Occupational Therapy

Advanced Master of Science Degree
Distance Education Format Available

The last class for the for the program will be accepted in Fall of 2008. The program will not be accepting new applicants after this semester. The last course offerings for the program will be in the Fall of 2010.

Temple University is offering its well-established Advanced Master of Science Degree in the Department of Occupational Therapy in a distance education format. Students will be able to complete coursework on-line and with 2-3 long weekend on-campus sessions per year. Students are required to attend the on-campus sessions to launch and wrap-up the coursework. Orientation, advisement, and introductions to faculty are also provided during on-campus sessions. Information on housing arrangements is provided by the department.

The program prepares therapists to be advanced clinicians, program developers, researchers and educators. Applicants must be certified as Occupational Therapists via the procedures specified by the NBCOT. This is a 36 semester hour program consisting of specific required course work that includes a thesis/project in the students specialty area of practice, as well as electives related to the clinical practice area.

Students have 12 credits of required coursework and 24 elective credits. Six elective credits are interdisciplinary and taken in other departments at the university or transferred in from another institution. Elective credits can be used to take courses in specialty practice areas. Students can receive a Professional Enhancement Course Completion Certificate (see Professional Enhancement Course Completion Certificates) in a variety of areas through their elective coursework while completing the Master’s Degree.

Required Coursework
OT 8101 Advanced Theory and Practice
Introductory course in the structure and function of theory and its importance for the advanced practitioner. Particular emphasis is placed on the process of critical structural and functional analysis of theories, specifically those theories currently popular in occupational therapy practice and those applicable to the students' areas of clinical specialty.

OT 8153 Scientific Analysis
Research in health care practice and education. Includes critical review of manuscripts, research design, and review of statistical procedures. Each student will develop a research proposal.

OT 9990 Action Research
Scholarship, theory building, application of frames of reference to clinical practice, and validation of the activity approach to encourage the integration of theoretical knowledge and practice. Students will identify an individual problem, and develop strategies for its solutions through the development of a thesis proposal.

OT 9996 Master's Thesis
For students in the process of research and writing of their thesis/project, in order to fulfill requirements for graduation.

Departmental Elective Course Options
OT 8122 Studies in Assistive Technology
OT 8121 Environmental Adaptations
OT 8134 Issues in Pediatric Practice
OT 8131 Assessment in Pediatric OT Practice
OT 8132 OT Intervention in Pediatric Practice
OT 8141 Concepts of Gerontological Rehabilitation 1
OT 8100 Topics in OT Specialty: Concepts of Gerontological Rehabilitation 2
OT 8133 Family Centered Care
OT 8160 Advanced Management and Health Related Service Delivery
OT 8172 Neurobiological Foundations of Sensory Integration
OT 8173 SIPT Administration and Interpretation
OT 8174 Sensory Integration Practice Applications
OT 9087 Clinical Specialty Practicum

Please view elective course descriptions under the Professional Enhancement Course Completion Certificates.

Admissions Requirements:
Graduated from an accredited Occupational Therapy Program with a Certificate or Bachelor’s degree
Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate degree or 9 s.h. of graduate credit with a 3.25 GPA
Achieve a score of 50th percentile on the Miller Analogy Test or Graduate Record Exam
One year of clinical experience
Two letters of reference
Written statement of graduate education goals

Application Instructions and Forms:

You may request a Graduate School Application for the Master of Science Degree program by calling the Department of Occupational Therapy at 215-707-4813 or by e-mail to otcahp@temple.edu. Please make sure to specify that you are an occupational therapist so that we send you the correct application. You can also complete an on-line application. Specific application procedures and information can be obtained at:
OT_admission_ApplicationInstruction-Forms.htm