Georgia State to Offer Master of Occupational Therapy Degree Program

Newswise — Georgia State University has received Board of Regents approval to offer the Master of Occupational Therapy degree, the entry-level degree required for occupational therapy, making it the first public college or university in Atlanta and third in Georgia to offer an occupational therapy degree.

Beginning fall 2015, Georgia State’s Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions will accept applications for the two-year, full-time program. Students are expected to enroll beginning fall 2016.

Occupational therapists aid people of all ages and walks of life to improve their daily lives or regain lost skills. They work with young and old, from children with developmental disabilities to seniors recovering from strokes or other cognitive impairments. The field of occupational therapy is ranked ninth among the best health care jobs and 14th among all occupations, according to U.S. News and World Report. The median annual salary for occupational therapists is about $75,000.

At least a master’s degree in occupational therapy is required to enter the field. In addition, graduates must pass a national certification exam to be licensed. The Georgia State occupational therapy program is designed to be completed in five semesters. Applicants may have an undergraduate degree in any major as long as they have completed the required science prerequisites.

“Offering a master’s degree in occupational therapy helps us to meet the demand of the healthcare industry and provide our students with another occupational avenue as we strive to become the health care school of choice in the Southeast,” said Margaret C. Wilmoth, dean of the Byrdine F. Lewis School of Nursing and Health Professions.

The Lewis School is beginning the search for a department chair and field coordinator. More information on the program’s curriculum, pre-requisites and application process will be available in early 2015. Occupational therapy is the first allied health discipline to be added at Georgia State since 1972 and the first new department in the Lewis School.