Master of Science in Occupational Therapy

Help people in your community get back to living the lives they deserve by pursuing a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at Brenau. Our professors, all of whom are experienced occupational therapists, will teach you to analyze your clients capabilities and help them recover and live their best life. Whether you know your desired area of specialization or not, we will equip you with the knowledge and skills you need to succeed and thrive as an occupational therapist. 

Choose the best MSOT program for you

* Rate is current for the 2023-24 academic year.  Rates are subject to change.  See the main Tuition and Fees page for current information on all Tuition and Fees.

Student opportunities

• Have access to state-of-the-art labs and facilities 
• Complete a group thesis project under the guidance of a thesis professor 
• Provide occupational therapy services to medically underserved adults and children at Brenau’s Center for Productive Living 
• Work with the court system and/or local nonprofits as a part of fieldwork experience 
• Learn from accomplished professors committed to helping you excel in practice, inquiry and advocacy

Potential OT career options

• Pediatrics (clinics, specialty hospital, vision center) 
• Animal-assisted therapy 
• Physical rehabilitation
• Mental health
• Gerontology (skilled nursing facility, hospital, elder care consultant)
• Acute care 
• Home health

Start your application today

To apply to Brenau’s School of Occupational Therapy, you must start your application in the Centralized Application Service for Occupational Therapy programs (OTCAS). Create your account at otcas.liaisoncas.com. 

To learn more about OTCAS, visit help.liaisonedu.com/OTCAS_Applicant_Help_Center.

• All program applications open in July.
• Gainesville Day MSOT deadline to apply: Dec. 2
• Norcross Hybrid MSOT deadline to apply: June 2 

Learn more about us

Brenau’s School of Occupational Therapy offers virtual info sessions from 5:30-7 p.m., on the first Tuesday of each month. Register for an info session. 

Admissions requirements for on-ground Gainesville option:

To be considered for this program the applicant must meet all of the following requirements:

• Have a laptop with wireless connection to high-speed internet, and basic computer literacy skills including the ability to create and edit word processing documents, prepare presentation slides, and navigate the internet and research databases.
• Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, or receive a bachelor’s degree by June 1 for a fall start or Sept. 1 for a spring start. Overall GPA of 3.0 or greater as calculated by OTCAS
• Complete the eight prerequisite courses within the last eight years, from an accredited college or university, with a grade of “C” or better, no later than June 1 of the admission year. Prerequisite GPA of 3.0 is preferred.
• Recommend a total of 40 hours of observation in at least two different occupational therapy practice settings
• Three professional references (at least one from an OT practitioner) submitted through OTCAS using OTCAS form only
• Attend an in-person or virtual group interview by invitation only
• Writing sample will be collected at the time of the interview. Applicants who have submitted GRE scores as part of their application (the GRE is not required for the MSOT) will not be required to submit a writing sample.
• Any coursework completed internationally (except for official study abroad) requires a NACES-approved foreign evaluation sent directly to Brenau. 
• If the applicant’s first language is not English, the following is required — TOEFL scores: Paper 550; Computer 213; Internet 79; IELTS Score: 6.5.

Admissions requirements for hybrid North Atlanta option:

To be considered for this program the applicant must meet all of the following requirements:

• Have a laptop with a webcam, wireless connection to high-speed internet, and basic computer literacy skills including the ability to create and edit word processing documents, prepare presentation slides, and navigate the internet and research databases.
• Experience in independent online learning with strengths in reading, writing, planning, and time management skills.
• Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university, or receive a bachelor’s degree by June 1 of the admission year
• Overall GPA of 3.0 or greater as calculated by OTCAS
• Complete the eight prerequisite courses within the last eight years, from an accredited college or university, with a grade of “C” or better, no later than Sept. 1 of the admission year (Prerequisite GPA of 3.0 is preferred)
• Recommend a total of 40 hours of observation in at least two different occupational therapy practice settings
• Three professional references (at least one from an OT practitioner) submitted through OTCAS using OTCAS form only
• Attend an in-person or virtual group interview by invitation only
• Writing sample will be collected at the time of the interview (Applicants who have submitted GRE scores as part of their application will not be required to submit a writing sample)
• Any coursework completed internationally (except for official study abroad) requires a NACES- approved foreign evaluation sent directly to Brenau University
• If the applicant’s first language is not English, the following is required — TOEFL scores:
  Paper 550; Computer 213; Internet 79; IELTS Score: 6.5

Required of International Applicants: Applicants with F-1 Visa must complete the following by the program deadline

Instructions for International Students

• Course-by-course NACES-approved transcript evaluation for any non-US courses to be sent directly to Brenau University
• If the applicant’s first language is not English, one of the following is required:
• IELTS score of 6.5
• TOEFL Paper-based: score of 550
• TOEFL Computer-based: score of 213
• TOEFL Internet-based: score of 79

Prerequisite courses

Required prerequisites for the MSOT and ELOTD programs.

1. PY 202 – Human Growth & Development (lifespan) (3 hrs.)
2. PY 309 – Abnormal Psychology (3 hrs.)
3. SY 101 – Intro to Sociology OR Social Issues OR AY 101 Intro to Anthropology OR Cultural Anthropology (3 hrs.)
4. MS 205 – Introduction to Statistics (3 hrs.)
5. BY 209 – Human Anatomy & Physiology I (4 hrs. with lab)
6. BY 210 – Human Anatomy & Physiology II (4 hrs. with lab)
7. PS 121 – General Physics OR EX 301 Biomechanics OR EX 300/300 L Kinesiology + lab OR other movement sciences (3-4 hrs).
8. HS 200 – Medical Terminology (1 hr.)

Accreditation 

The Brenau University entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.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). NBCOT’s web address is www.nbcot.org

Professional Certification

To be a practicing occupational therapist, graduates must take and pass the certification exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy.  After successfully completing the exam the graduate is certified as an Occupational Therapist, Registered. Most states require additional licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.

NBCOT and State Licensing Boards have the right to refuse to grant occupational therapy certification and/or license to any individuals regardless of their educational credentials under circumstances of:

• Falsification of application.
• Conviction of a felony or crime of moral turpitude.
• Other moral and legal violations specified in relevant state laws.

To view NBCOT Exam Results follow the attached link provided by NBCOT https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
One Bank Street, Suite 300
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Phone: 301-990-7979
Email: info@nbcot.org

Program Outcomes

Each academic year, the Brenau Gainesville Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) Day and Norcross MSOT Weekend tracks graduate in December. Beginning in 2025 the Gainesville MSOT Day track graduates in August and Norcross MSOT Weekend track graduate in May.

Have questions?

School of Occupational Therapy

Nancy L. Fowler, OTR/L, MSOT, PPOTD

Instructor of Occupational Therapy and Admissions Counselor

nfowler1@brenau.edu
(678) 707-5001

Learn More