Who Can Apply to the Graduate Occupational Therapy Program?

All candidates for either the Weekend or One-Weekday-Per-Week format must have minimum cumulative and prerequisite GPAs of 3.0. Additionally, individual grade requirements for the prerequisites must be met (see Prerequisites)

Weekend Format Candidate Pathways – 4 options
Dominican University New York (DUNY) Undergraduate Degree Programs
Health Sciences – Pre-Occupational Therapy Track
Successful candidates will complete the BS in Health Sciences – Pre-OT Track including all prerequisites with specified minimum individual course grades and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Application to the OT program occurs in the Fall of the Senior year. Interested students should contact the OT Program well before the Senior year for details and to be included in special information sessions and events for DUNY students.

Social Science with Psychology Emphasis – 2 pathways

• Traditional 4-year SS degree pathway – Successful candidates will complete the BA in Social Sciences, with an emphasis in Psychology, including all prerequisites with specified minimum individual course grades and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. Application to the OT program occurs in the Fall of the Senior year. Interested students should contact the OT Program well before the Senior year for details and to be included in special information sessions and events for DUNY students.
• Accelerated BA Social Science to OT Pathway* (Before Fall 2023) – Successful candidates will complete all degree requirements for the BA in Social Sciences with Psychology Emphasis in 3 years, earning no less than 93 undergraduate credits which include the OT prerequisite courses by the end of the Spring semester of the Junior year. The designation of ‘accelerated track’ must be earned and declared no later than the first semester of the Sophomore year. To be eligible, students must earn and continuously maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 from the start of the Sophomore year through the end of the Junior year. Application to the OT program is made in the Fall semester of the Junior year. Interested students should contact the OT Program well at the start of the Sophomore year for a determination of eligibility for the accelerated pathway, details about the application process, and to be included in special information sessions and events for DUNY students.
• Accelerated BA Social Science to OT Pathway* (As of Fall 2023) – Successful candidates will complete all degree requirements for the BA in Social Sciences with Psychology Emphasis in just over 3 years, earning no less than 90 undergraduate credits which include the OT prerequisite courses by the end of the Spring semester of the Junior year. Accepted accelerated pathway SS students must take the final course that fulfills their selected Dominican Curriculum minor during the first Fall term in the Graduate OT Program. The designation of ‘accelerated track’ must be earned and declared no later than the first semester of the Sophomore year. To be eligible, students must earn and continuously maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 from the start of the Sophomore year through the end of the Junior year. Application to the OT program is made in the Fall semester of the Junior year. Interested students should contact the OT Program well at the start of the Sophomore year for a determination of eligibility for the accelerated pathway, details about the application process, and to be included in special information sessions and events for DUNY students.*The Social Science to OT Accelerated Pathway is only available to DUNY Social Science with Psychology Emphasis students who entered DUNY as a first- or second-semester Freshman and meet initial and ongoing minimum GPA requirements. Declaration and designation as an accelerated pathway student must be made no later than the start of the first semester of the Sophomore year.

DUNY undergraduate students interested in the pathways to the Graduate OT Program may stop by the OT program office on the first floor of the Prusmack Center during regular business hours, send an email to PreOT.Advisement@duny.edu, or call the OT Program office at 845-848-6000, to make an appointment.

Candidates with Bachelor’s Degree from Another U.S. Institution
Candidates with earned Bachelor’s degrees from outside of DUNY may qualify to apply to the OT Program upon successful completion of all admissions requirements and prerequisite coursework.

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) with and without a Baccalaureate Degree

• COTAs with a Bachelor’s Degree – may qualify to apply to the OT Program upon the successful completion of all admissions requirements and prerequisite coursework.
• COTAs without a Bachelor’s Degree – may qualify to apply to the OT Program upon the successful completion of specified general education requirements, the OT prerequisite courses, and all other admission requirements. In addition, COTAs must submit verification of passing the NBCOT Examination for OTAs plus a minimum of one full year of work experience as a COTA in any setting. Upon completion of the OT program, COTAs entering without an earned Baccalaureate degree will be awarded a BS/MS degree.

