Occupational Therapy Admissions

Applications must be submitted through the Occupational Therapy Central Application System (OTCAS). The Harding OT program follows a rolling admissions process, with priority deadline of the First Friday of October annually. All factors are considered that demonstrate an applicant’s qualifications and alignment with the program’s mission. The admission requirements include:

1. Completion of all prerequisite courses with a grade of C or better by the program’s start date. *All prerequisites must be completed within 7 years prior to enrollment.
2. All official transcripts from all colleges attended, including coursework currently in progress, must be submitted through the OTCAS as part of the application process.
3. Baccalaureate degree completed by the start date of program.
4. Harding OT does not have a set minimum GPA requirement. Applicants should realize competition dictates that many students will have an overall GPA >3.0 and prerequisite GPA > 3.0. These standards reflect a greater opportunity for success with the curriculum and national board examination.
5. Three letters of recommendation submitted through OTCAS or through the Harding application portal.
   • One letter of recommendation should be provided by an occupational therapist or another qualified allied health professional.
   • One letter of recommendation should be provided by a professional who has observed the applicant’s work.
   • One letter of recommendation should be provided by a spiritual mentor or other mentor who has observed the applicant’s character.
6. Applicants must complete the personal statement as prompted by the OTCAS system. 
7. Tuition deposit of $500.00 within two weeks of acceptance (non-refundable that is applied toward the first semester of tuition).
8. Students who are Harding graduates will be given preference in the admission process.

It is important to note that while the rolling admissions policy allows for applications to be submitted and reviewed throughout the year, it is recommended that applicants submit their applications as early as possible in OTCAS. This helps ensure that there are still available spots in the program and allows for a smoother transition into the program for admitted students.

Master of Science in Occupational Therapy Admission Checklist pdf

• All coursework to be completed with a C or better by the program's start date.

• All prerequisites must be completed within seven years of the program's start date.

  Sociology/Anthropology	3 hours
  Abnormal Psychology/Psychopathology	3 hours
  Lifespan Development/Developmental Psychology	3 hours
  Statistics	3 hours
  Anatomy and Physiology (with lab)	8 hours
  Medical Terminology	1 to 3 hours or a certificate completion

  Please contact our department at occupationaltherapy@harding.edu for more information.

Students will be required to complete a background check. Many fieldwork sites require background checks. Failure to do so will constitute failure to meet the pre-matriculation requirements of the program and will result in the withdrawal of a conditionally accepted offer. Matriculation and continued enrollment in the Occupational Therapy program is contingent upon a completed criminal background check with acceptable results.

All occupational therapy students must maintain the technological resources and skills necessary to participate fully in program instruction, testing and learning activities. The program uses various educational technologies, including Canvas (LMS), ExamSoft (secure testing) and online learning platforms like Simucase.

Students are responsible for ensuring that they have:

• A personally owned laptop or device that meets program specifications and is kept current with all required operating system and software updates.

• Current recommended hardware/operating Systems include:

  • Windows 10 or newer, or macOS 13 Ventura or newer

  • Reliable internet access and functioning audio/visual equipment.

• The ability to access and navigate program-approved platforms, including the learning management system, secure testing software and online learning resources.

• Responsibility for maintaining device security, safeguarding exam content and complying with university and program technology policies.

Failure to meet technology requirements may limit students' ability to complete coursework, assessments or other program requirements. Students are expected to seek technical support in a timely manner when needed.

Harding Occupational Therapy does not accept transfer credit for coursework completed at other accredited programs. Due to the sequential nature of our curriculum, each course builds on specific information taught in earlier courses. This restricts the transferability of credits earned outside of our program.  For the same reason, although we acknowledge the value of professional experience in the field of occupational therapy, Harding Occupational Therapy also does not provide credit for work history. We encourage students to leverage their work history to enhance their understanding and application materials for admission.

AP scores and CLEP credit will be allowed to fulfill occupational therapy prerequisite courses. These course exams can satisfy occupational therapy prerequisite requirements. The credit must appear on their university transcript from a regionally accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. If approved, the course exam credit will not count toward the calculation of the prerequisite GPA. Final acceptance of course exam credit is determined by (the Admissions Committee or the HUOT Program Chair).

