Who Can Apply to the Graduate Occupational Therapy Program?
All candidates must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in post-secondary coursework and meet the individual prerequisite grade requirements (see OT program admissions standards).
Entry into the professional curriculum may be accomplished in 3 different ways:

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants

Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants (COTAs) submit verification of both their National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and a minimum of one full year of work experience as a COTA.

COTAs holding an Associate degree will earn a BS/MS degree in occupational therapy upon successful completion of the program.  Those who hold a Bachelor degree or higher will earn an MS degree in occupational therapy upon successful completion of the program.

Candidates with a Baccalaureate Degree

Candidates with Baccalaureate Degrees and may qualify to apply to the OT professional curriculum upon successful completion of all admissions requirements and prerequisite coursework.

For Dominican College undergraduate students:

4-year traditional track students will first complete a Bachelor Degree – either Social Sciences with an emphasis in Psychology OR Health Sciences with the Pre-OT track – including all of the OT prerequisites and then apply to the program. Students who earn a minimum GPA of 3.0 and meet all individual prerequisite grade requirements may apply in the fall of their Senior Year.

3-year accelerated track social science students may qualify to apply for entry into the OT professional curriculum with a minimum of 96 credits at the end of their junior year and upon successful completion of prerequisite coursework. The designation ‘accelerated track’ must be made no later than the first semester of the Sophomore year.  This designation allows students to apply to the OT program in the fall of their Junior year, and start the professional sequence as Seniors. 

*Transfer students who enter the College later than the first semester of the Sophomore Year are not eligible for the accelerated path and must complete a Bachelor Degree, including the OT prerequisites.

• Minimum overall GPA 3.0 (B) of all post-secondary coursework
• No grade lower than a B- in a prerequisite science course.
• No grade lower than a B in OT532 (Kinesiology in OT), OT521 (Intro to OT)
• Minimum TOEFL scores, if required, per subtest:
  Reading – 22; Listening – 18; Speaking – 21; Writing – 24

NOTE – Limit of one retake of any science or OT-designated prerequisite course

In addition to the academic standards noted above, all applicants for admission are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Writing skills (evaluated onsite and based on your application essays)
• Observation hours are encouraged, but not required for the 2022-2023 application cycle.  Please view an informational video that can be found here. After watching, please compose a three-page double-spaced essay based on this video that describes and discusses three aspects of occupational therapy that are meaningful and appealing to you as an applicant to a graduate occupational therapy program.
• Three letters of reference – one academic, one professional (e.g., supervisor), and a third that can be either academic or professional. Please do not submit references from family members, friends of the family, clergy, family physician, etc. If you can submit one from an occupational therapist who knows you well and can speak to your potential, it will be a bonus
• All applicants are required to complete Altus Suite. Altus Suite consists of a two part online assessment of non-cognitive skills. Both Casper and Snapshot are required. Access www.TakeAltus.com to create an account and review online test dates.
• Holistic Interview – upon invitation

IMPORTANT NOTE – Beginning with the candidates for Fall 2019, all applicants must undergo a criminal background check before being admitted to the program.  Additionally, all students in the program who are preparing to enter fieldwork will need to undergo a new criminal background check before being cleared to begin those experiences.

• Applicants not currently Dominican College students must first apply to Dominican College as a transfer student. 
• Submit official transcripts from all post-secondary coursework
• Based on GPA and the number of qualifying transfer credits you will be assigned an academic advisor to assist you with registration for prerequisite courses, eligibility, and timeline for applying to the Occupational Therapy (OT) Program.  Acceptance into Dominican College is not acceptance into the occupational therapy program.
• Complete all prerequisite courses
• You will be eligible to apply through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) at https://portal.otcas.org when you only have the following prerequisite courses to complete: Physics, Neuroscience, Introduction to Occupational Therapy Practice, and Kinesiology in OT* (* – indicates a course that must be taken at Dominican College)
• The OTCAS application opens on July 21, 2022 and admissions is offered on a rolling basis.
• Applicants who meet all standards and scoring criteria will be invited to interview with OT Faculty.
• Admitted students will be required to attend a mandatory orientation on March 31 and April 1, 2023.

For questions about the 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)

* Based on maximum 3% annual increase in tuition fee per year
** Approximate cost as some textbooks are used in multiple courses
*** Approximate cost – varies with individual driving distance and tolls or other transportation mode (train, bus, cab, etc.)

Miscellaneous fees

Graduation Fee: $250
Replacement ID Card fee: $20
Student Liability Insurance: $45 per year – beginning in the second year
Note: The tuition and fees set forth in this bulletin are necessarily subject to change without notice at any time.

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® policy regarding background checks for all exam takers,: Effective January 1, 2018
The NBCOT Board of Directors has approved the implementation of background checks as part of the exam process. This enhancement offers the unique opportunity to apply a national standard to all entry-level practitioners in support of NBCOT’s mission of public protection.

Background checks will be completed as part of the exam application process for all first-time applicants beginning January 1, 2018. Candidates reapplying for the exam will not be subject to a background check. There is no change to the application fee as a result of this addition. The 2018 exam application fee will remain $515 for online applications and $555 for paper applications.

The NBCOT character review will continue to be guided by the character questions found on page 8 of the Certification Exam Handbook. Additional review will be conducted only when an incident results in an affirmative answer to one or more character questions.

Similarly, a conviction of misdemeanor petit theft (that did not involve harm to another) with negative responses to all character questions would not be reviewed. However, if the candidate was suspended or expelled from their college or university due to the incident (character question #4), a review will be required.

If you have questions regarding the expanded background check program, contact professional.conduct@nbcot.org.

NBCOT® Policy Regarding Presumptive Denials: Effective January 1, 2019

Applications from individuals who have been convicted of serious crimes will not be accepted for initial certification or certification renewal. The specific list of serious crimes that presumptively disqualify an individual for certification or certification renewal may be found on NBCOT’s webpage.

State Authorization Reciprocity Agreements
Dominican College of Blauvelt 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.

On October 7, 2020, Occupational Therapy faculty, Dr’s Nadia Rust and Catherine Cavaliere along with graduate occupational therapy students, Chastity Kiely and Magda Yastion, conducted Sensory Health Screenings on campus as part of Mental Health Awareness Week. Students, and staff alike were invited to partake in free sensory health screenings and gain insight into their own sensory processing preferences and the impact of those on their daily lives, mental health, and well-being.

In September 2020, the Dominican University Occupational Therapy Program partnered with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Rockland in their annual mental health awareness event. NAMI is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness.

Participants were given the opportunity to partake in a 5k run/walk (tracked virtually), online activities (e.g. yoga), and other wellness challenges. Dominican University Occupational Therapy Students volunteered to assist with the event and hosted a variety of online classes encompassing varying topics such as stress management, anxiety coping strategies, therapeutic gardening, etc., designed to support positive mental health in the community.