Master of Occupational Therapy

The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD  20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

Accreditation through this national professional organization ensures that our graduates meet the national standards to become highly skilled occupational therapists. Our program received a 10-year re-accreditation in 2022. Annual written reports for the program are submitted to ACOTE every year. The next full accreditation self-study report and on-site accreditation visit will be held in 2031-32.

In each calendar year 2022-2024 we admit 24 students. During the last 3 calendar years 2022-2024 we had a total of 72 students enroll and 63 program graduates. The number of program graduates reflects the number of students granted a degree in the calendar year. These numbers may include students who graduated later due to military, medical or personal leave. The average graduation rate for the last 3 calendar years is 2022-2024 is 96%.

*The graduation rate is calculated based on the ACOTE standard (number of students who graduate on time divided by the number of students admitted in the original cohort minus students who encountered military, health, family issues, death and other reasons not related to academic and clinical performance.  

**Rate based on 18/18 students who graduated within the typical length of the program; 6 students delayed graduation due to medical or personal leave. 

^Rate based on 18/18 students who graduated within the typical length of the program; 6 students delayed graduation due medical or personal leave. 

^^Rate based on 15/17 who graduated within the typical length of the program; 9 students are currently enrolled and completing their degree due to medical, military or personal leave. 

See the table below for the NBCOT exam pass rate for the calendar years of 2022, 2023, and 2024. Certification exam results can also be found on the NBCOT website.

The UW Master of Occupational Therapy (UW MOT) degree is a 9-quarter lock-step program that begins in Autumn Quarter. The first 7 quarters of coursework are followed by 6 months of full-time Fieldwork II clinical placements. We focus on preparing graduates for the complexity of occupational therapy practice through didactic coursework and authentic, immersive Clinical Learning Experiences in the community. Read our Technical Standards Policy for students. Technical standards can be met with or without accommodations. For more information about accommodations, visit the Disability Resources for Students office.

Year 1

First-year students focus on the foundations of occupational therapy, the therapeutic analysis of activities and occupations throughout the lifespan, the process of occupational therapy service delivery, and therapeutic communication groups. They also learn applied human sciences such as functional anatomy and neurobiology.

Year 2

In the second year, students learn occupational therapy theory and practice in mental health, physical disabilities, pediatrics and geriatrics through academic coursework integrated with approximately 4 weeks of community-based Fieldwork I and other Clinical Learning Experiences.

Clinical Learning Experiences

Our philosophy is that clinical skills are best refined through working with real clients in real-world environments. We provide a variety of immersive Clinical Learning Experiences in the community in addition to typical classroom-based labs and simulations. Students gain real-world practical experience outside the classroom and develop clinical reasoning and technical skills through course-related assignments, the Graduate Capstone Project, and Fieldwork Levels I and II.

Course Assignments

At least one course per quarter includes a structured Clinical Learning Experience assignment. These assignments are designed to build on each other throughout the program. For example, to master clinical interviewing skills, students first interview a resident at a local retirement facility to build an occupational profile. They continue to refine this skill by interviewing parents as part of a pediatric assessment, and consumers who use assistive technology in everyday life. More examples of structured Clinical Learning Experience assignments:

• Focused treatment observation and analysis
• Standardized test administration
• Transfer training
• Client assessment and treatment
• Community site usability evaluation
• Home accessibility assessment

Graduate Capstone Projects

Second-year students apply their scholarship to real-world practice settings through collaborative Graduate Capstone Projects. The Graduate Capstone Project combines an in-depth clinical learning experience with an opportunity to give back to the community through service learning. The projects extend over four quarters. Students write a scholarly paper, design a professional poster, and present their projects at the annual UW MOT Graduate Symposium. Each team is guided by a faculty advisor and one or more community mentors. Every year, several students present their projects at local, state, and national conferences. 

