Master of Occupational Therapy

Graduation Rate

The total number of graduates from the FGCU Master of occupational therapy program during the 3-year period of 2023-2025 was 95 with an overall graduation rate of 97%.

National Certification Examination Requirements:

The National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1987 to protect the public from incompetent and unethical occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants.  There are two primary mechanisms that the board uses to carry out their mission.  One is by requiring that an individual make a minimum passing score on the National Certification Examination for Occupational Therapist.  After successfully passing the certification examination, an individual may use the initials OTR (Occupational Therapist Registered) after his/her name.  However, in many states with licensure, an individual cannot identify themselves as an OTR unless they are also licensed in the state. 

An occupational therapist is certified for five years.  After five years, an occupational therapist may apply for recertification by NBCOT.

Specific information regarding the application process for taking the exam will be provided during the final year of the student's program. For more information on the recertification program, please contact NBCOT.  Telephone: 301-990-7979, email: 'Info' info@nbcot.org .  Student performance on the NBCOT exam by program can be found by selecting the state, program level, and year.

IMPORTANT:  A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the certification exam required by the National Board for Certification in occupational therapy and/or affect the graduate's ability to obtain a license to practice.  Increasing numbers of clinical placement sites are requiring criminal background checks before accepting students for class or fieldwork experiences.  The program therefore requires that accepted students obtain an approved criminal background check while in the program. Information regarding criminal background checks will be provided during the first semester by the Fieldwork Coordinator.

The OTCAS portal For the Next FGCU Application Cycle Will Open for Applicants in Late June for Matriculation the Following Year  

Masters in Occupational Therapy Application Process

The occupational therapy program at Florida Gulf Coast University  participates in the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service, known as OTCAS. Applicants applying to the Master of occupational therapy program will apply online using the OTCAS application (https://otcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login). Students manage their applications online and may apply to more than one school at a time.

We no longer require the GRE!

Application process opens for applicants in late June.  Deadline for completed FGCU application on OTCAS is November 1st. Click the link for OTCAS frequently asked questions (https://help.liaisonedu.com/OTCAS_Applicant_Help_Center).

It can take up to four weeks before an application is verified by OTCAS and released to us for review.  We recommend that you submit your OTCAS application at least four weeks prior to our deadline.

All application materials must be received in order for your application to be reviewed by FGCU.  

Program Admission Requirements

• Baccalaureate degree in any field. An official transcript from a regionally accredited college or university must be submitted; degree may be pending completion at time of application. GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• GPA of 3.2 or higher in prerequisite courses (listed below).
• Completed Documentation of Shadowing/Volunteer Hours forms documenting at least 20 hours of shadowing or volunteer experience in at least two (2) OT practice environments in accordance with Guidelines for Shadowing/Volunteer Hours.  Must be signed by an OT or OTA including credentials.  
• Personal statement in accordance with Personal Statement Guidelines.
• Interview (arranged by invitation when all other application materials have been received and reviewed).
• The following prerequisite courses or the equivalent must be completed with a grade of C or better (a grade of C- or less is not acceptable). Students may complete three prerequisites in the Summer session after provisional acceptance into the program.  All requirements must be completed before beginning the graduate level of study. Courses noted in parentheses are FGCU courses that meet the requirement:
• Two courses in human anatomy & physiology w/lab (BSC 1085C & BSC 1086C).  It is highly recommended that labs not be completed online.  Must be completed before taking OTH3417C & OTH3429C
• Any approved abnormal psychology or psychopathology course (CLP 4143)
• Any approved lifespan human development course (DEP 2004)
• Research course with health professions or behavioral research focus (IHS 4504)
• Any approved musculoskeletal anatomy course w/lab (OTH 3417C)
• Any approved neuroanatomy/neurophysiology course (OTH 3429C)
• Any approved introductory physics or qualified physical science course [covers mechanics, heat, electricity, magnetism] (PHY 2020, PHY 2048 or 2048C/2048L or PHY 2053 or 2053C/2053L)
• Any general psychology course (PSY 2012)
• Any statistics course (STA 2023 or STA 2037)
• Any sociology or anthropology course with a multicultural theme (SYG 2000, SYG 2010, SYG 2250, ANT 2000, or ANT 2410)

Accepted students are expected to complete a Medical Terminology class by November 15th of their first semester in the program.

Applicants to the occupational therapy program submit all required documentation through OTCAS, but will be required to submit additional documents to the Office of Graduate Admissions following an offer of admission. 

Admission to the program is competitive. Meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee admission to the program.
(Please note: When selecting these documents below, they will download for you to view or print) test

• Admissions Checklist
• Guidelines for Shadowing/Volunteer Hours
• Documentation of Shadowing/Volunteer Hours
• Guidelines for Personal Statement

Visit the FGCU Academic Catalog to review specific Admissions information and Program Requirements.

Official Course Descriptions

Search for official course descriptions by using the Course Description Search utility.

