Admission Requirements

Applications should be received by February 15 to be assured consideration. Applications received after that date will be considered on a space-available basis, and financial aid availability may be limited.

Applicants should gather and submit all the following required materials to:
Student Academic Support Services (Admissions) Office, Room SAR 207
Boston University Sargent College
635 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA 02215
Phone: 617-353-2713 | sargrad@bu.edu

1. Official transcript(s) showing evidence of completion of (or intention to complete) a baccalaureate degree. Degree should include a minimum of 12 credits in social sciences (no time limit on these credits) and may include history, government, economics, sociology, anthropology, geography, and psychology. The program does not require a particular undergraduate concentration, and we encourage applicants with a diversity of backgrounds.

2. A cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 in undergraduate coursework is required. Prerequisite courses taken after completion of a baccalaureate degree are not counted toward the GPA.

3. Scores on the aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) General Test. Because our program requires strong critical thinking and writing skills, we use the GREs as one indicator of an applicant’s competency in these areas. We recommend the following minimum GRE General Test scores: verbal 500+, quantitative 500+, and analytical writing 4.5+ (analytical taken before Oct. 2002: 500+). Official scores should arrive by February 15 to Sargent College (institutional code 3028, dept. code 0618).

If GRE scores are below the minimum in any area (especially the verbal), we recommend retaking the exam.

There is no limit on the number of times a student is allowed to retake the GREs. We will use the highest score from each section.

4. A completed application form and essay addressing the following three special essay questions (typed, double-spaced, three pages total, one page maximum per question). The purpose of the essay is to evaluate the applicant’s understanding of and commitment to the profession, as well as the applicant’s thinking process and writing ability. The three topics are:

a. Discuss your perception of how occupational therapy contributes to health and well being.

b. Discuss how your past education and life experiences led you to choose the profession of occupational therapy.

c. Describe a personally meaningful occupation and how your participation in that occupation has influenced you.

5. Three (3) letters of reference. One must be academic (from course instructor or academic advisor). One should be from a supervisor in professional or other work capacity who can address work, service, or other areas of the applicant’s background that may be pertinent to your qualifications. One should be health-care related if possible.

6. Official transcripts indicating completion of the five (5) college-level prerequisite courses. A minimum grade of B- is required, except for Gross Human Anatomy where the minimum required grade is C. Courses taken to fulfill prerequisites must have a minimum of 3 credit hours.

At the time of application, prerequisites may be in progress or pending (eg, planning to take in the summer), but must be completed before starting the MSOT program in September.  In these cases, applicants would be accepted conditionally to Boston University with the understanding that prerequisite courses must be completed successfully in Summer Term before they can begin the Fall MSOT courses. 

All courses must be completed within 7 years of matriculation into the MSOT program (otherwise, include a letter explaining how you have kept up-to-date on course materials).

Courses may be taken at any accredited college or university, including community colleges. Prerequisites must include:

  • Gross Human Anatomy (effective Fall 2007):  There are three options for fulfilling the Gross Human Anatomy prerequisite. 

    Option 1: We strongly recommend enrolling in Gross Human Anatomy (SAR-HS581) at Boston University (course description is as follows: Regional approach to the musculoskeletal, peripheral nervous, and circulatory systems of the human body. Cadaver laboratories reinforce the lectures by a study of osteology, prosected cadavers, and live anatomy palpations).  Boston University offers Gross Human Anatomy during Fall, Spring, and Summer Session I (May/June).  You need to receive a C or better in this course. 

    1. Visit the Boston University Class Schedule at http://www.bu.edu/reg/ to find out when SAR-HS581 will be held
    2. Download a Registration Form at http://www.bu.edu/reg/, include a note stating that you are registering as a non-degree student (namely, MSOT applicant taking SAR-HS581 as a prerequisite), and submit to Boston University Sargent College Academic Services Center (635 Commonwealth Ave, room SAR-207, Boston, MA 02215, sargrad@bu.edu or 617-353-2713) for registration

    Option 2: Enroll in a Gross Human Anatomy course at another college.  You must submit the course syllabus (including course description, objectives, and schedule) for prior approval for this course.  The course should include the following 5 items:

    1. Cadaver lab (this can be petitioned to be waived if the course used one of the current cadaver computer programs or other alternatives for learning)
    2. Thoroughly covers anatomy of the head, neck, trunk, back, and limbs
    3. Arthrology (study of joints)
    4. General knowledge of muscle origin, insertion, action, nerve supply, and blood supply
    5. Surface anatomy