Fieldwork Levels I and II

Fieldwork is the occupational therapy term for clinical education that is required under national accreditation standards. It includes Fieldwork I and Fieldwork II. Fieldwork II always occurs in community settings. The accreditation standards for Fieldwork I placements, however, allow for a variety of clinical experiences including classroom-based simulations and labs.

Students in the occupational therapy program comply with the requirements detailed in the University’s affiliation agreements with clinical sites, and as required by the UW School of Medicine, regarding the completion and documentation of immunizations. These are in accordance with recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for healthcare personnel and requirements for the UW School of Medicine. Additionally, students must pass criminal background checks before and during the program and in compliance with the University’s affiliation agreements with clinical sites.

Fieldwork Level I

There are four Fieldwork I experiences in the program at a community setting under the supervision of an occupational therapy practitioner or other health professional. Each placement is linked to a theory and practice course in mental health, physical disabilities, pediatrics, and geriatrics. We integrate this real-world practical experience in the field into core coursework through assessment reports, treatment planning, documentation notes, and class discussions.

Fieldwork Level II

There are two full-time Fieldwork II experiences which take place the last two quarters of the program. Each Fieldwork II experience is 12 weeks long. These placements occur at two clinical sites under the supervision of occupational therapy Fieldwork Educators. During each placement, the student gradually assumes full responsibilities for a client caseload. By the end of each experience, students have the skills necessary to work as an entry-level occupational therapist in that practice setting. In our program, one Fieldwork II placement must be in physical disabilities. The other is the student’s choice between mental health, pediatrics, or geriatrics.

The following courses are taken at the Seattle campus in the scheduled sequence, beginning Autumn Quarter. In total, 113 credits are required for degree completion.

Year One

Year Two

Second year students apply their scholarship to real world practice settings through collaborative Graduate Capstone Projects. Students work in small groups with a community partner to address a program development, education, or advocacy need and then present their projects at our annual symposium.

Our faculty are conducting impactful research to promote health and participation across the lifespan for a variety of populations. Our innovative research programs have been funded by the National Institutes of Health, Health Resources and Services Administration, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research, Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Occupational Therapy Foundation, Retirement Research Foundation, and Washington State. We are also training the next generation of rehabilitation researchers through our involvement with the PhD Program in Rehabilitation Sciences.

Tracy Jirikowic’s research focuses on the development of an early intervention model for children with prenatal alcohol exposure and understanding the developmental outcomes of children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. She is also interested in community-based interventions that promote social participation, health, and well-being for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Dr. Jirikowic is a research affiliate with the UW Institute on Human Development and Disability.

Danbi Lee’s research focuses on evaluating ecologically-centered, telehealth self-management interventions to support community transition and participation for individuals who have had a stroke. As an investigator with the UW Center for Health Workforce Studies and co-founder of the Occupational Therapy and Disability Studies Network, she also leads research on addressing disability-related diversity, inclusion, and equity concerns within healthcare and health workforce education.

Donald Fogelberg’s research has primarily focused on the understanding sleep and sleep-related difficulties in clinical populations, with a focus on people who have experienced significant central nervous system dysfunction such as spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson Disease. Since 2014, he has contributed his expertise in qualitative research methodologies to an interdisciplinary group that successfully developed a novel prosthetic foot. He is the co-founder of Ellipses, an interdisciplinary special interest group supporting scholars working at the intersection of applied health sciences and the humanities.

Tracy Mroz is a health services researcher and co-director of the Advancing Health Services & Policy In Rehabilitation (ASPIRe) Lab. Her research agenda focuses on the impact of policy and delivery systems on access to and quality of post-acute care. As an investigator with the WWAMI Rural Health Research Center and the UW Center for Health Workforce Studies, she is also leading research on home health care in rural communities and the rehabilitation workforce.

Britt St. John is a translational researcher focused on effectively bridging the gap between research and occupational therapy practice to address critical clinical needs and promote thriving for people with neurodevelopmental disabilities across the lifespan. Her current research is focused on understanding and addressing selective eating in autistic children, theoretical and contextual factors impacting family mealtime, and promoting the health and wellbeing for individuals with intellectual and developmental disability.