One-Weekday-Per-Week Format Candidate Pathway
This format is offered in partnership with The New Seminary as of Fall 2023. Fully qualified candidates that have been vetted and recommended by The New Seminary, with a completed or nearly completed (by August) Bachelor’s degree, are eligible to apply to enter this format. It is important to note that all admission requirements, prerequisite coursework, and in-progress degrees must be completed before entering the official professional curriculum in the Fall term, if accepted by DUNY OT. For more information, please contact The New Seminary at (718) 769-8160 or the Dominican OT program at PreOT.Advisement@duny.edu, or 845-848-6000.

NOTE: Transfers from other OT programs
Due to the wide variations in curricula, transfers from other graduate occupational therapy programs are generally not accepted. Individuals seeking special consideration to transfer must follow the same admission requirements as all candidates for admission. Additionally, per university policy, no more than 6 graduate credits earned from the prior program may be considered for transfer to meet the Dominican University New York Graduate Occupational Therapy Program requirements. Decisions about course equivalence for credit transfer are made by the OT Program Director.

• Minimum overall GPA 3.0 (B) for all post-secondary coursework
• No grade lower than a B- in any prerequisite physical science course.
• No grade lower than a C in any prerequisite liberal arts or social sciences course.
• No grade lower than a B in OT532 (Kinesiology in OT), OT521 (Intro to OT) – only taken after acceptance to the OT program.
• Minimum TOEFL scores, if required, per subtest:
  Reading – 22; Listening – 18; Speaking – 21; Writing – 24

NOTE – Limit of one retake of any prerequisite course. A withdrawal counts as having taken the course.
In addition to the academic standards noted above, all applicants for admission are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Writing skills (two separate essays)
• Observation or volunteer hours are encouraged but continue to not be required for the 2024-2025 application cycle.  A special video observation and essay are used in place of in-person hours for all applicants.
• Three letters of reference – one academic, one professional (e.g., supervisor), and a third that can be either academic or professional. References provided by family members, friends, friends of the family, clergy, family physician, etc. will not be accepted, without exception. If you can submit one from an occupational therapist who knows you well and can speak to your potential, it will be a bonus.
• Holistic Interview – upon invitation after application verified as complete

IMPORTANT NOTE – All accepted candidates must undergo a criminal background check, at their expense, before being admitted to the program.  Additionally, all students in the program who are preparing to enter clinical fieldwork will need to undergo a new criminal background check before being cleared to begin those experiences.

Applicants with an earned BA or BS degree (Not DUNY undergraduates or alumni):

• All non-DUNY students with at least a BA or BS apply to the OT program via OTCAS: https://otcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login
• The application cycle opens in July of every year and closes the following spring (March 15). For example, the admission cycle for the 2026 entering cohort begins in July 2025 and ends in spring 2026. The final prerequisites that must be taken at DUNY begin in early May 2026.
• Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, and offers of admission to the program are made until a cohort is filled or the deadline for applications is reached for that cycle.
• Opening an OTCAS application early (e.g., July or August) allows the program to assist you with questions, provide prerequisite advising, and inform you about any special events.
• Submit the OTCAS application when you have two or fewer prerequisites left to fulfill. The more complete your academic record, the better.

COTAs (without an earned BA or BS degree)

(Please note the weekend format is currently the only option for COTAs without an earned BA or BS degree)

• Potential applicants to the OT program who are COTAs and do not have an earned BA/BS degree must first apply to DUNY using the online graduate admissions application, located at: https://www.duny.edu/graduate-applications
• Qualified candidates’ information will be forwarded to the DUNY OT program for specific advising on readiness to apply via OTCAS and receive program-related communications about events or updates.
• COTA applicants must provide a copy of the initial NBCOT certification and documented proof of at least one year of full-time employment as a COTA.
• The OT program will advise you on when to complete and submit your OTCAS application based on how many required prerequisite courses remain, including courses that meet the general education requirements for undergraduates at DUNY.

Dominican University New York Undergraduates and Alumni

• Current undergraduates in Social Sciences and Health Sciences degree programs apply to the OT program using a DUNY Graduate application through the DUNY Admissions site: https://www.duny.edu/graduate-applications/. Graduates from DUNY’s other degree programs who have completed the OT prerequisites may also apply.
• Accelerated Social Sciences students apply in the Fall or early Spring of their Junior year. All others apply in the Senior year or after graduation.
• DUNY alumni may apply at any time up until the end of the current admission cycle.
• Applicants must submit all required materials to be considered:
  • Three letters of recommendation – one from a professor, one from a work supervisor, and a third from either a professor or a work supervisor. All recommenders must be able to articulate your potential as both a graduate student and a future occupational therapist. Recommendations from family, friends, friends of family, clergy, or other similar individuals will not be accepted.
  • Two required essays
  • Official transcripts from any institution other than DUNY for alumni who have taken or are currently taking courses after graduating
  • Current resume/CV demonstrating relevant activity beyond academic coursework.

