Frequently Asked Questions

Questions

1. What classes do I need to take before applying to your program?
2. How can I find out if the course I am planning to take (or have taken) meets your prerequisites?
3. Where can I find an introduction to occupational therapy course?
4. What content needs to be in the introductory sociology course? Does it have to be a sociology course?
5. Why do I need to take an art course?
6. How can I meet the applied art prerequisite?
7. Where can I find work, volunteer, or observational experiences?
8. How do I record my work, volunteer, or observational experiences?
9. What is a hybrid educational model?
10. What does your curriculum look like?
11. How can I figure out if your program is a good fit for me?
12. When can I apply?
13. Can I meet with an occupational therapy advisor? Can I get a tour?

1. What classes do I need to take before applying to your program?
   Human anatomy (3 semester credits), human physiology (3 semester credits), statistics (including descriptive and inferential) (3 semester credits), introduction to sociology (3 semester credits), general psychology (3 semester credits), abnormal psychology (3 semester credits), human development across the lifespan (3 semester credits), medical terminology (1 semester credit), applied art (2 semester credits), and introduction to occupational therapy (1 semester credits).
   
   
2. How can I find out if the course I am planning to take (or have taken) meets your prerequisites?
   There are two ways you can find out about courses. First, we have prepared Pre-OT planning sheets for most of the private colleges and Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, the University of Minnesota system, and the University of Wisconsin system, as well as a few schools in the Dakotas and Iowa. You may contact the program at otprog@umn.edu to obtain a copy of the planning sheet for the school(s) you need. If you have taken a course you believe meets the prerequisite but is not on the planning sheet, or have taken classes for schools for which we haven¿t created a sheet, you may send a course description and a topics list/syllabus to the program or Chair of Admissions and request that the course be reviewed.
   
   
3. Where can I find an introduction to occupational therapy course?
   At the University of Minnesota, this course¿OT 1003: Orientation to Occupational Therapy¿is offered on the Twin Cities campus in spring semester. It is offered year round through distance learning. Contact the College of Continuing Education online at www.cce.umn.edu/idl or call 612-625-3333.
   
   
4. What content needs to be in the introductory sociology course? Does it have to be a sociology course?
   The sociology prerequisite is met by a course or combination of courses that include the following content: human societies and behaviors, social theory and theories of social change, methods of study in sociology, characteristics of social units (for example, race/ethnicity, economic/social organizations, gender, political/religious systems), and the impact of cultural diversity
   
   
5. Why do I need to take an art course?
   We require an art experience because these activities have a valuable place in occupational therapy. Various forms of applied arts are used in clinical practice. Media tangibly relate the purposefulness and meaningfulness of activity. By actually manipulating media and completing a craft or work of art, students gain a greater understanding of the creative process, demonstrate practical dexterity, and gain insight into the struggles that their future patients go through. Students will use these experiences later in the curriculum and in the clinics.
   
   
6. How can I meet the applied art prerequisite?
   Most students choose to take courses through an accredited university or community college. However, you may fulfill the art experiences in a couple other ways. You may take community/non-credit art courses (to equal 2 semester credits of time and effort. This is a minimum of 30 classroom hours and 30 supporting hours). Alternatively, if you have had substantial experience with media, you may petition to fulfill the requirements with a portfolio. Please contact the Chair of Admissions at otprog@umn.edu or 612-626-5887 if you are considering this option.
   
   
7. Where can I find work, volunteer, or observational experiences?
   1. Call personnel or volunteer services at a nearby hospital or outpatient rehabilitation center.
      You can find local institutions by looking in the yellow pages, then call the information number and work from there. Most places are very open to cold calls from students interested in the health sciences. You will not be the first to make such a call!
   2. Nursing homes and subacute centers (usually found in nursing homes) employ therapists.
      Contact the institution and ask for occupational therapy or the rehabilitation department.
   3. Call your local school district and ask for the Special Ed department, Health department, or occupational therapist.
      Sometimes the OTR is ¿known¿ to the phone operator; more likely you will need to go through Special Ed. Likely you will not be able to get hands-on experience here, but will get a good observation experience.
   4. Check the yellow pages under the following categories and make calls:
      
      • Behavioral services (mental health)
      • Day cares (look for special needs day cares or adult day cares)
      • Mental retardation, developmental disabilities, sheltered workshops, community integration programs or developmental achievement centers or habilitation centers (to get contacts for adults with developmental disabilities)
        
        
8. How do I record my work, volunteer, or observational experiences?
   You will want to document the place you received your experience; the dates you were there; the total number of hours; whether your experience was work, volunteer, or observation; and if the experience was in occupational therapy or other health related areas. Finally, you will need to write 2-3 sentences describing your duties. For now, record on your computer or a piece of paper. When the application is available, there will be a form for you to record that information. There is no need to obtain signatures to verify your hours.
   
   
9. What is a hybrid educational model?
   A hybrid¿or blended¿educational model is an innovative way to present curricular content. It blends leading edge online technologies with in-the-classroom learning. In other words, each course in the curriculum will have some aspects that are offered via distance technologies and some aspects that are offered on-site, face to face with an instructor.
   
   
10. What does your curriculum look like?
    You will find a link on our website to our curriculum. On that link, you will find a table of courses by semester as well as course descriptions. Note that the curriculum is offered in 4 consecutive semesters, followed by full time fieldwork.
    
    
11. How can I figure out if your program is a good fit for me?
    We recognize that it is competitive to get into an occupational therapy program. We also recognize that students want to choose the best program for themselves¿where they will feel good and where they will be most successful. There are a few things you can look at, or questions you can ask, to make sure the program is a good fit for you.
    1. Do you resonate with the program¿s mission and philosophy?
    2. Does the program include content in the areas where you hope to practice?
    3. Are you self-disciplined enough to use distance technologies as a major source for your education or do you need/prefer more face to face?
    4. Are the faculty leaders in the field, and is this important to you?
    5. What research studies are faculty doing? In what areas are they published? You will be doing some level of scholarly work, likely in areas the faculty are already studying.
    6. Do you like the area where the program is located? The size of the campus? Are there other resources on campus that you might need?
    7. Are students involved in the profession through clubs, service opportunities, or professional activities? Is that important to you?
    8. How quickly and how often are students out on fieldwork or field experiences?
    
    
12. When can I apply?
    An online application will be available by October 15 for Fall 2008 admissions. Applications will be processed and reviewed following a February 15 priority date. We will continue to accept applications after that date on a rolling basis (i.e. processing and making decisions on applications as they are submitted) until the classes are filled. We will be seating students at both the University of Minnesota Rochester and Minneapolis.
    
    
13. Can I meet with an occupational therapy advisor? Can I get a tour?
    If you are a University of Minnesota student in the College of Liberal Arts, you are assigned to one of seven Communities based on major, Martin Luther King Program (students of color), or the Honors Program. Contact CLA Student Services at 612/625-5333 for an appointment.
    
    Non-CLA majors are assigned to advisors within their colleges. Contact the appropriate school listed in the Undergraduate Catalog. Non-University students or students who would like specific advising on occupational therapy related questions may call Beverly, the Program Secretary, for a referral to a faculty member. She can be reached at 612/626-5887 or via email at otprog@umn.edu.