The undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy (BSOT) program is a combination of academic and clinical education and intended for the student with a high school diploma who wants to become an occupational therapy assistant practitioner. The Bachelor of Science in OT graduates will have access to achieving certification through the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and state licensure post-graduation. This undergraduate professional program is offered in Kalamazoo on the main campus of Western Michigan University.

Accreditation Status

The entry-level BSOT undergraduate degree program has applied for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814- 3449. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is acoteonline.org

The program must be granted Candidacy Status, have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on- site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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 Therapy Assistant, Registered (OTA). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

NOTE: In addition to the above statements, the program must have a documented and published policy to ensure that students complete all graduation, fieldwork, and experiential component requirements in a timely manner. This must include a statement that all Level II fieldwork and the experiential component of the program must be completed within a time frame established by the program. Sample wording: “Students must complete Level II fieldwork and experiential requirements within 24 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.”

Admission Requirements

To be eligible for regular admission to this program, each applicant must present evidence of the following criteria:

1. Official transcripts for all college work.
2. A cumulative college grade point average for 2.5 or better in undergraduate academic course work.
3. Students may have no more than two prerequisite courses in progress at the time of application and must complete each with a C or better.
4. Because admission is considered competitive, the academic criteria listed above should be considered as minimum standards.

Please note the following:

1. In the admission process, a formula is employed that assigns points for GPA and for the other admission topics. Admission to the program is based on the compilation of all points.
2. Admission to the University does not guarantee admission to the professional occupational therapy assistant curriculum. Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended must be sent to the University Admissions Office in time to be processed prior to the department deadline.
3. Occupational therapy is a profession that is regulated on national and state levels, and everyone who wishes to practice as an occupational therapy assistant is required to pass the NBCOT Certification Exam after graduating from an accredited program.
4. Individuals who have been convicted of a felony or who have been charged with a felony and convicted of a misdemeanor, while not prohibited from taking the NBCOT certification examination, may not be able to practice based on state laws.