Go to the Course Descriptions Search Web page, then follow these steps:

1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select a course prefix from one of the SUBJECT dropdowns (required)
3. Enter search words in the TEXT field (optional, but will narrow the search results)
4. Press Search

Supplemental Course Descriptions

The following course descriptions only provide information about the focus that an individual professor chooses to take for their course. These descriptions are not a replacement for the official course description. Use the Course Description Search page to find the official course description.

Occupational Therapy Curriculum Overview

The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) program at is designed to develop both clinical competence and professional confidence through an integrated sequence of classroom, laboratory, community-based, research, and fieldwork experiences. Grounded in the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework 4th ed. (AOTA, 2020), henceforth referred to as the Framework or OTPF, as well as that specified in the Standards from an Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE, 2023), the curriculum follows a developmental process model in which students progress from foundational knowledge to applied clinical reasoning, leadership, community engagement, and independent practice. Research and fieldwork are not separate components of the curriculum; rather, they are integrated throughout the three curricular tracks that guide student learning and professional development.

Professional Identity

This track focuses on developing ethical, reflective, and competent occupational therapy practitioners. Students explore professional roles, leadership, communication, advocacy, management, supervision, and professional behaviors while learning to collaborate effectively with clients, caregivers, colleagues, and communities. Through interprofessional education, professional development planning, reflective practice, research participation, community engagement activities, and fieldwork experiences, students develop a strong professional identity aligned with occupational therapy values and standards.

Occupation-Centered Practice

This track emphasizes occupation as the core of occupational therapy practice. Students develop knowledge and skills related to occupational performance, evaluation, intervention planning, theory application, documentation, technology, and outcomes measurement across the lifespan. Learning experiences include case-based learning, simulation, guided laboratory activities, competency assessments, research projects, and fieldwork experiences that promote evidence-based, occupation-centered services for individuals, groups, and populations.

Community Engagement

This track connects classroom learning with real-world practice through service-learning, research, scholarship, community partnerships, and fieldwork. Students examine population health, occupational justice, social determinants of health, advocacy, program development, and community-based practice. Through collaboration with community organizations, students identify needs, develop innovative solutions, evaluate outcomes, and promote health, participation, and well-being across diverse populations.

Developmental Curriculum Progression

The curriculum follows a developmental sequence that builds knowledge, skills, confidence, and professional responsibility over time. During the first semester, students establish foundational knowledge of occupational therapy, human occupation, movement, research, and professional practice with individuals, groups, and populations through the lifespan. In the second semester, students begin applying occupational therapy processes through evaluation, documentation, pediatric and behavioral health practice, and their first integrated fieldwork experience. During the third semester, students further develop intervention planning, group leadership, theory application, research implementation, and psychosocial practice skills. The fourth semester emphasizes advanced practice areas, technology, community-based practice, leadership, scholarship dissemination, and program development. Throughout these semesters, integrated Level I fieldwork, research, and community experiences provide opportunities to apply learning in authentic contexts. The curriculum culminates in fifth and sixth semester Level II Fieldwork experiences, where students integrate knowledge from all three curricular tracks while progressing toward entry-level competence as occupational therapists.

Getting started with the Course Schedule Search

Search for program courses by using the Course Schedule Search utility.

Go to the Course Schedule Search Web page, then follow these steps:

1. Select an Academic Year from the TERM dropdown (required)
2. Select one or more of the search options to narrow your results (for example, CAMPUS, COLLEGE, DEPARTMENT, LEVEL, PREFIX*, COURSE ATTRIBUTE**). For virtual or web courses, select VIRTUAL in the CAMPUS field.
3. Press Search.

*A course prefix is a three-letter designator for a major division of an academic discipline (for example, ACG for Accounting , BSC for Biological Science, ENC for English Composition). See the Degree Requirements page for a list of courses (with prefix and number) that can be used to fulfill degree requirements.

**A course attribute identifies specific characteristics of courses that can be used in a Degree Evaluation to satisfy a degree requirement. (Course attribute examples are Humanities courses - GEHM and Social Science courses - GESO.)

Course Matrix for the MSOT Program (7 Semesters of courses)

Graduates of the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy will be able to:

1. Use clinical reasoning skills to determine appropriate assessments for a given client, conduct and interpret those assessments, and establish a treatment plan consistent with best practices in occupational therapy.
2. Utilize content knowledge and clinical reasoning gained in the program of study to determine appropriate practice responses to various challenges in clinical context.
3. Interact with clients, caregivers, other professionals, representatives of funding sources, and support staff in a respectful manner, using language appropriate for the context.

