Graduate College Entry-Level
Occupational Therapy About the Programs There is no greater reward than helping people regain the ability to do the things in life that make them happy. With a Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy (MAOT) or Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD-EL) from St. Catherine University, you lay the foundation for a meaningful career as a caring, creative and knowledgeable occupational therapy professional. In our graduate Entry-Level OT programs, you learn the science of occupation while cultivating your ability to listen and develop trusted relationships with clients. Individual interests, age, culture and religion, along with physical abilities, all affect care decisions. As an occupational therapist, your influence goes beyond rehabilitation — you develop the capacity to understand clients holistically, as individuals who are influenced by their environment and motivated by what gives them meaning. At St. Catherine, academic rigor is combined with a strong social justice mission. Your graduate education prepares you to address disparities in the quality of healthcare available to diverse members of our community. You’ll enhance your understanding of populations and cultures, and have opportunities to share caring strategies with health professionals here and abroad. You gain a deep appreciation for delivering care that makes all lives meaningful. Our Curriculum The 72-credit MAOT degree is offered in a 2.5-year weekday format, with classes held on our St. Paul, MN campus. The 100-credit OTD-EL degree is offered in a 3.5-year weekday format, with classes meeting on our St. Paul campus and online. At St. Catherine, you are educated in evidence-based practice so you use the best information available to make professional decisions and employ optimal practices for the clients you serve. The Entry-Level OT science-based curriculum is interwoven with the University’s liberal arts education, inspiring you to inquire, critique, make ethical decisions and lead the profession.
You will gain a foundation in the four major populations and practice areas — pediatrics, geriatrics, mental health and rehabilitation — and hone your ability to practice in multiple areas through coursework, critical research and fieldwork. Opportunities abound for fieldwork in diverse settings through St. Catherine’s vast network of partnerships locally, across the United States and around the world. Your field experiences allow you to develop diverse cultural perspectives and greater competencies. They also foster equitable delivery of healthcare, in keeping with St. Catherine’s social justice mission and the ethical values of the OT profession. Accreditation Both the MAOT and OTD Entry-Level programs at St. Catherine University are fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA): ACOTE 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD 20814 301-652-6611 accred@aota.org Graduates of the program 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). All states require licensure in order to practice; state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Please note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.