Department of Occupational Therapy

Faculty: Anderson (Fargo Site Coordinator), Gjellstad, Kitzenberg (Program Director), Kolsrud- Anderson (Doctoral Capstone Coordinator- Bismarck & Fargo), Lawson, Sandvig, Schroeder, Seifert, Sibla (Associate Dean & Chair), Varland (Lead Academic Fieldwork Coordinator)

Mission

The mission of the Occupational Therapy Program is to prepare practitioners with a foundation in moral courage and guided by the University of Mary’s Benedictine values, to provide evidence-based, compassionate, client-centered therapy to those they serve. 

Program Overview

Occupational therapy makes it possible for people to achieve independence and to enjoy life to its fullest. The Occupational Therapy program at the University of Mary prepares students to be competent, caring, ethical, compassionate occupational therapy practitioners who can meet the diverse occupational needs of individuals, groups, and communities. Graduates of the occupational therapy program will have the skills and training necessary to practice in a variety of professional roles and settings.

The University of Mary offers an entry level master’s degree or doctoral degree. Students can learn more about both degrees during the first two semesters of the program to determine which is best for them. Upon successful completion of your occupational therapy degree, you will be eligible to take the certification examination for the occupational therapist, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). The master’s degree and the doctorate degree in Occupational Therapy is offered at the University of Mary’s main campus in Bismarck, ND, along with satellite location in Fargo, ND. The Bismarck and Fargo locations offer the program through live video conferencing for lectures while labs are held separately. The Billings location offers the doctorate degree and does not use interactive video conferencing.

Students may apply to the Occupational Therapy Program through several different pathways. The traditional application process is for students who are seniors or already have a bachelor’s degree; the priority admissions is for students who are junior status (60- 89 credits) and UMary seniors; and early assurance program provides an avenue for seniors in high school to apply. The University of Mary offers a unique approach by allowing students to begin the Occupational Therapy Program during their senior year of college. These students are eligible to receive a bachelor’s degree in occupational performance upon completion of required coursework. This allows students to complete an occupational therapy master’s degree in as little as 5 years or a doctorate degree in 6 years.

Program Outcomes

Bachelor’s Degree

The bachelor’s degree program is expected to launch in Fall 2024. Upon completion of the bachelor’s degree in Occupational Performance, the graduate will:

• Understand the importance of health promotion, health awareness, and occupation in overall health and well-being.
• Explain the socio-economic, behavioral, biological, environmental, and other factors that impact human health and contribute to health disparities.
• Communicate and interpret meaning accurately and effectively through writing and speaking skills.
• Apply critical thinking skills in problem solving to address health related issues.

Master’s Degree

Upon completion of the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy degree at the University of Mary, the graduate will:

• Function autonomously in a variety of roles and practice settings using effective clinical reasoning to apply the occupational therapy process based on best evidence.
• Demonstrate entry level competencies in written and oral communication to effectively collaborate with others intra and interprofessionally to provide valuable healthcare services.
• Use servant leadership skills to make ethical decisions and effect change through skilled communication, therapeutic use of self, advocacy, and evidence base practice.
• Meet the unique needs of individuals, communities, and populations through the application of knowledge in delivery models, policies, and systems in current and emerging practice settings.

Doctoral Degree

Upon completion of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree at the University of Mary, the graduate will:

• Function autonomously in a variety of roles and practice settings using effective clinical reasoning to apply the occupational therapy process based on best evidence.
• Demonstrate entry level competencies in written and oral communication to effectively collaborate with others intra and interprofessionally to provide valuable healthcare services.
• Use servant leadership skills to make ethical decisions and effect change through skilled communication, therapeutic use of self, advocacy, and evidence base practice.
• Meet the unique needs of individuals, communities, and populations through the application of knowledge in delivery models, policies, and systems in current and emerging practice settings.
• Articulate the importance of research for the profession and demonstrate the ability to implement research in practice.
• Synthesize knowledge above entry level practice in one area to facilitate development of leadership skills, project implementation skills, and self-initiation.

Credentialing

Upon satisfactory completion of the University of Mary graduate program curriculum, students are awarded the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy or Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree, in accordance with their program of study. Graduates of both programs are eligible to take the certification examination for the occupational therapist, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. Successful completion of this examination leads to certification as an occupational therapist and to the title “Occupational Therapist, Registered” (OTR).

Additionally, individual state regulations must be met for the OTR to practice. Most states require licensure in order to practice; however, licenses are usually based upon results of the NBCOT certification examination. When applying or state licensure, certification or registration, a criminal background check is typically completed. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to take the National Board for Certification examination or to attain state licensure.

Accreditation Status

The Occupational Therapy Doctoral program at the University of Mary is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).  The master’s degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by ACOTE. The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). ACOTE is located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s phone number, C/O AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA.

University of Mary NBCOT Pass Rates

Pass rates can be found at https://secure.nbcot.org/data/schoolstats.aspx

Admission Requirements - Graduate Program

Application to the Graduate Occupational Therapy Program Process and Policy

See Discrimination & Harassment Policy Information here.

The Occupational Therapy Program at the University of Mary values diversity and inclusion through our Benedictine values of respect for persons, hospitality, and community. We look forward to receiving your application!

Policy: This policy gives core faculty and pre-occupational therapy students direction in the admissions process for the occupational therapy education program. Included in this policy are the minimum criteria for admission, the application process and the interview process and the priority admissions program. No transfer credit or credit for experiential learning may be applied toward fulfilling the UMary OT Program curriculum. 

Procedures: The admissions committee consists of one faculty and the program chair appointed on a yearly basis to oversee the admissions process.

