Pre-Occupational Therapy Program in Pennsylvania
Prepare for occupational therapy school through a personalized advising pathway within a major of your choosing or other listed pathways.
Study Pre-Occupational Therapy at a Christian University
Are you interested in a career in occupational therapy? Messiah University, a private Christian university in Pennsylvania, offers pre-health advising options to help you prepare for a health-related career after obtaining your undergraduate degree.
Pre-occupational therapy is not structured as a major at Messiah University. Instead, we find it more effective to help prepare you for occupational therapy school through a personalized, rigorous advising pathway within a major you choose. You will work one-on-one with our dedicated pre-health advisor to get answers to your questions; explore a career path that matches your passions and skills; and to help ensure you complete the prerequisite courses and application materials required for acceptance into graduate school.
While we have students from various majors go on to occupational school, some of the more widely selected majors for occupational therapy school-bound students at Messiah include:
- Applied Health Science
- Biochemistry (B.S. and B.A.)
- Biology – Biomedical concentration
- Biopsychology
- Molecular Biology
While specific requirements vary by school, you will likely be required to take the following courses to be able to apply to occupational therapy school.
- General biology
- Human anatomy and physiology
- Psychology
- Sociology
- English
- Statistics
Early Assurance Program (EAP)
Messiah University's Early Assurance Program allows up to five Messiah undergraduate students to obtain a guaranteed acceptance into its Master of Occupational Therapy program during their senior year of high school. Learn more about the Early Assurance Program.
Accelerated Occupational Therapy Program
Messiah’s five-year accelerated program is designed for academically qualified first-year students who are confident they want to become occupational therapists. The program allows entering first-year students to complete undergraduate and graduate degrees at Messiah University, one of the top private Christian schools in the U.S., in less time than would be required to complete both of these degrees separately. Students who pursue this accelerated program earn both a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree (your choice of applied health science with a pre-occupational therapy concentration, or psychology) and a Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) degree from Messiah University in five years. Learn more about the accelerated degree program.
Messiah University’s Master of Occupational Therapy program will prepare you to be a competent, in-demand occupational therapist and a leader in your field. It is an accredited full-time, 80-credit, residential program located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, featuring a state-of-the-art educational facility designed to meet the needs of occupational therapy students.
For academic and application requirements, career planning tools and more.
Questions?
Contact Martha Stigelman, Pre-health professions advising coordinator
717-766-2511, ext. 3936
In the Pre-Occupational Therapy program, you will take a selection of courses that successfully prepare you for a career in a related field. Hands-on experiences and classroom learning within the framework of Christian faith will give you the skills and knowledge to achieve your goals. Our programs offer a wide variety of courses that will not only help you excel in your future career, but challenge you to develop a deeper understanding of your field of study.
Pre-Occupational Therapy careers and outcomes
Where our grads work
Graduates of the Pre-Occupational Therapy program work in positions of leadership in their places of employment, using the tools and knowledge a Messiah University education prepared them with. Each year, eager employers and some of the nation's best graduate schools welcome Messiah graduates into their organizations.
96% of the Class of 2022 respondents were employed or in graduate school within 6-9 months of graduation.
Our Alumni
Regional and national employers seek out Messiah graduates for their academic preparation, work ethic and personal character. The transformation you experience at Messiah readies you to transform the lives of others through your chosen career path.
Messiah's unique approach to hands-on learning
Learning in the classroom is important but actually applying that knowledge in a hands-on way can make all the difference. At Messiah University, the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) allows Messiah to take this hands-on learning to a new level by giving students the opportunity to apply what they have learned to various real world contexts--such as an internship/practica, service learning, off-campus program, holding a student leadership position, or participating in undergraduate research.