Pre-Occupational Therapy

Course Requirements

General occupational therapy school course requirements include:

  • Human Anatomy
  • Human Physiology
  • General Chemistry
  • One semester of general psychology
  • One semester of developmental psychology
  • One semester of abnormal psychology
  • Sociology or Anthropology
  • One semester of public speaking
  • Ethics
  • One semester of physics 
  • One semester of college algebra
  • One semester of statistics

Different programs may have additional requirements. 

Suggested Course Work Arrangement:

First semester

  • HES 1004 Intro to Health and Exercise Science
  • FYS 1004 First-Year Seminar

Second semester

  • BIO 1206 Integrated Concepts of Biology: Organisms and Ecosystems
  • FYS 1104 First-Year Research Seminar

Third semester

  • CHEM 1055 Principles of Chemistry I 

Fourth semester

  • CHEM 1065 Principles of Chemistry II    

To be taken as schedule allows:

  • PSY 1004 General Psychology
  • PSY 2114 Human Development: Conception to Adolescence, PSY 2124 Human Development: Adulthood to Aging, or PSY-2104 Lifespan Development
  • MATH 1144 Elementary Statistics
  • WRC 1034 Public Speaking or other communications course
  • BIO 3065 Animal Physiology or BIO 3016 Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy or both semesters of BIO 2014 Anatomy and Physiology I and BIO 2104 Anatomy and Physiology II**
  • EXSC 3014 Physiology of Exercise (required for some programs)
  • EXSC 2094 (BIO 2014) Anatomy and Physiology I
  • EXSC 2104 (BIO 2104) Anatomy and Physiology II

GRE

The GRE is a requirement for most programs. 

The GRE tests the following subject areas:

  • Verbal Reasoning
    • Sentence completion
    • Analogies
    • Antonyms
    • Reading comprehension
  • Quantitative Reasoning
    • Arithmetic
    • Algebra
    • Geometry
    • Data analysis
    • Problem solving
    • Quantitative comparison
  • Analytical Writing
    • Present your perspective on an issue
    • Analyze an argument

Competitive applicants

  • Overall GPA: 3.2

In addition to a minimum grade point average, a minimum GRE score, and the prerequisite coursework, many occupational therapy schools also require that applicants have a minimum number of direct observation hours in occupational therapy clinical settings.

Factors that increase competitiveness:

  • Community service/volunteer work
  • Experience in the field
  • Leadership
  • Strong communication skills

Important Links

  • American Occupational Therapy Association
  • Information about the GRE
  • In-state schools
    • Spalding University
Transylvania University | Academics