Online Occupational Therapy Programs

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A bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy is your gateway to a career in this lucrative industry. Occupational therapists’ work is diverse. They adapt environments, activities, or equipment to enhance participation in everyday tasks, assisting people of all ages and abilities to do what they need and want to do at home, work, school, and in the community. Graduates are prepared as generalists, enabling them to work in a variety of practice settings including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and regional schools. Online Occupational Therapy Programs prepares graduates to work with people of varying diagnoses including people living with spinal cord injuries, cancer, stroke, autism, cerebral palsy, developmental delay, and many other conditions and illnesses. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational therapy has been identified as a high job growth area in the next 10 years. In this article, we look into the details of occupational therapy from a bachelor’s degree point of view and look at different aspects of obtaining occupational therapy courses.

Best Online Occupational
Therapy Programs

We at FBD (Find Best Degrees) have vetted several occupational therapy schools and have come up with a list of the best online occupational therapy programs. Our vetting process involves a host of criteria including graduation rate, tuition fee, student placements, location of the college, etc. Below is the list of our top picks for the best occupational therapy schools: *

Universities and programs are ranked by various factors, such as affordability, curriculum and coursework, reputation and availability, program length, statistics, the potential of employment, and return on investment for the students. For a more in-depth analysis, please read about our rankings methodology page

What to expect from an Online Bachelor’s Degree
in Occupational Therapy?

Types of Online Occupational
Therapy Programs

Areas of Specialization for Online Bachelor’s
Degree in Occupational Therapy

Why should I do an Online Bachelor’s Degree
in Occupational Therapy?

How to get into an Online Occupational
Therapy Degree?

As for any bachelor’s degree, the requirements for an online bachelor’s degree are typical:

  • A high school graduate degree. 
  • Some colleges would need an SAT (scholastic aptitude test) or GED (general education development score) score. Or if someone is transferring in-between schools, then it should be in good academic standing. Which could be a minimum GPA of 2.0 or above.
  • Submit the online application with a cover letter and at least 3 letters of reference. The no. of letters of course depends on the university. Some schools would require you to do a criminal background check if you are enrolling in any health sciences programs.

The above is the typical occupational therapy requirement, for a bachelor’s degree. Students must submit proof that they have met all the above criteria to be accepted at a college or university.

How long is an Online Occupational
Therapy Degree?

Accreditation for Online Bachelor’s Degree
in Occupational Therapy

Accreditation is a vetting process wherein an institution has been evaluated by an independent accrediting body and found to meet the high standards of a rigorous education. Thus, accreditation in essence is enforcement of quality. Also, to practice occupational therapy, one must get a license from state bodies. And only those with accredited degrees would get the opportunity to sit for those license examinations. Hence, getting an accredited online occupational therapy program is a must to practice the craft of OT. Read more about Accreditation.

Hence, one must ensure that their degrees are recognized by the industry and fraternity they are getting into, and more importantly, to be eligible for US federal student aid students must ensure that the institution one is enrolling in is accredited by one of the federally recognized accreditation bodies.

Online Occupational Therapy
Bridge Programs

Occupational Therapy Assistants looking to become Occupational therapists will have likely taken some of the courses necessary to fulfill the remaining OT requirements. These are called occupational therapy bridge programs. Oftentimes, the four-year bachelor’s program can be expedited by applying past credits and fieldwork.

These bridge programs are created for working adults who cannot afford to return to school full time. These programs offer a way for working OTAs to obtain an OT degree through:

  • distance learning,
  • on-site classes,
  • and weekend classes.

Aspects of OTA to OT bridge programs differ, so it is important to review what each program includes, and how a student’s prior experience fits into any given program. Using your prior education and work experience is key to keeping your time and financial investments as low as possible. Most OTA to OT bridge programs can be completed in two to three years and are a blend of in-classroom, online, and fieldwork learning.

Accelerated Online Occupational
Therapy Programs

Accelerated occupational therapy programs online or fast track occupational therapy programs are generally combined programs where students enroll for an integrated program and instead of taking 6 years for a master’s, an integrated accelerated program would fetch students a master’s degree in say 5 years. Saving a few semesters in the bargain. That is the reason these programs are called accelerated programs. The requirements for the program might be a bit more stringent than the normal bachelor’s because the program might be a bit more demanding than a regular bachelor’s. The Occupational Therapy Accelerated program from the University of Florida is one such program students might want to explore further.

Free Online Occupational
Therapy Programs

How to Pay for Online Occupational
Therapy Programs?

FAQs about Online Occupational
Therapy Programs

How to get into the profession of Occupational therapy or how to study the vocation of occupational therapy?

How long is occupational therapy school?

What is the difference between an OT assistant and an OT?

What does an occupational therapist do?

What makes a good occupational therapist?

What are recent trends in OT?

What is the future of occupational therapy?

Is occupational therapy a good career?

Is occupational therapy on the rise?

Can you get an occupational therapy degree online?

Career Opportunities and Salaries after Online
Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy

Certifications and Licensing for Online Bachelor’s
Degree in Occupational Therapy

Additional Resources for Online Occupational
Therapy Programs

Disclaimer:

The average tuition (based on degree type for in-state students), average graduation rates, and rankings are based on data from various sources, including the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and are variable over time. All rankings and statistics are subject to change. The rankings are solely the opinion of Find Best Degrees (FBD) and are based on our proprietary methodology. They do not represent the views of the institutions or organizations mentioned, nor do they represent any official government census or survey. Furthermore, any views or opinions expressed on this page are of FBD’s researchers and teams. Unless otherwise specified, they do not represent the thoughts and opinions of the individuals, institutions, or organizations mentioned. This page’s content is provided solely for informational purposes, with data drawn from various sources, including IPEDS. FBD and its employees make no guarantees regarding the accuracy or completeness of any information found on this page or by following any link. FBD will not be held liable for any errors or omissions in this material nor any losses, injuries, or damages resulting from the exposure or use of this information. Although the information on this page is/was correct at the time of publication, readers should exercise caution because some or all of the provided information may have changed over time, potentially resulting in inaccuracies. For more information, please read our Terms of Service. Trademarks and logos are the property of their registered owners. | Page last updated: Dec 2023.