Occupational Therapy (Pre-Occupational Therapy)

Undergraduate Programs

Description

Occupational Therapy is a pre-professional program. The purpose of pre-professional programs is to provide students with the intellectual and academic backgrounds they will need before continuing their education in degrees not offered at Minnesota State Mankato. Acceptance to professional educational institutions is contingent upon academic performance, so students enrolling in pre-professional programs should be highly motivated and realize they are expected to maintain standards of excellence. Advisors play an important role in guiding the students enrolled in such programs so students are urged to contact the advisor before enrolling. 

The Pre–Occupational Therapy curriculum is a natural and social science–oriented curriculum which meets the standard requirements for admission to most occupational therapy programs. The majority of schools require a Bachelor’s degree prior to application for admission, although some still accept students following two or three years of college preparation. It is important that students check requirements for their professional school of choice as some require classes in addition to those contained in this concentration. Most programs also require that the student take the Graduate Record Examination and score at a certain level.

Majors to Consider with Occupational Therapy Concentration:

  • Biology
  • Child Development and Family Studies
  • Exercise Science
  • Health Science: Community Health
  • Psychology
  • Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services: Therapeutic Recreation

Graduate programs generally do not specify what undergraduate major must be completed. They are concerned about your performance within the major (including GPA) and that you have successfully completed all pre-requisite coursework.

Policies & Faculty

Policies

Pre-Occupational Therapy Concentration Courses 

  • BIOL 220 Human Anatomy (4)
  • BIOL 330 Principles of Human Physiology (4)
  • STAT 154 Elementary Statistics (4)
  • CHEM 106 Chemistry of Life Process Part I (General) (3) OR 
  • CHEM 111 Chemistry of Life Process Part II (Organic & Biochemistry) (5)
  • PSYC 101 Introduction to Psychological Science (4)

 

  • PYSC 343 Developmental Psychology (4) OR
  • PYSC 433, 436, and 466 (Child Adolescent and Aging (12) OR
  • KSP 235 Human Development (3) 

 

  • PSYC 455 Abnormal Psychology (4)
  • SOC 101 Introduction to Sociology (3)
  • HLTH 321 Medical Terminology (3)
  • HP 265 Orientation to Occupational and Physical Therapy (2)

AOTA Website for Accredited OT Programs: https://www.aota.org/Education-Careers/Find-School.aspx

As professional programs transition to OTD, more are changing pre-requisites and requiring physics. 

Be sure to check the specific pre-requisite courses of programs you plan to apply to and tailor the above list to meet those requirements.

Contact Information

Advisor (507) 389-1471
Student Relations Coordinator (507) 389-5194

Faculty

Advisor
  • Jessica Albers, Ph.D.
Student Relations Coordinator
  • Shirley Murray