Master of Occupational Therapy

*OTA to MOT Bridge Program

The entry-level master of occupational therapy (OTA-MOT bridge) program at RMU will apply for candidacy, August 2023, by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA, and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

The program must be granted Candidacy Status, have a pre-accreditation 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). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. NOTE: Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within two years of completing didactic portion of the MOT program.

Program Development Timeline: 

Date                                                         Task 

August 15th, 2023                          Candidacy application submitted to ACOTE

December 1st-25th, 2023          ACOTE reviews and approves RMUoHP’s application

December 25th, 2023                   Notification from ACOTE on candidacy application – If candidacy is approved, the

                                                                     program will start accepting applications for Fall 2024 enrollment

January 1st, 2024                            Accepting applications for Sept 2024 enrollment if candidacy application if approved

September 3rd, 2024                    OTA-MOT Bridge Program classes begin

Pre-requisites include:

Bachelors degree from a regionally accredited institution, minimum GPA 3.0, no single course graded less than 2.0. Courses that must be included:

• Anatomy and Physiology 200 level, No LABs required, A&P two-semester series acceptable (6 credits)
• Abnormal psychology 100 level (3 credits)
• Anthropology OR sociology 100 level (3 credits)
• Statistics 100 level (3 credits)

NOTE: RMU has established relationships with institutions that provide pathways to complete an affordable, online bachelor’s degree while completing the pre-requisites for the bridge program.

A minimum GPA of 3.0 in all required prerequisite and bachelors courses

One year of practice as a certified occupational therapy assistant: equivalent to 1500 hours/avg 30 hrs per week

RMU’s OTA-MOT bridge program will be delivered over 2 years using a hybrid instructional model (limited residency). Specifically, students will not be required to relocate to Provo, Utah, to attend face-to-face classes. Uniquely occupational therapy students will be required to participate in two intensive learning weeks the first four semesters for hands-on laboratory experiences, skills checks, practical examinations, mentoring, and advisement. The remainder of the instruction will capitalize on RMU’s expertise in instructional delivery via online synchronous and asynchronous teaching and learning. In addition to allowing students to remain in their city and state of residency, the planned program will offer:

• instruction that will be delivered from a diverse set of experts in the field from all over the United States,
• innovative collaborations with the College of Optometry related to low vision, developmental vision, and driving habilitation/rehabilitation,
• new and state-of-the-art occupational therapy specific and interprofessional laboratory, lecture, and clinic spaces,
• collaborative learning opportunities with practicing occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants to obtain post-professional degree/training,
• on-campus experiences with students and faculty with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and expertise,
• Provo, Utah specific outdoor experiences that are unique to the Rocky Mountains.

RMU will update this page as the program transitions through the various steps of the ACOTE accreditation process.

*Last Updated 8.28.23