Application Procedure:
Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy
It is the policy of the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Occupational
Therapy Program that all students who desire admission to the program must meet the
requirements and complete the admission process. All applications will be carefully reviewed,
adhering to the procedure detailed below. Click here for Application Packet
The Occupational Therapy Program at UWL does not discriminate
regarding gender, race or ability. All applicants are encouraged to
apply. If you have a special need/accommodation to aid your
participation in our application process, please contact the
Occupational Therapy Admissions Coordinator – Robin McCannon OTR/MS at
mccannon.robi@uwlax.edu to make appropriate arrangements.
Twenty-four students are admitted into the occupational
therapy program each year. The admissions process is competitive.
Students with strong GPA’s and competitive
portfolios will be stronger candidates for admission. Some applicants
may be placed on an alternate list, in which an admission decision will
be made later in the spring semester - approximate mid March through mid
April. There will be notification of a final admission decision no later
than May 1 of the admission year
Overview of Application Process
How To Prepare a Competitive Portfolio
Overview of Application Process
- Twenty-four students will be admitted into the occupational therapy program each year.
- Candidates must submit their application in hard copy. A confirmation will be sent to the candidate within 2 working days of receiving the application.
- Complete application portfolio is due by January 15th in the Business Services office.
- Application fee of $35 must be included with application portfolio
- Application to UW-L Graduate Studies must be completed by January 15th (Online Application)
- Candidates will be selected and notified about their admission status by the second week in March.
- Written acceptance and tuition deposit are due in mid-April.
- Students will be notified with summer schedule by May 1st.
- Orientation of the incoming class will be held the first week of summer school.
- Note: Graduate classes begin in the summer of admission year, approximately the 3rd week of May.
- Earned undergraduate degree or one of the two following exceptions:
- degree will be completed by May 30th of application year
- applicant is enrolled in the Psychology-Occupational Therapy Dual Degree Program. - Completion of prerequisite coursework
- (6-8 credits) Anatomy & Physiology with lab
- (4 credits) Physics
- (3 credits) Life Span Development
- (3-4 credits) Statistics or Principles of Research
- (3 credits) Sociology or Intro to Anthropology (effective for OT Admissions cycle 2011)
- (3 credits) Abnormal Psychology (effective for OT Admissions cycle 2011) - A minimum grade point average of 3.0 for undergraduate studies
- No prerequisite coursework with a grade below C
- No more than two pre-requisite courses with a grade of C
- Completed application for admission to UW-L graduate studies. Follow the links to the UW-La Crosse graduate application
- A minimum of ten hours of job shadowing with an occupational therapist
- Payment of $35 for the UWL application fee and $45 for the graduate studies application fee.
Pre-requisite coursework taken from institutions
other than UW-L may require a review by the
Admissions Coordinator to determine the
acceptability of the coursework to meet the content
requirements of the pre-requisites courses. This
individualized transcript review may include a
discussion about the course with the application and
a review of the course syllabi of the each course.
If you took the pre-requisite coursework from an
institution other
than UW-L, please contact the
Occupational Therapy Program Admissions Coordinator
mccannon.robi@uwlax.edu prior to submitting
your application to discuss your pre-requisite
coursework.
Candidates will submit a portfolio that consists of the following sections:
- Completed application to the Occupational Therapy Program
- Personal Narrative
- Occupational Therapy Job Shadow or Work Experience Reference (Non-Confidential)
- Disclosure Statement
- Letters of Reference (Confidential)
- Transcripts from all colleges/universities attended (these need to go to UW-L Graduate Admissions office)
- Sample of best written work from undergraduate degree
The application portfolio should be assembled in a 1” binder with tabs separating the sections noted above. Any organizational system (i.e. table of contents, face pages, page protectors, etc.) is acceptable as long as it aids the organization of your portfolio. The application portfolio must be complete upon submission including all letters of reference. It is the student’s responsibility to allow enough time to obtain these materials prior to the deadline for submission of the application. If you have any questions about assembling the portfolio, please contact your occupational therapy advisor.
- Application
High quality applications are complete and legible. The special considerations section is not required. Some students will have special circumstances that explain why their application does not meet all of the admission requirements. For example, authorization from an occupational therapy advisor for a pre-requisite course substitution should be noted in this section. Consultation with your occupational therapy advisor is highly recommended if you plan to include this section in your application. - Personal Narrative
The personal narrative is your opportunity to share your experiences, perspectives, and insights. This narrative will be evaluated for depth of thought, conciseness, and written communication style. The first person point of view is acceptable in your response; however, keep in mind that this is not a casual paper. High quality narratives will demonstrate flawless writing mechanics, address all of the questions in detail, reflect depth of thought, and portray the student’s unique perspective. - Reference: Occupational Therapy Job Shadow or Work Experience
A minimum of 10 hours of job shadowing of an occupational therapist is required. This may be either volunteer or work experience but must include direct observation of an occupational therapist not a certified occupational therapist assistant. Students may choose to complete all job shadow hours in one facility or they may choose to job shadow in more than one facility. An Occupational Therapy Job Shadow or Work Experience (Non-Confidential) form must be completed by each therapist the student shadowed and included in the admission packet. - References: Confidential
The confidential letters of reference must be submitted in sealed envelopes with the signature of the reference written across the sealed flap. A minimum of 3 letters of reference is required. One of the references must be from someone with whom you've had a formal working relationship, and who can speak to your interpersonal skills and work ethic. These letters will not be returned to you.