    If your Gross Human Anatomy course is approved by the Boston University MSOT Admissions Committee, you will receive a written confirmation (please include a copy of the approval with your MSOT application).  You will need to receive a C or better in the approved course.  Please submit your Gross Human Anatomy syllabus for review to:


    Prof. Sue Berger, MS, OTR/L, BCG
    MSOT Admissions Committee
    Boston University Sargent College
    635 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA  02215
    sueb@bu.edu (email preferred) or 617-353-7512
    Fax: 617-353-2926

    Please note: Most Human Anatomy courses with an animal dissection lab are too basic and will NOT fulfill the Gross Human Anatomy requirement (Human Anatomy usually serves as a prerequisite to Gross Human Anatomy).  Gross Human Anatomy may have a variety of course titles, but it is a more thorough course with a cadaver lab and often taught in premed or nursing programs.  In Gross Human Anatomy, students learn more specific details about each system, with a focus on the musculoskeletal system. Students should learn muscle attachments, innervations and actions, as well as muscle palpation. The level of detail in the Gross Human Anatomy course is reflective of what a practitioner in the clinic would need to know in order to effectively evaluate and treat patients. 

    Option 3: Complete a basic human anatomy course with a C or better AND complete a self-study program by purchasing the "Interactive Human Anatomy and Dissection CD-ROM".  This CD will be available from Elsevier Publishing (www.elsevier.com) beginning June 2008.  You will be required to pass an on-line competency exam (developed by the Occupational Therapy program at Boston University) on this information.

    Please note:  We understand there may be circumstances where you are unable to complete option 1 or 2, above. Therefore, though option 3 is acceptable, please know that if you choose option 3, you are accepting additional responsibilities for independent learning that will require extra time and effort.

    Students may apply to the Boston University MSOT program prior to completing Gross Human Anatomy with the understanding that this prerequisite must be completed successfully before beginning the Fall MSOT courses (applicants will be accepted to the MSOT program with the condition that they complete Gross Human Anatomy with a minimum C grade before matriculation in September, OR have completed a basic human anatomy course, received a minimum of a C grade, completed the self-study program, and passed the competency exam).

  • Human Physiology: one course (laboratory section optional).
  • Statistics: one course to include descriptive and inferential statistics, correlation, hypothesis testing, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and introduction to regression analysis. A course in research design is also acceptable if it covers the relevant statistics.
  • Abnormal Psychology: one course (courses titled Psychopathology or Psychology of Deviance may be acceptable).
  • Developmental Psychology: one course (courses titled Life Span Development, Child Development, or Child Psychology may be acceptable; content on child development must be included in the course).

If you have questions about whether a course fulfills one of the above requirements, please submit a photocopy of the course description from the appropriate college catalog to MSOT Admissions Committee, Department of Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation Counseling, Boston University Sargent College, 635 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215. Please allow at least two business weeks for decision.

7. List, on a separate sheet of paper, your health care-related experience, including both paid and volunteer work.

This information should show evidence of how you explored occupational therapy and determined it to be an appropriate career choice for you. List should include:

  • date of experience,
  • name and type of facility or agency,
  • population, and
  • a brief description of your involvement.

We highly recommend experiences in at least two different service delivery settings (e.g., schools, early intervention program, skilled nursing facility, community health center).

One experience should be extended (over several weeks) and one short-term exposure.

Although health care experiences are not part of the official admissions criteria, they provide additional information about a prospective student’s experience in the field and basis for choosing to pursue occupational therapy.

Such experiences will weigh favorably when making admissions decisions.

8. Any student for whom English is not the first language must demonstrate competence in English through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and Test of Written English (TWE).

Application Deadline

All materials should be submitted by the application deadline of February 15. Applications received after the deadline will be reviewed on a space-available basis, and financial aid availability may be limited.

Essential Skills

Full participation in the academic and clinical portions of the occupational therapy programs requires ability to perform a set of essential skills (Boston University Essential Functions for OT).  Applicants who anticipate difficulty performing one or more of these functions because of a disability are encouraged to consult with the Boston University Office of Disability Services. 

  • For questions about the MSOT program or to arrange a visit, please email or call the Boston University OT Office at OT@bu.edu or (617) 353-2729.