Master of Occupational Therapy Admissions Requirements

Admission Requirements 

The MOT Bridge program annually admits a class of 20 students into the program to begin study in January of each year. Applicants to the OTA to MOT bridge program must be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), have obtained a bachelor’s degree, and have met the prerequisites prior to application to the program. Applicants to the OTA to MOT bridge program must: 

• Be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) with a minimum of one year of experience or 1,700 hours as a practicing COTA. 
• Resume verifying at least one year of experience as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) 
• Have a valid and in good standing NBCOT certification 
• Have a valid and in good standing state license to deliver Occupational therapy services 
• Maintain a minimum of 20 hours working per month client contact throughout the program 
• 3 Letters of recommendation (one letter of recommendation must be from the applicant’s current supervisor) 
• Have a baccalaureate (bachelor’s) degree in any field or major from a regionally accredited college or university. 
• Completion of all prerequisite courses with a grade of B or higher prior to application 
• Minimum overall grade point average (GPA) is 3.00 on a 4.0 scale 
• Successful completion of a panel/group interview  

***Parker University OTA Program Alumni who meet all program admission criteria will receive priority admission into the MOT Bridge program. 

Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) Program Application Steps 

Step 1: Enrollment 

Enroll in Parker University and begin complete program required prerequisite coursework as needed. Admission to Parker University does not guarantee admission to a Health Sciences program. 

• The MOT program considers applicants on a first come, first served basis based on their eligibility and completion of admission requirements until program slots are full. Please note: Parker University OTA Program Alumni who meet all program admission criteria will receive priority admission into the MOT Bridge program. 

• At the time of submission of the application for the MOT program prospective students must have must be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), have obtained a bachelor’s degree, and have completed all required program prerequisite courses with a grade of “B” or better and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (on a 4.0 scale). Any exceptions to this policy are based on available space and require approval from the MOT/OTA Program Director and the Dean of the College of Health Sciences.  

Please note: Students who do not meet the coursework will not be allowed to progress to the MOT core curriculum.  Students must earn a grade of “B” or better in all required pre-professional courses. If a student earns a grade of a “C” or “D” or “F”, they must repeat the prerequisite course to be eligible for admission into the MOT program. If the student wishes to repeat a course to continue their program of study, they will be required to go through the re-entry process as outlined in the Parker University catalog. 

Step 2: Immunizations 

Submit proof of all immunization requirements before applying for MOT program admission. A completed immunization form is due at the time you apply for Master of Occupational Therapy program admission. Students enrolling in the MOT program must have completed the immunization series.  Students without proof of completed immunizations will not be allowed to continue into the program.  No exceptions.   

• Completed Hepatitis B Series 

The Texas Department of State Health Services requires that all students enrolled in health profession programs that are exposed to blood and body fluid must have completed the Hepatitis B series prior to direct patient care. The Hepatitis B series includes three injections. The Hepatitis B immunization is a 3-stage series that will take at least 6 months to administer. Students must have completed a minimum of 2/3 of the Hepatitis B series prior to application to the program.   

• Meningitis (MV) – Texas Legislature approved Senate Bill 62 requiring all entering University students, under the age of 22, to submit evidence of being immunized against meningococcal meningitis. 
• Mumps, Measles, Rubella (MMR)  
• Varicella  
• Tetanus and Diphtheria 
• Tuberculosis test, within the last 12 months – (If the TB test comes back positive, then results from a current annual chest x-ray will need to be provided.)  
• Influenza/Seasonal Flu immunization (required annually, during flu season, Sept‐March or April) 

• Information on vaccination requirements and exemptions can be located on the Registrar’s webpage of the Parker University website 

Please note: Clinical Fieldwork sites have the right to refuse placement of students who do not meet their requirements. This could impact a student’s ability to matriculate through the clinical portion of the program. Therefore, potentially having graduation timeline and financial implications. These cases will be handled individually. 

Step 3: Bachelor’s degree, Work, and Work Experience 

• Be a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) with a minimum of one year of experience or 1,700 hours as a practicing COTA. 
• Resume verifying at least one year of experience as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) 
• Proof of a valid and in good standing NBCOT certification 
• Proof of a valid and in good standing state license to deliver Occupational therapy services 
• Maintain a minimum of 20 hours working per month client contact throughout the program 
• 3 Letters of recommendation (one letter of recommendation must be from the applicant’s current supervisor) 
• Have a baccalaureate (bachelor’s) degree in any field or major from a regionally accredited college or university. 

Please Note: Students who do not meet the bachelor’s degree, work, and work experience requirements will not be allowed to progress to the MOT core curriculum. 

Step 4: Submit the application  

Complete and submit the online MOT program Application. Read and sign all program acknowledgment and disclosure forms found on https://www.parker.edu/academics/master-of-occupational-therapy/ 

The MOT program considers applicants on a first come, first served basis based on their eligibility and completion of admission requirements until program slots are full. The program considers for admission those applicants who demonstrate exceptional academic potential and professional experience essential for successful completion of the program. Our program Admissions Committee reviews all completed application packets. Admission into this program is competitive, therefore all requirements must be met. Interested individuals are advised to complete their application as early as possible to ensure timely consideration. The MOT online application and all required documentation must be submitted before or by the Final Application due date for the desired trimester start.  

Each applicant will receive notification of acceptance or non-acceptance within one month of the application submission and interview. If an application for a desired cohort or trimester start is received after the final application due date or the desired cohort is full, then the application will be considered for the following cohort or trimester start. Incomplete applications, and/or requirements will NOT be accepted. 

Students accepted into the Master of Occupational Therapy Program are required to successfully complete all prerequisite courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). Upon successful completion of the program students would be able to sit for the national certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and become an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). Graduates must meet additional requirements for state licensure.