Chicago State University

Students applying need to meet all of the general requirements of the university for admission (Applications are available through the undergraduate admissions office.

Successful completion of university placement examinations or courses in English, mathematics, and reading is required prior to some prerequisite courses. Students are encouraged to discuss registration with an advisor to address this issue.

Students must meet all university requirements for graduation, including passing the federal and state constitution exams or provding proof of previous examinations.

Prior to admission to the professional phase of the occupational therapy program, students will be identified as Health Science: pre-occupational therapy majors.

The Department of Occupational Therapy application forms and all supporting documents should be submitted directly to the department secretary located in Douglas Library Room 132. (Download Application Form-Word document).

All students are strongly encouraged to see an advisor prior to applying to determine eligibility for admission. Students with a bachelor’s degree must have completed the defined 28 credit hours of prerequisite courses.

Students' grade point average for the required pre-requisites must be above 2.6 for consideration. The anatomy and physiology courses must have been taken within 5 years of admission to the program. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. A limited number of students with a GPA of 2.9 to 2.99 may qualify for conditional admission. Conditional admission status is removed when a student achieves a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better in the first semester of the professional occupational therapy program.

When applying to the School of Graduate and Professional Studies prior to the Masters of Occupational Therapy phase of the program, students will need to have a grade point average of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale) in the final 60 semester credit hours of undergraduate courses.

An evaluation of prerequisite courses by a CSU graduate advisor must be submitted with the application. Conditional admission can be granted for students completing prerequisite courses. All courses must be completed by the summer semester of the year applying.

Deadlines: Although Chicago State University accepts applications on a continuous basis for most graduate programs, students interested in obtaining admission for a specific term, should complete the admission process by the following deadlines:

Recommendations: Each applicant must submit two (2) recommendations using the prescribed department form. One recommendation must be from an upper division teacher (courses above the 200 level) and the other may be from an instructor or from an employer, work supervisor or community service supervisor. No recommendations will be accepted from relatives. The applicant should complete the top of the recommendation form and provide a stamped return envelope to the evaluator. The evaluator must return the recommendation form directly to the Department of Occupational Therapy in a signed and sealed envelope. (Download Recommendation form- Word Document).

Human Service Experience: Each applicant must submit a Human Service Experience Form. The top of the form is completed by the applicant and describes their experience and duties. A supervisor who is directly aware of the applicant’s duties and duration of experience completes the bottom of the form. The evaluator must return the form directly to the Department of Occupational Therapy in a signed and sealed envelope. (Download Human Service Experience Form-Word document)

Essay: Each applicant must submit a typed essay with his or her application. This 1000 word essay should explain the applicant’s reason for pursuing a career in occupational therapy and how the applicant’s human service experience has enhanced their interpersonal skills. The essay should provide specific examples that demonstrate the applicant’s compassion, sensitivity to others, interpersonal skills and how the human service experience has impacted personal growth.

Interview: Eligible applicants will be invited to an interview session with members of the Occupational Therapy Admission Committee. Students whose application does not meet the admission requirements may be invited to meet with the program director to discuss options for strengthening their application.

All prerequisite coursework must be completed before beginning professional coursework with a grade of C or higher. Prerequisite courses required for admission may be repeated only once when the original grade is D or F. The anatomy and physiology courses must be taken within 5 years of admission to the professional program.

Community College Students:
A student who has completed the A.A. or A.S. degree from a community college in Illinois will be exempt from general education requirments and some other course work. Please make an appointment to discuss this with an academic advisor in the Department of Occupational Therapy if you qualify.

For students without an undergraduate degree the following prerequisites are required:

Electives
Students will also need 12 hours of electives selected with the approval of department academic advisor. Courses that promote communication, critical thinking and cross cultural psychology are highly recommended.