Can I use my bachelors degree in Special Ed. and Elem. Ed. to get my Masters in Occupational Therapy?

Question

I have a bachelor degree in education in both Special Ed and Elem Ed, I would like to change careers and become an Occupational Therapist. Can I go on to a Masters Program and get my O.T. degree? Do i need to start all over and take 6 years to become an O.T.? I have looked online, and I cant seem to find an answer. I live in western PA.

Answer 1

Below are a couple of related FAQs I found for you. But, basically, find an accredited school and talk to an advisor or someone there to find out. There should be a lot of overlap so you would not have to retake many pre-reqs. Your English, math, etc courses and probably several psychology courses should transfer. You would most likely have to take anatomy, neuropsychology, and a few other pre-reqs before starting OT courses. Check into a school with an advanced master's program I think they call it (as opposed to an entry-level master's). You may be able to get out of a few more courses that way, I am not sure. The info below may help some too. Good luck! OT is a GREAT career!

***I am currently working in another profession. I am considering occupational therapy as a second career. Is this feasible?

A good number of students go back to school to become an occupational therapist or an occupational therapy assistant. You would need to contact the individual educational programs to which you are interested in applying in order to determine what prerequisites you would need to take.

***Who can I contact if I have further questions?

For further information about studying to become an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant, send inquiries to [e-mail]. To ask questions of an OT or OTA student, send inquiries to [e-mail]. Allow up to 1 week for a response.

Answer 2

I would do the masters in occupational therapy. With a special ed certificate, your only choice really is to work in schools. Jobs are hard to come by, hours are long, and burn out is fast. With Occupational therapy, there are tons of options. You can work with any population, from early intervention (birth-3) all the way to geriatric. You can work in schools, clinics, hospitals, or independently. You also will have a higher beginning salary as a first year OT, versus a first year teacher. In my district, beginning teachers make 42,000 with a masters. First year OTs make $56,000.

Answer 3

You can, as long as your BA/BS degree included the prerequisite courses for the MA/MS program you want to enter. Check with the admissions office at that school you want to get your OT from.

Answer 4

I think so. Ask AOTA