Lauren Butler has expertise in emotional regulation, trauma-informed care, and neurodiversity-affirming practices. She is passionate about exploring and implementing new technologies in education. Her current scholarship involves surveying students across the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine programs about their use of Generative Artificial Intelligence tools in academic and clinical settings.

Keri DeGroot is an expert in adult physical rehabilitation, geriatrics, and neurorehabilitation. Her research interests include supporting OT students with disabilities and integration of Artificial Intelligence tools into OT education.

Community Fieldwork Educators offer our students the benefit of their expertise and the opportunity to receive supervised hands-on training. In return, the experience of supervising a future occupational therapist offers Fieldwork Educators access to current practice trends and cutting edge research. Read more about the value and purpose of fieldwork from the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

Fieldwork I Educator Resources

• Level I Fieldwork (AOTA) describes the experience, offers guidelines, and sample evaluation forms for educators
• UW Level I Fieldwork Sequence and Objectives describes how we prepare our students for their Level I fieldwork experience and outlines the responsibility of the Fieldwork Educators

Fieldwork II Educator Resources

• Level II Fieldwork (AOTA) describes the experience, offers guidelines, sample evaluation forms for educators, and an official position paper
• UW Fieldwork II Roles and Responsibilities describes in detail the responsibilities of the Fieldwork Educator, the Academic Coordinator, and the student
• OTA and OT Aide Supervision Overview
• UW Level II Fieldwork Objectives

The Occupational Therapy Program Advisory Board ensures that our program continues to offer students the most relevant coursework informed by current best practices in occupational therapy. Each member contributes a unique perspective on the evolving trends and challenges in clinical practice. They assess program effectiveness, guide quality improvement, and strengthen ties between our program and the broader occupational therapy community.

• Carlos Alaniz, OTR/L
  • Retired
• Heidi Brislin, MS, OTR/L
  • Assistive Technology Specialist, Edmonds School District
• Katie Coddington, MOT, OTR/L
  • Occupational Therapist, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital
• Abigail Cooper, MS, OTR/L
  • Occupational Therapist, Downtown Emergency Services Center
• Vanessa Igelsrud, MOT, OTR/L
  • Occupational Therapist, Muckleshoot Early Learning Programs
• Melissa Porras-Monroe, MA, OTR/L
  • Program Director, Occupational Therapy Assistant Program, Green River College
• Teresa Quinlan, COTA/L, CLT
  • Occupational Therapist, Providence Home Health, Snohomish County
• Alice Ragan, OTR/L
  • Occupational Therapist, University of Washington Medical Center
• Will Shaw, Student
  • University of Washington
• Madelaine Stoer, MS, OTR/L
  • Inpatient Cancer Care Therapies Supervisor, Occupational Therapist and OT Clinical Fieldwork Coordinator, Seattle Children’s Hospital
• Lauri Warfield-Larson, OTR/L
  • NHA Chief Operating Officer, Horizon House
• Mollie Yates, OTR/L
  • Occupational Therapist, Swedish Edmonds

The Janet M. Powell Alumnus/a of the Year Award recognizes outstanding alumni from one or more of the University of Washington Division of Occupational Therapy entry-level and advanced degree programs who have made significant contributions to the field of occupational therapy.

To nominate someone for this award, please fill out this nomination form by Sep 30th. Nominations remain confidential and the recipient is selected by the Advisory Board each year. The recipient speaks (in person or virtually) at the annual symposium and pinning ceremony.