Students may apply to the program during the junior year of their undergraduate studies and take the first year of the occupational therapy program during their senior year/ first year of graduate school, thus combining the senior/ first graduate year.

Application Process

All information about the application process, including the admission requirements is available at www.umary.edu under Occupational Therapy. Applications are scored based on cumulative GPA, cumulative pre-requisite GPA, completion of 20 volunteer hours with an OT, and a written personal statement. In addition, University of Mary students will be allotted additional points per semester of attendance (up to 4 points maximum- ½ point per semester). 

Based on scoring of application, select applicants are invited for the formal personal interview process. Interviews may be held in person or online. We invite you to our campus and encourage you to consider a face-to-face interview to provide you with an opportunity to meet our faculty and students, to develop a sense of the University of Mary community and culture, and to see our campus locations, including the expanded interprofessional space and new classrooms on the Bismarck campus.

Application Requirements

Criteria for Admission for Seniors or Those Who Have Completed a Bachelor’s degree (Traditional Admissions)

The traditional admissions process for students who are seniors (90 credits or more) and have not attended the University of Mary or who have completed a bachelor’s degree is to apply to the University of Mary Occupational Therapy program through OTCAS at www.otcas.org.

There are three rounds of application review and interview. 

• First round: Applications received by October 1.
• Second round: Applications received by November 15
• Third round: Applications received by December 30. 
• Any applications received after December 30 as time allows until all slots are filled.

Traditional Application Requirements

• Completed bachelor’s degree prior to beginning the Occupational Therapy curriculum in the fall semester.
• Prerequisite Course Requirements
  • Anatomy & Physiology I with lab
  • Anatomy & Physiology II with lab
  • General Chemistry with lab OR Physics with lab
  • General Psychology
  • Developmental or Lifespan psychology
  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Statistics (from math or psychology department)

(AP courses appropriately documented are accepted for pre-requisite courses)

• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and a minimum of a “C” in all pre-requisite coursework. Students may retake a pre-requisite course one time, with a maximum of three courses being retaken. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 in pre-requisite coursework is required.
• Twenty (20) volunteer hours with an occupational therapist. It is highly recommended that the hours occur in more than one area of practice. The clinical hours must have taken place within the last 2 years prior to the application deadline. Additional volunteer hours with nonprofit organizations which provide services to people are highly recommended.
• International candidates must submit official TOEFL scores to OTCAS by the application deadline. Applicants much achieve a minimum TOEFL score of 89 or 90 on the Internet-based test (iBT). The Occupational Therapy Program also requires a minimum TOEFL iBT Speaking subscale of 26, TOEFL iBT Writing subscale score of 24, TOEFL iBT Reading subscale score of 21, and iBT Listening subscale score of 18. All exams are valid for two years.
• Foreign Transcripts: The University of Mary Occupational Therapy Program only accepts prerequisite coursework taken at an accredited US institution. Coursework completed in Canada should be submitted to OTCAS for evaluation. 

Criteria for Admissions for Juniors (Priority Admissions)

Students who are of junior year status (60-89 credits) at any university and University of Mary seniors may apply to the Occupational Therapy Program. Applicants must be in progress to complete a bachelor’s degree. Applications are submitted directly to the University of Mary at www.umary.edu/apply. If needed, students who are accepted to the Priority Admissions Program may defer the start of the Occupational Therapy Program by one year.

Priority Application Requirements

• Anatomy & Physiology I with lab
• One of the psychology courses
• Any one of the following courses: Anatomy & Physiology II, Chemistry or Physics, Statistics

• All remaining pre-requisite courses must be completed prior to beginning the OTD program.
  • Anatomy & Physiology II with lab
  • General Chemistry with lab OR Physics with lab
  • General Psychology
  • Developmental or Lifespan psychology
  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Statistics (from math or psychology department)

(AP courses appropriately documented are accepted for pre-requisite courses)

• A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and a minimum of a “C” in all pre-requisite coursework. Students may retake a pre-requisite course one time, with a maximum of three courses being retaken. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 in pre-requisite coursework is required.
• Twenty (20) volunteer hours with an occupational therapist. It is highly recommended that the hours occur in more than one area of practice. The clinical hours must have taken place within the last 2 years prior to the application deadline. Additional volunteer hours with nonprofit organizations which provide services to people is highly recommended.
• International candidates must submit official TOEFL scores to OTCAS by the application deadline. Applicants much achieve a minimum TOEFL score of 89 or 90 on the Internet-based test (iBT). The Occupational Therapy Program also requires a minimum TOEFL iBT Speaking subscale of 26, TOEFL iBT Writing subscale score of 24, TOEFL iBT Reading subscale score of 21, and iBT Listening subscale score of 18. All exams are valid for two years.
• Foreign Transcripts: The University of Mary Occupational Therapy Program only accepts prerequisite coursework taken at an accredited US institution. Coursework completed in Canada should be submitted to OTCAS for evaluation. 

Application due dates

First round: All application materials must be received by October 15, with interviews to follow for selected candidates.

Second Round: All application materials must be received by November 15, with interviews to follow for selected candidates.

Third round: All application materials must be received by December. 15, with interviews to follow with selected candidates.

All applications received after December 15 will be interviewed as time allow until all spots are filled

Early Assurance

High school seniors may apply for early enrollment into the OT program. Applicants for early enrollment must have at least a composite score of 24 on the ACT or a GPA of 3.5 and complete an interview with an OT faculty member. Students accepted for this program sign an agreement detailing specific requirements, including required GPA and undergraduate courses taken at UMary, in order to reserve a slot in the OT Program when they are ready to start.

Programs

• Occupational Performance Major

• Pre-Occupational Therapy Concentration

• Occupational Therapy, M.S.O.T.
• Occupational Therapy, O.T.D.