- Disclosure Statement
Occupational therapy applications must disclose a criminal record or denial or revocation of licensure. While the existence of these does not constitute an automatic bar to admission, students should be advised that existence of a felony may have implications for fieldwork placement, authorization to sit for the NBCOT examination and ability to obtain a state license. - Transcripts
Transcripts from all institutions attended as an undergraduate are required by the graduate school admission's office. You do not need to submit UW-L transcripts to the graduate school admissions office; however you do need to submit all non-UW-L transcripts to the graduate school admissions office. Original transcripts that were issued to the student are acceptable; photocopies of transcripts are not acceptable. You do not need to include your transcripts with your portfolio; they will be supplied to the O. T. program by the graduate school admissions office. - Sample of Best Work
The sample of your best written work should be between 3-10 pages and is strictly limited to 10 pages. It should be a formal, scholarly paper complete with references. It is acceptable to submit a portion of a larger project or more than one project, however references should be included. Please note that the limit of 10 pages will be strictly enforced: only the first 10 pages, and the references, will be read.
| Weight | Characteristic |
|---|---|
60 Points |
G.P.A. (higher gets more points) |
| 15 Points |
Personal narrative |
| 15 Points |
References (OT job shadow & confidential references) |
| 10 Points |
Writing sample (best written work from undergraduate degree) |
| 100 Points |
TOTAL |
| 5 Points |
Exceptional Achievement (bonus) |
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Students will be notified in writing of the action taken on their application for admission by mid March. Possible actions include:
- Admission: All pre-requisite requirements are met including earned undergraduate degree. Admitted to the program for the following summer class.
- Conditional Admission: Admission continent on completion of prerequisite course work or other requirements as specified.
- Probational Admission: Admitted to the program for the following summer class on academic probation. Student has 9 credit hours to earn overall graduate GPA of 3.0 to remain enrolled in the program.
- Wait List: Qualified candidates will be placed on a wait list in the event that openings arise in the cohort. Notification of admission will be sent by May 1.
- Not Admitted: Student was not admitted to the program. Students are encouraged to contact their occupational therapy advisor for additional information.
How to prepare a competitive portfolio
The admission decision is made by using a point system (please refer to admission decision section). Here are some suggestions for you when preparing your portfolio. Feel free to contact the Occupational Therapy Admissions Coordinator – Robin McCannon at mccannon.robi@uwlax.edu or (608) 785-5063 with questions you may have regarding your application.
o GPA: The minimum GPA for admission into the Occupational Therapy Program is 3.0. The higher the GPA the more points that are awarded. It is recommended that students make academic success a priority. Particular emphasize on success in the pre requisite coursework is suggested.
o Pre requisite course work: Make sure that all of your pre requisite course work will be completed by the end of the spring semester of the application year. Clearly document within the application how you have met or will meet the pre requisites. If you are unsure if a course you have taken or plan to take will meet our pre requisite requirement, please contact Occupational Therapy Program Admissions Coordinator Robin McCannon at mccannon.robi@uwlax.edu . It is very strongly recommended and typically necessary that any pre-requisite coursework taken from institutions other than UW-L will require a review by the Admissions Coordinator to determine the acceptability of the coursework to meet the content requirements of the pre-requisites courses.
o Personal narrative: It is highly suggested applicants devote sufficient time in the preparation of their narrative. After completion of the narrative it is suggested applicants receive feedback from others regarding the quality of their work. The occupational therapy admissions committee will evaluate the depth of thought, conciseness, and written communication style of the narrative. High quality narratives are written in a professional not casual manner, demonstrate flawless writing mechanics, address all of the questions in detail, and portray the student’s unique perspective.
o Occupational therapy job shadowing: a minimum of 10 hours of job shadowing of an occupational therapist is required. Admission committee members do not necessarily award additional points for additional job shadowing hours; however the admissions committee does consider the quality of job shadowing experiences. It is recommended applicants consider spending time in a variety of settings so they develop a comprehensive understanding of the occupational therapy profession.
o Confidential references: 3 letters of reference are required. Choose your references carefully. These individuals should know you in a professional or work capacity and be able to address your potential for success in the occupational therapy program. Family members and friends are not appropriate. Applicants should review the confidential letter of reference form and be aware of the points their reference should address. You may want to discuss these areas with the individuals you have chosen as a reference. This will help these individuals provide a good reference for you.
o Sample of your best written work: This should be between 3-10 pages and is strictly limited to 10 pages. It should be a formal, scholarly paper complete with references. It is highly suggested applicants avoid submitting reflections, informal papers and other papers that are not scholarly in nature.
o Portfolio: The application portfolio should be assembled in a 1” binder with tabs separating the sections noted above. The organizational system (i.e. table of contents, face pages, page protectors, etc.) should aide your reader in locating all of the above sections. Your portfolio should appear professional. Make sure that your application portfolio is complete upon submission including all letters of reference.
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