The Occupational Therapy Program at Harding University is committed to admitting qualified students who are academically strong. In addition to academic requirements, students must be able to meet technical standards. These standards are necessary to ensure that students are successful through didactic courses, community, and fieldwork experiences and are prepared for the practice of occupational therapy.
These standards are sent with each acceptance letter. Applicant/Student must respond in writing whether they can meet the standards with or without accommodation. If accommodation is requested, the applicant/student must submit documentation of disability with proposed accommodation from a certified specialist to the Harding University Disability Director. The University will determine and provide reasonable accommodation to qualified students with a disability to enable them to meet these technical standards. Students should be aware that fieldwork sites may not be able to offer the same reasonable accommodations that are made available by Harding Occupational Therapy didactic program.
The program also has a responsibility to the public to ensure that graduates are well-prepared, providing safe care as entry-level occupational therapy professionals. To fulfill this obligation, it is essential that students demonstrate specific technical standards in intellectual, communication, behavioral-social, observational, sensory/motor, and professional/ethical skills.
The Harding Occupational Therapy program has adopted the following technical standards for admission and progression in the program.

1. Intellectual Skills: Ability to participate in sufficient clinical thinking and judgment.

Specifically, the occupational therapy applicant/student must:

• Be able to measure, calculate, reason, analyze and synthesize data concerning patients, and develop an appropriate occupational therapy plan in a timely and professional manner.
• Obtain and process information from lectures, experiential learning activities, audio-visual materials, electronic learning platforms, community experiences, and written materials.
• Take essay and/or multiple-choice tests and complete papers in either written or computerized formats.
• Process feedback from faculty and clinical educators with mature acceptance.
• Recognize, label and categorize information to draw conclusions.
• Question, analyze and judge results of conclusions.
• Demonstrate judgment in the classroom, laboratory and fieldwork settings which shows the ability to make mature and effective decisions in appropriate situations.
• Exhibit appropriate professional judgment under stressful and/or emergency conditions, evolving demands, or a distracting environment.

2. Communication Skills: Ability to communicate in verbal and written form as well as understand nonverbal communication. It includes speech, language, reading, writing, and computer literacy.

Specifically, the occupational therapy applicant/student must:

• Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients to elicit information regarding mood and activities, as well as perceive nonverbal communications.
• Be able to demonstrate effective verbal, non-verbal, written and receptive communication skills with all members of the health care or educational team.
• Possess adequate oral, written and technological communication skills to complete educational activities in a professional manner.
• Assimilate information from written sources (texts, journals, medical or school records, etc.).
• Communicate in a timely manner and in a way that is appropriate to the situation and audience. This includes presenting information in a manner that is easily understood by a variety of audiences.
• Independently complete assignments, tests and professional documentation in an appropriate format and in a timely manner.
• Elicit information from instructors, peers, therapy recipients, family members, and supervisors. This includes noting and responding to information provided by others, as well as more subtle cues of mood, temperament and social responses.
• Follow verbal and written instructions to complete assignments and evaluations. Communicate with others accurately, sensitively, and concisely in oral and written formats.
• Utilize electronic learning platforms in classes and fieldwork documentation and possess the ability to negotiate in an electronic environment.

3. Sensory and Motor Skills: Gross and fine motor skills are necessary to provide safe and effective occupational therapy services. Sensory, including hearing, vision and touch, to provide safe and effective occupational therapy services.

Specifically, the occupational therapy applicant/student must:

• Execute motor movements required to provide general and therapeutic care (such as positioning heavy and/or immobile patients), gait training using therapeutic aids and orthotics, and positioning.
• Possess motor skills sufficient to directly perform palpation, auscultation, muscle testing, range of motion, and other examination procedures.
• Possess the motor functions needed to manipulate tools or handle clients in a variety of settings under a variety of conditions.
• Demonstrate the physical strength and coordination to handle and move clients safely, perform medical procedures, or direct clients in various practice settings according to the needs of their discipline.
• Perform physical activities that require considerable use of arms and legs and moving one’s whole body, such as climbing, lifting, getting up and down from the floor, balancing, walking, bending, stooping, and handling of material and people. Standing and sitting for long periods of time are also necessary. This includes being able to apply physical restraints, lift, push and pull at least 50 pounds for routine transfers from varying surfaces, and be able to adjust equipment found in the occupational therapy clinical setting manually.
• Possess adequate fine motor skills to be able to manipulate small objects, manage scissors, fabricate splints, and use tools/activities.
• Tolerate being in close physical proximity and in physical contact with others.
• Move quickly in an emergency to ensure the safety of self and therapy recipients. For example, in emergencies such as fire and tornado or emergency treatments required of occupational therapists such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and application of pressure to stop bleeding (basic first aid).
• Detect and monitor alarms, emergency signals, cries for help, clients' need, and respond to a timer.
• Possess the necessary sensory functions to monitor health needs and process sensory information from people and the environment. These skills require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movement, equilibrium, and the integrated use of touch and vision.

