Utica College

What you'll study

Coursework and learning options let students tailor study toward specific career aims. Core emphases include advanced practice, educational design and instruction, advocacy and systems analysis, theory development, leadership models, and the completion of a capstone project. Graduates are expected to synthesize best practices across contexts and to apply theory development processes to improve occupational justice for individuals, populations and communities.

Entry requirements

• Current, unencumbered occupational therapy license.
• Either current employment in occupational therapy or a minimum of two years of OT work experience.
• Master’s degree in occupational therapy with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• At least 42 graduate-level credit hours already completed.
• Two recommendations from graduate faculty or professionals in the field.
• Evidence of writing ability (for example a master’s thesis, capstone, or portfolio of substantial documents) submitted with the application.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared to function as advanced-practice occupational therapists who evaluate and apply best practices across systems, as educators who can design instructional experiences, as advocates skilled in systems analysis to promote occupational justice and health equity, as contributors to theory development, and as leaders capable of selecting and implementing appropriate leadership models to produce beneficial change.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

The program page does not list specific scholarships; prospective applicants should consult Utica University’s financial aid and graduate enrollment offices for available funding, employer tuition benefits, and guidance on assistantships or external grants.