Master of Occupational Therapy

Department of Occupational Therapy at Governors State University

Master of Occupational Therapy Program

Governors State University established the Department of Occupational Therapy (OT) in 1996 and has continued the long tradition of providing quality, reputable, and affordable educational opportunities to a diverse student body. We are proud of the long-standing history of producing knowledgeable, competent, and skilled occupational therapists to meet the healthcare needs of all clients.

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Occupational Therapy as a Career

Governors State University’s Master of Occupational Therapy(MOT) program prepares the Occupational Therapist to build a career as a caring and thoughtful professional therapist. You will guide clients and help them regain their independence in everyday life activities at home, work, school, and in the community through responsive, evidence-based treatments. Through education and mentorship, the expert, caring, supportive faculty will help guide you along the way. The MOT program and faculty place a strong emphasis on advocacy, communication, critical reasoning, leadership, and lifelong learning—skills and activities that distinguish our graduates and empower them to become highly effective professionals. Occupational therapists come from a variety of backgrounds, but they all have one thing in common: a mission to help change lives.

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Reach Your Career Goals

Occupational Therapy is consistently ranked among the top professions in the United States. In 2017 alone, it was included in rankings by Forbes, and U.S. News and World Report, among others. Data collected in 2024, reported that the median annual salary of Occupational Therapists in Chicago, IL is at $103,362 with an average range of $86,771 -$121,028(salary.com). Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow by 16% from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.

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Accreditation

The Governors State University Master of Occupational Therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is acoteonline.org. In May 2019, received accreditation for 10 years until 2028.

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Program Outcomes

Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the graduate will be an occupational therapist, registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT Certification Exam and/or attain state licensure.

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PROGRAM/STUDENT OUTCOMES FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Exam can be found online at: https://www.nbcot.org/.

COST OF ATTENDANCE

Tuition and Fees for the Academic Year 23/24

Tuition: $505.00 per 1 credit hour = $39,390

Fees: (Student Center, Technology, Facilities, Health and Wellness, Instructional Support, Student Support and Services, and Strategic Initiative): $12,360

Books and Supplies: $4000

Total Cost of Attendance for the entire program: $55,750

All United States residents pay the same amount as Illinois residents

*Note: Tuition and fees are subject to change.

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Title IX HRSA-Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students Grant

The MOT program was recently awarded a Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students Grant through the Health Resources & Services Administration. The award of $2.688 million will be dispersed over five years, beginning with the incoming Fall 2020 semester. Qualifying students will receive financial awards every semester through the year 2025. For questions regarding the application process, please contact Dr. Caren Schranz at cschranz@govst.edu

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Testimonials

"My experience in the MOT program at GovState has been amazing and incomparable. Our small class sizes ensure a quality learning experience, and the professors are truly invested in us—they go to great lengths to make sure we understand and are competent with the information needed to succeed and grow. We take part in community experiences where we apply our skills and knowledge in the community. The experiences are eye-opening and rewarding, as well as allow a learning experience that could never be simulated in a classroom"

Lauren Green, Occupational Therapy Student Alumni

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"Our well-established Occupational Therapy program is fueled by faculty members who are passionate about OT, invested in student learning, and connected to the community; their strong research agendas and collaborative research with students are integrated with community partners. In addition, our facilities, including our state-of-the-art ADL (Activities of Daily Life) lab provide students with opportunities to practice providing care for clients in a setting that is authentic to their future careers."

Caren Schranz, Chair of Occupational Therapy and Associate Professor

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