 88%

Total number of students graduating: 258
Total numbers of students entering: 293

¹The denominator represents students who entered the professional phase of the 5.5-year BS/MOT program at the junior year. This total combines students who were admitted in their first year and those who transferred into the program.

The National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy only posts the names of successful candidates. The final count of new grads taking the exam is provided at the end of the calendar year. Information about the program's performance in the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam may be accessed and verified through the NBCOT website.

Program Statistics

100% Pass Rate

Percentage of 2023 graduates who passed the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quinnipiac University currently offers two pathways for high-school graduates who wish to become occupational therapists.

Master’s Degree (MOT):
- This is a 5½-year program. It is considered a dual degree because you will earn a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree. (BS/MOT). Students will complete their bachelor’s degree in 4 years and will have 1 ½ years to complete their master’s degree.
Clinical Doctorate Degree (OTD):
- This is a 6-year program. It is a dual degree where you will earn a bachelor’s degree and a doctoral degree (BS/OTD). Students will complete their bachelor’s degree in 4 years and have 2 years to complete their doctoral degree.

Earning an MOT or OTD degree allows you to take the national certification exam and become a licensed occupational therapist.

Quinnipiac University’s BS/MOT program will be a good fit if, upon graduation, you:

plan to work in an established OT practice setting such as a hospital, rehabilitation center, school or early intervention program
want to be adept at using evidence-based practice to provide the most effective care to your clients

Quinnipiac University’s BS/OTD program will be a good fit if, upon graduation, you:

plan to work in established areas of OT practice or an area where the tremendous benefit of OT has yet to be established
want to become a leader within your workplace, community or the profession
are interested in creating programs or conducting clinical research to provide the most effective care to your clients

Yes, you can transfer into the BS/OTD program on a space-available basis. Students who have earned 3 semesters of coursework are encouraged. Once accepted, students will be required to take OT courses at the 100 and 200 level before entering the professional phase as a junior. Transfer applications are reviewed at the end of each semester.

Students with junior or senior standing are advised to apply to the graduate-entry occupational therapy doctorate program

Students in the OTD program are required to complete a pair of 12-week, full-time fieldwork experiences and a culminating, 14-week capstone experience.

The fieldwork experiences are completed at the end of the second year of the graduate curriculum. Students may indicate their preferences for a setting or a population. One of those settings is working with underserved populations where OT can be of great benefit.

The culminating capstone experience is completed at the end of the third year of the graduate curriculum. Students design an individualized capstone experience and a corresponding capstone project that demonstrate in-depth knowledge of OT practice, leadership skills and scholarship.

High school diploma. You also may be admitted to either program if you have 1-2 years of college, including an associate degree.
4 years of math and science classes
Volunteer hours are recommended, but not required
Please contact the Office of Admissions for additional information regarding GPA and standardized testing requirements

If you have questions and wish to discuss your interest with a representative of the Occupational Therapy Department, please contact us.

Accreditation

The BS/MOT program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) located at ACOTE (c/o Accreditation Dept, American Occupational Therapy Association, 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814) and may be contacted by phone 301-652-6611 and/or through its website: www.acoteonline.org. The BS/MOT received its 10-year reaccreditation on August 2019 and will undergo another accreditation review through a self-study and on-site visitation during AY 2028-2029.

Graduates of the program are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of the NBCOT exam, the individual will be an occupational therapist, registered (OTR). Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, state license eligibility is usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination.

A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the certification exam or attain state licensure. Criminal background checks are required prior to the start of the student's Fieldwork Level I experience in the junior year and are updated, if required, before each Fieldwork Level II experience.

NBCOT