Tuition and Fees
Current Cost	MS OT Program 1st Fall	MS OT Program 1st Spring	MS OT Program 1st Summer	MS OT Program 2nd Fall	MS OT Program 2nd Spring	MS OT Program 2nd Summer	Total Cost of Program
Tuition*               In-state	$5,600.70	$5,974.08	$4,853.94	$5,227.32	$4,107.18	$373.38	$26,136.60
Tuition**         Out of state	$19,509.90	$20,810.56	$16,908.58	$18,209.24	$14,307.26	$1,300.66	$91,046.20
Equipment Fees	$129.00	$129.00		$129.00	$129.00		$516.00
Course Fees	$342.00	$51.00	$5.00	$90.00			$488.00
Textbooks (Hard bound, new)	$877.00	$438.00	$155.00	$233.00			$1,703.00
					In-state		$28,843.60
					Out of state		$93,753.20
							REV: 2026

* Information on Tuition, Fees and estimated total Cost of Attendance also available on the Office of the Bursar web site.

**It takes one year to establish FL residency.

Fees are subject to change.

In addition to typical FGCU student cost, occupational therapy students can anticipate additional cost (estimated/subject to change) related to the following:

  CPR: (Infant, Child, & Adult): $48.00 or higher

  Medical Terminology: $95.00

  Medical Documentation Management: $35.00

  Level 1 Criminal Background Check: $62.74

  Level 2 FBI Fingerprinting: $68.76

  Professional Liability Insurance: $18.00

Fieldwork sites also require additional information including an annual physical, 2-step PPD, and influenza shot; medical insurance, TDAP, and titers (measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, & Hepatitis B); some fieldwork sites require additional requirements such as a Hepatitis C titer, urine/blood drug screenings and COVID vaccinations. Students will be required to obtain all site requirements before completing fieldwork. 

In the event of a negative titre, students will be required to obtain additional vaccines and will not be permitted to attend fieldwork until a positive titre is recorded. Additional costs for MMR : $87; Hepatitis B: $50.

Students must provide own transportation to fieldwork sites.

Financial Aid Opportunities

Visit FGCU's Financial Aid Web site for information about grants, additional scholarships, loans, and student employment. Visit https://www.fgcu.edu/graduatestudies/financinggradstudies#InStateISGraduateStudentTuitionSupport for information about Graduate Studies tuition support.

Scholarship Information

Occupational Therapy Advisory Council Endowed Scholarship Fund

• Recipients will be students who have been accepted into and are enrolled in the occupational therapy program at FGCU.
• Recipients will have a history of service to the community.  This can be through service-learning courses or direct service without credit.
• Awards will be based on academic merit and need.  Merit will be the first criterion, with financial need being the deciding factor when merit is similar (though not necessarily exact) amount candidates. Merit will be based on a combination of undergraduate GPA and GRE scores.

To apply for the Occupational Therapy Advisory Council Endowed Scholarship or to find information in regards to other scholarships please visit FGCU Foundation/Scholarship.

Click here to visit the Gulf Coast Student Occupational Therapy Association, Inc.

OT Fieldwork Educators' Resources

Fieldwork Education is a crucial part of professional preparation and is best integrated as a component of the curriculum design. The fieldwork experience is designed to promote professional reasoning and reflective practice, transmit the values and beliefs that enable ethical practice, and develop professionalism and competence in career responsibilities. Fieldwork experiences should be implemented and evaluated for their effectiveness by the educational institution. The experience should provide the student with the opportunity to carry out professional responsibilities under the supervision of qualified personnel serving as a role model.

Fieldwork Sites

The Occupational Therapy Program maintains a diverse network of fieldwork sites and community partners that provide students with opportunities to complete both Level I and Level II Fieldwork experiences. These partnerships encompass a broad range of practice settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, home health agencies, behavioral health and substance use programs, pediatric clinics, school systems, and other community-based settings.

The program currently maintains partnerships with more than 650 fieldwork sites and community organizations, providing students with access to varied learning experiences across populations, practice settings, and areas of occupational therapy practice. These partnerships are essential to supporting students’ professional development and preparing them for entry-level occupational therapy practice.

Level I and Level II Fieldwork Goals

The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)  states the goal of Level I fieldwork is to introduce students to fieldwork, apply knowledge to practice and develop understanding of the needs of clients.

• The goal of Level II fieldwork is to develop competent, entry-level, generalist occupational therapists. Level II fieldwork must be integral to the program’s curriculum design and must include an in-depth experience in delivering occupational therapy services to clients, focusing on the application of purposeful and meaningful occupation and research, administration, and management of occupational therapy services. It is recommended that the student be exposed to a variety of clients across the lifespan and to a variety of settings.
  
  

  • Behavioral Objectives

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    Level I Behavioral Objectives

    Level II Behavioral Objectives

  • Fieldwork Educators Resources

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    FEAT Instrument (Fieldwork Experience Assessment Tool)

    Fieldwork Weekly Performance Summary (Student Complete)

    AOTA's OT Student Supervision

    HIPAA Guidelines for Fieldwork

  • Additional Resources

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    Curriculum Design/Description

    Resources on Learning Styles