Beth Osten (BS, 1973)

Beth (Tyler) Osten, PhD, OTR/L, moved to Chicago after graduating from the UW, where she practiced for over 50 years. After completing an MS in OT from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1993, Beth founded and directed a multidisciplinary pediatric therapy center that specialized in supporting individuals with autism and other developmental differences. Beth recently completed her PhD in Infant and Early Childhood Development at Fielding Graduate University. Her dissertation research focused on parent-child connectedness in preschool children with and without autism. Beth is currently the Chief Clinical Advisor at Positive Development, a national company that provides developmental relationship-based services for autistic children. Beth speaks nationally and internationally on developmental relationship-based approaches to autism, the biological foundations and treatment of regulatory disorders, parent-child connectedness, and the integration of parents into the treatment process. Beth is a member of the training faculty for the Profectum Foundation and a member of the Pathways Foundation medical roundtable. She co-authored the Test of Infant Motor Performance (TIMP) and has contributed to professional publications related to pediatric occupational therapy. Beth continues to be clinically and professionally active, providing mentorship and continuing education to pediatric practitioners.

Previous Recipients

Each year, we are able to award several partial scholarships to students through the generous gifts made by alumni and friends. These awards are made on a competitive basis.

Elizabeth M. Kanny Endowed Student Support Fund for Occupational Therapy Students

• Congratulations, Nouci Ha, 2025-26 recipient!

Patricia A. Folsom Endowed Fund for Occupational Therapy Students

• Congratulations, Allison Tsai, 2025-26 recipient!

Fallon Endowed Scholarship Fund

• Congratulations to our four 2025-26 recipients!
• Emily Hancock, Maria Madero, Will Shaw, Natalie VanDevanter

Hiranaka Scholar of the Nishimura Hiranaka Endowed Fellowship in Occupational Therapy

• Congratulations, Lauren Graham, 2025-26 recipient!

Our students have also been recognized by external scholarship programs.

UW GSEE Graduate Tuition Awards

• Congratulations to Dana Beltran who is a 2025-26 recipient!

American Occupational Therapy Foundation

• Congratulations to Andrenika Slade and Erika Reinhardt who are the Washington 2025 recipients!

Lisa Wong Legacy Endowed Fund for Stroke Rehabilitation Research

• Congratulations to Natalie VanDevanter who is the 2025 recipient!

We provide a breakdown of miscellaneous fees here. Costs may vary on some items and tuition can change with the start of a new academic year.

Learn more about the program

Tour (In person)

These quarterly tours are led by current students and cover locations most frequented by MOT students. The next tour will be during Winter Quarter and capped at 12 spots. Date and time TBD.

Applicant Q&A Sessions (Virtual)

These sessions are an opportunity to meet with the academic counselor and ask questions about the MOT Program and admissions.

Register here for Nov 3, 2025 | 8 - 8:30 AM (PT) with the academic counselor

Register here for Nov 17, 2025 | 12:30 - 1:30 PM (PT) with current student and academic counselor

In keeping with the University of Washington and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine commitment to diversity, we seek students who are dedicated to providing culturally responsive services in an increasingly diverse world. In our holistic admissions process, we consider a balance of an applicant’s experiences, attributes, and academic history. Our admissions reviews are conducted entirely online and do not include an interview. Please review all application instructions and requirements carefully, ask us for clarification, and prepare and submit the complete application by the deadline. We do not grant exceptions or extensions for submitting application materials, and we require complete applications for review.

2025-26 Application Cycle

New extended deadline! Both applications and supplemental materials are due by 9 PM (PT) on Dec 1, 2025.

Admissions Criteria

Applicants must meet all the requirements listed below.

Technical Standards

• Read our Technical Standards Policy for students. Technical standards can be met with or without accommodations. For more information about accommodations, visit the Disability Resources for Students office.

   

Language Requirements

• Students must meet the UW Graduate School’s English language proficiency requirement at time of admission.

Education

• A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university in the US (or equivalent from a foreign institution).
• All majors are accepted.

Grade Point Average (GPA)

• Competitive applicants will have at least a Cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. We will consider applicants with less than a Cumulative GPA of 3.0 if their last 90 graded quarter credits or 60 graded semester credits average to at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.

