Admissions

Print the Admissions Requirements and Application Checklist form.

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The Occupational Therapy Program also offers an early admittance decision option for St. Scholastica freshman (see Accelerated Criteria Track).

The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program will consider applicants who:

• Submit a completed Graduate Admissions Application form online or download the .pdf print version.
• Submit a non-refundable application fee of US $50.
  Effective March 15, 2007, when you provide a check as payment, you authorize us either to use information from your check to make a one-time electronic fund transfer from your account or to process the payment as a check transaction. For inquiries please call the College of St. Scholastica Business Office at 1-800-447-5444 or 723-6092. When we use information from your check to make an electronic fund transfer, funds may be withdrawn from your account as soon as the same day you make your payment, and you will not receive your check back from your financial institution.
• Submit all official transcripts of baccalaureate and graduate coursework.
• Earned a cumulative GPA of 2.70 in undergraduate and prerequisite coursework.
• Submit a complete Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Essay.
• Complete a minimum of two Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Observation forms within 2 years prior to application. Two observations need to be 20 hours each.
• Complete an on-site written essay exercise.
• Submit two Graduate Recommendation forms, one from an OTR/COTA.
• Submit a completed Student Immunization Form.
• Complete interviews with faculty of the Occupational Therapy Admissions Committee.
• Complete 96 semester credits prior to entry into the professional program, including 16 upper division credits.
• Have completed the all prerequisite requirements prior to the beginning of the Occupational Therapy courses.
• Submit a TOEFL examination or the Michigan Test score is required of all international applicants and applicants whose primary language is not English. The minimum TOEFL score of 550 on the paper-based test or 213 on the computer-based text is required. The minimum Michigan Test score of 80 is required.

International applicants will need to complete additional requirements.

Note: Meeting minimal entrance requirements does not necessarily guarantee admission.

Admission Prerequisites

Applicants to the Occupational Therapy graduate program will need to fulfill the following undergraduate course requirements:

• General Psychology
• Lifespan Development Psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• General Biology 
• Anatomy & Physiology I and II (or human anatomy and human physiology courses)
• Pathophysiology
• An introductory Sociology or Anthropology course
• Medical Terminology
• Statistics
• Research Methods
• Physics

Admission Requirements upon Acceptance

Upon acceptance into the Occupational Therapy graduate program students will need to:

• Complete a Student Immunization Form, including physical and proof of immunizations.
• Pass mandated federal and state criminal background checks prior to fieldwork experience.

Application Deadline

The application deadline for fall entry is November 15. Review of completed application files will be considered after November 15 until the class of 32 is filled.

Acceptance Categories

The Occupational Therapy graduate program grants acceptance in the following categories:

Full Acceptance: granted to those students who meet all admission requirements.

Provisional Acceptance: granted to those students who have not submitted all required materials but who otherwise have met the admission requirements. Students are allowed one semester to submit remaining credentials and are not eligible for Financial Aid until Full Acceptance into the program.

Probationary Admission: granted to those students who do not meet the GPA requirements but who otherwise exhibit reasonable evidence to indicate their ability to do satisfactory graduate work. Students will be removed from probationary status after completion of 12 semester credits of satisfactory work in graduate courses and not eligible for Financial Aid until Full Acceptance into the program.

Non-degree Acceptance: reserved for those students who wish to pursue courses for professional development but who do not wish to earn a degree or for those students who have course deficiencies that cannot be remedied within one semester. Students will be admitted to courses on a space available basis. No more than one-third of the semester credits taken in non-degree status can be applied toward a degree in the event that the student wishes to transfer to degree bound status. Students in this category are not eligible for Financial Aid.

Freshmen Admission Criteria Track

FACT is a criterion based, early admission program for the graduate Occupational Therapy Program. The program is available for freshmen at The College of St. Scholastica. Students who declare their intent to pursue a master's degree in Occupational Therapy will be guaranteed admission to that program after three years of undergraduate work if they meet the plan criteria. Students who want to participate will need to:

Transfer Credits

Students may apply transfer graduate credits they have earned from an accredited college or university toward completion of their St. Scholastica degree. A maximum number of six graduate transfer credits can be applied. The transfer credit must have been completed no more than seven years prior to the date the St. Scholastica degree is completed. Forms to request transfer of credits can be obtained from the Graduate Studies Office. The College of St. Scholastica will consider transfer credits from students who:

• Submit a Credit Transfer Application form.
• Submit official transcript sent from the accredited institution.
• Submit the course syllabus, catalog or other descriptive information.
• Demonstrate course content is applicable to the program enrolled.
• Have earned course grade of 3.0 or better.
• Completed the course seven years prior to graduating from the St. Scholastica program.

Degree-seeking students planning to enroll in courses at another institution with the intent to transfer the credits to The College of St. Scholastica will need to send a written request and supporting course documentation to the program director prior to enrolling in the course. Written approval will be provided if the course is acceptable for transfer.

The College of St. Scholastica is registered as a private institution with the Minnesota Office of Higher education pursuant to sections 136A.61 to 136A.71. Registration is not an endorsement of the institution. Credits earned at the institution may not transfer to all other institutions.