All Applicants

• Prospective students who complete all application requirements and meet program standards will be invited to an interview with OT faculty. Interviews may be in-person or virtual, individual or small group, or a combination of formats.
• Accepted students are required to attend a mandatory orientation session of one or two full days on the campus, typically in April. If an accepted candidate is unable to participate in any portion of the orientation, they may be required to postpone their admission to the OT program for one year.
• Once accepted, all remaining undergraduate degree or prerequisite requirements must be completed before the start of the professional OT curriculum in the Fall term, which begins in early September.
• The inability to satisfactorily complete any admission requirements, or the occurrence of unprofessional or unethical behavior, will result in rescinding acceptance to the program.

IMPORTANT: Anatomy and Physiology I & II and Physics must be completed before May 1, as they are prerequisites for one of the final mandatory prerequisites that begin at the start of May.

For questions about the DUNY application process, please contact:

Janet Barron
Assistant Director for Graduate Admissions
Phone:  845-848-7908
Email: janet.barron@duny.edu

Cost of Attendance (Annualized by Academic Year) for students beginning 2026-2027

* Based on an approximated 3% annual increase in tuition and particular fees per year

** Rough and variable estimates – Book cost will vary based on course requirements, purchase versus rental, ebook versus printed, and books used in multiple courses; transportation will be individualized based on distance from campus/fieldwork sites, inflation, tolls, form of transportation used, insurance, and maintenance costs

Note: The tuition and fees outlined above are necessarily subject to change without notice at any time.

NBCOT Certification Examination New Graduate Pass Rate

Three most recent calendar years, 2023–2025

*New graduate test-takers are those who take the exam within one year of degree conferral, including those testing in the calendar year following conferral. For example, a student whose degree is conferred on August 31, 2026, has until August 31, 2027, to take and pass the exam as a new graduate.

Data is provided by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), which administers this national examination, and is available on the NBCOT website.

Program Graduation Rate

Three most recent calendar years, 2023–2025

* – 3 students unable to sustain academic standards; 2 withdrew for personal reasons; 2 delayed for academic performance; 2 delayed for personal LOA

** – 3 students withdrew for personal reasons; 1 unable to sustain academic standards; 2 delayed for academic performance; 2 delayed for personal LOA

*** – 2 students withdrew for personal reasons/change of career path; 1 unable to sustain academic standards; 1 delayed for academic performance; 1 delayed for personal reasons/LOA – graduated January 2024

A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.  An individual who has been charged or convicted of a felony is advised to contact The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) for an early determination review. The review process should be done prior to entering an educational program as prior approval is needed before an individual can sit for the certification exam. Once NBCOT has completed its review, the individual will be notified of the results in writing. For further information on these limitations, contact NBCOT at: National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy One Bank Street, Suite 300 Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150 301-990-7979

NBCOT® Character Review

To ensure the protection of the public, all first-time exam applicants undergo a character review. There are eight (8) character questions on the exam application that all applicants must answer. Exam applicants must submit documentation related to any affirmative response. NBCOT will also conduct a background check, using a third-party vendor, for all first-time applicants as well as anyone reapplying with a new affirmative answer.

Please refer to the Certification Exam Handbook to review the eight character questions and for specific information about the character review process.

NBCOT® Early Determination

If you plan on entering or have already entered an occupational therapy degree program, you can choose to undergo the character review prior to applying for the exam by requesting an Early Determination Review.

After NBCOT has completed its Early Determination Review, you will be notified in writing about whether you will be eligible to take the certification exam, provided that all eligibility requirements are met at the time you apply.

In order to find out if an issue resulting in a “Yes” answer to a character question would result in ineligibility for the exam, you will need to undergo the character review process either through Early Determination Review or when you apply for the exam after graduation.

To request an Early Determination Review, complete and submit the Early Determination Review Payment Form found on the NBCOT website.

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements

Dominican University New York has been approved by the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements. NC-SARA is a voluntary, regional approach to state oversight of post-secondary distance education.