Become a Skilled Occupational Therapist

When you graduate from our program, you will be a competent and ethical practitioner who supports clients in living productive and satisfying lives.

Our Professional-Entry Level (or PEL) master's and doctoral degrees build upon the foundational knowledge you earned with your bachelor’s degree in another area of study and/or at another accredited institution. The graduate coursework that you will complete at Ithaca College and at clinical fieldwork sites across the country will prepare you to be a competent, skilled, and ethical professional occupational therapist who can support your clients in achieving productive and satisfying lives. We specialize in helping students become occupational therapists who can work in any setting and with any population. You will have a solid foundation as a generalist with opportunities to specialize and dig deeper into practice areas and populations of interest.

We emphasize hands-on, diverse, and integrative learning experiences to develop the breadth and depth of your perspective, with occupational participation at its center. Real-world experiences in our on-campus clinic, by engaging with the local community, and in fieldwork sites across the country will be an integral part of your training. 

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MS and OTD PEL Program Experiences

Read more about the curriculum, hands-on learning, and research experiences for the master's and doctoral degree pathways

Both degree pathways take a number of foundational courses together in the first 5 semesters of their respective programs. Some courses will have differing student learning outcomes and assignments, based on the degree pathway and the specific accreditation standards for those degrees.

You'll learn the foundational knowledge to become a generalist OT practitioner through courses focused on occupational science, professional concepts, neuroscience, OT theory, and applied anatomy and kinesiology across the lifespan before diving into the occupational therapy process with mental health, physical rehabilitation, pediatric, and geriatric populations.

Many courses include lectures, labs, and/or small group seminars to enhance learning and provide interactive experiences. Participate in our anatomage and healthcare simulation labs as part of these foundational years.

During these years, you’ll also have three embedded Level I Fieldwork experiences with focuses on mental health, adult rehabilitation, and pediatric populations. Two practice-based experiences are also part of the curriculum to provide additional hands-on opportunities to practice skills for the occupational therapy process beyond the required fieldworks.

All PEL students provide therapeutic services, under the guidance of expert faculty, to clients across the lifespan in one of our clinics as part of lab or practice-based experience courses. These clinics include:

Students may also complete experiences in local PreK – 12 schools, assisted living facilities, community service agencies, or other off-campus venues depending upon programs and opportunities available at the time.

Master's students take a series of two evidence and research courses (in semesters 3 and 5) to focus on:

  • How to locate, critique, and apply evidence to practice
  • Understanding qualitative and quantitative study design
  • Participating in a collaborative research project with peers and an ICOT faculty mentor

Level II Fieldworks are completed in the final spring and summer semesters of the program to gain experience working with clients across the lifespan in varied settings under the supervision of a licensed OTRs.

As you enter the final year and a half of the doctoral program, you will take your occupational therapy process knowledge and practice experiences and apply that to group populations and the local Ithaca community. You’ll also advance your knowledge in teaching/presenting, leadership, management, and advocacy.

You’ll have the opportunity to take courses to: 

  • Dive deeper into adult or pediatric practice and in non-traditional settings
  • Practice working with individuals and groups in on and off campus settings
  • Examine the needs of community partners in the Ithaca area and develop unique programs to meet those unmet needs

During this part of the curriculum, you’ll also complete two Level II fieldwork experiences, design and implement a collaborative research project, and develop and carry-out your own doctoral capstone project.

OTD students complete a series of three evidence and research courses (in semesters 3, 5 and 6) to focus on:

  • How to locate, critique, and apply evidence to practice
  • Understanding qualitative and quantitative study design
  • Designing and implementing a collaborative research project with peers and an ICOT faculty mentor

As a doctoral student, you’ll also develop and implement your own Doctoral Capstone Project, which includes a planning (project) phase and an implementation (experience) phase. You’ll have the opportunity to:

  • Contribute to development of in-depth knowledge in designated area of your interest
  • Develop a project that contains a literature review, needs assessment, goals/objectives, and plan to evaluate project outcomes
  • Work collaboratively with an ICOT faculty mentor, site mentor and the ICOT capstone coordinator
NBCOT Exam

You are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) competency exam to become a registered occupational therapist once you have completed all of the degree requirements for your respective degree program. This includes all required coursework and fieldwork, and for the OTD students, their doctoral capstone project.