OT-related Experience

• A minimum of 20 hours is required from the following list of options:
  • Clinical site observation
  • Shadowing or interviewing OT or OTA
  • Completion of online OT module designed by a university
  • Rehabilitation-related research participation
  • Work or volunteer experience with persons with disabilities

Prerequisite Coursework

• 7 required prerequisite courses:
  • We prefer to see grades for all 7 required prerequisites at the time of application submission. Applicants missing one or more prerequisites will be considered for “conditional admission” and missing grades will be required to be submitted by August 1st prior to the start of the MOT program.
  • Courses must be taken at a regionally accredited institution of higher education which may include traditional or online courses at universities, community colleges, or AP scores/CLEP posted as earned college credit on an official college transcript.
  • Courses do not expire but we do expect applicants to be knowledgeable and comfortable with the material.
  • Download this prerequisite checklist to help organize your coursework.
    • Prerequisite courses must be graded 3.0 (B) or higher.
    • One prerequisite course can be graded as low as 2.7 (B-).

We highly recommend prospective students allow at least one year to prepare the program applications in addition to the time needed to complete the prerequisite courses. This will help ensure that all materials are submitted by or before the deadline. All program communications will be via email.

NEW Extended Application Deadline

Both applications and supplemental materials are due by 9 PM (PT) on Dec 1, 2025!

How to Apply

To be considered for admission to the University of Washington Master of Occupational Therapy Program, you must:

• Meet the requirements listed in the Admissions Overview
• Submit an application through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS)
• Submit the University of Washington Graduate School Slate application

Application Checklist

• Transcripts

  • Official transcripts for all colleges attended are required to be sent to OTCAS
    • Including from study abroad and transfer institutions
  • Unofficial transcripts are acceptable for the UW Graduate School Slate application until admitted

• 3 Letters of Recommendation

  • 3 electronic letters are required to be submitted to OTCAS
    • Letters should speak to your potential to be an occupational therapist
    • Examples of references: professor, supervisor, or OT
  • Do not submit letters to the UW Graduate School Slate application

• 20 hours of OT-related Experience

  • See Admissions Overview for a list of options to meet this requirement
  • Submit this information via the OTCAS "experience" section
    • No timesheets or forms are required
  • Do not submit this information to the UW Graduate School Slate application

• Non-OT Experience

  • Submit any volunteer, work, or extracurricular activities via the OTCAS "experience" section
  • Do not submit this information to the UW Graduate School Slate application

• 2 essays

  • Submit both essay responses in OTCAS
    • Essay 1 - Personal Statement (no character limit)
    • Essay 2 - UW school specific essay (3500 character limit includes spaces)
    • Prompts are in OTCAS
  • Do not submit essays to the UW Graduate School Slate application

• Application Fees

  • Required for both application portals
  • Check application websites for fees

Questions?

Contact ot@uw.edu

For more information about resources available from the UW and life in the area, visit our life in Seattle page. Graduates can explore job opportunities here.

UW Disability Resources for Students

• Disability Resources for Students

UW Programs for OT Students

• Health Careers Opportunity Program Ambassadors
• Washington AHEC

Professional OT Links

• American Occupational Therapy Association
• American Occupational Therapy Foundation
• AOTA Job Board
• National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
• Washington State Occupational Therapy Association

AOTA's Multicultural, Diversity, and Inclusion Network

• Association of Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders in Occupational Therapy (AAPI-OT)
• National Black Occupational Therapy Caucus (NBOTC)
• Network for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns in Occupational Therapy (The Network)
• Network of Occupational Therapy Practitioners with Disabilities and Their Supporters (NOTPD)
• Occupational Therapy Network for Native Americans (OTNA)
• Orthodox Jewish Occupational Therapy Chavrusa (OJOTC)
• Terapia Ocupacional para Diversidad, Oportunidad, y Solidaridad (TODOS) Network of Hispanic Practitioners

Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education

We participate in the Professional Student Exchange Program.

Instructional Resources

Orthotic Splinting Instructional videos