4. Behavioral-Social Skills: Emotional stability and ability to care for patients in a sensitive manner while developing effective relationships.

Specifically, the OT applicant/student must:

• Demonstrate emotional stability and acceptable communication skills and be capable of developing mature and effective interpersonal relationships with other students, health care workers, clients, and their significant others that inspire trust and respect and exceptional therapeutic use of self.
• Tolerate physical, mental and emotional academic and clinical workloads and function effectively under stress.
• Adapt to changing environments and display flexibility and function in the face of the uncertainties inherent in the clinical and academic setting.
• Demonstrate the ability to self-reflect, understand why they respond/think/feel in the way that they do, and then self-correct if necessary. Openness and responsiveness to feedback are essential for success.
• Exhibit the ability and commitment to work collaboratively and professionally with individuals and groups in an intense setting to meet the needs of people of diverse cultures, age groups, socioeconomic groups, and challenges without bias and in a harmonious manner.
• Support and promote the activities of peers and health care professionals by sharing knowledge, eliciting input, and acting with empathy toward others.
• Exhibit the critical personal qualities of compassion, integrity, a concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation.
• Demonstrate ethical behavior both in and out of the classroom and during fieldwork experiences.

5. Observational Skills: Ability to observe a client’s performance accurately using vision, hearing, and somatic sensory systems.

Specifically, the OT applicant/student must:

• Safely perceive and navigate varied environments and communities.
• Accurately observe human performance, discriminating between a safe and an unsafe environment and between therapeutic and non-therapeutic behavior and contexts.
• Perceive, assimilate and integrate information accurately.
• Demonstrate adequate functional use of visual, tactile, auditory and other sensory and perceptual modalities to enable observations and information acquisition.

6. Professional Skills and Ethical Responsibilities: The ability to work out and engage in professional activities in addition to classroom and clinical experiences.

Specifically, the OT applicant/student must:

• Exhibit the ability to meet the challenges of any academic, medical, or clinical situation that requires a readiness for an immediate and appropriate response without interference from personal or medical problems.
• Attend and be able to travel to and from classes and clinical assignments on time and possess the organizational skills and stamina for performing required tasks and assignments within the allotted timeframe.
• Ability to perform problem-solving tasks in a timely manner, prioritize and organize multiple workloads needs, and complete required work within specified due dates.
• Take the initiative to direct their own learning as evidenced by the ability to prepare in advance, use resources before asking for help and independently explore additional information.
• Demonstrates responsibility for own actions and outcomes.
• Work cooperatively and collaboratively with other students on assigned projects and participate willingly in a supervisory process involving evaluation of other students and their own abilities and reasoning skills via giving and receiving feedback, as well as looking for ways to improve.
• Adhere to the policies of the university, its program, and clinical sites. This includes matters ranging from professional dress and behavior to attending to their program’s academic schedule.
• Demonstrate knowledge of and commitment to the code of ethics of their profession and behavior that reflects a sense of right and wrong in the helping environment.
• Attend professional development learning opportunities outside of normal class or clinical times without interfering with programmatic expectations.
• Practice safely, ethically and legally while also embracing the principles of Christian servanthood.

In August of 2017, the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) mandated that by 2027, all Masters of Occupational Therapy programs would be required to move to a doctorate level. In April of 2019, after two years of discussion between the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and ACOTE, the determination was made that AOTA had the authority to mandate educational changes and the representative assembly voted to maintain dual entry-level degrees.

This is referred to as dual point of entry and means you can enter the field as an occupational therapist (OT) at either the master's or doctoral level. Both points of entry emphasize entry-level competencies needed to practice as an occupational therapist with the OTD requiring more coursework in research and a capstone project (thus the three years to complete this degree).

The HUOT MS inaugural cohort graduates in 2026.

At that time, program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance