Department of Occupational Therapy

Chicago State University established The Department of Occupational Therapy (OT) in 1982. It is the second oldest OT program in the State of Illinois. Our mission is to train a diverse student body and produce competent occupational therapists and prepare graduates with the skills to meet client needs within rapidly changing service delivery systems.

Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people who have injuries, illnesses, or disabilities. They help clients meet goals to develop, recover, improve, and maintain skills needed for daily living and working.

Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 11 percent from 2023 to 2033, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 9,800 openings for occupational therapists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

(Visited July 2025. Occupational Handbook)

Get more information about the department offerings by attending one of our monthly informational sessions.

Occupational Therapy Degrees

In the undergraduate combined program, students complete the junior and senior year of their baccalaureate program within our professional program, then enter the graduate program. Our traditional graduate program is designed for students who have already earned a baccalaureate degree. At the successful conclusion of either program, graduates earn a Masters of Occupational Therapy (MOT) degree. The curriculum is primarily in-person on the CSU campus but does include hybrid courses and fieldwork experiences for students to apply the concepts that they learn in the classroom under the supervision of faculty or practicing clinicians.

The MOT curriculum requires completion of 67 credit hours of graduate-level course work that includes Level I and Level II fieldwork. Students in the MOT curriculum are required to maintain a 3.0 (B) average each semester and receive a passing grade in all Level I and Level II fieldwork. All Level II fieldwork experience must be completed within 24 months following the completion of 54 hours of professional course work.

All students must successfully complete cumulative end of year examinations to progress to the next level of courses. The comprehensive exit examination must be successfully completed prior to graduation. All degree requirements must be completed within 6 years from the date of initial enrollment in the MOT program.

Upon completion of all academic and fieldwork requirements, students will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination given by the National Board of Certification for Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

7501 Wisconsin Ave, Suite 510E

Bethesda, MD 20814

(301) 652-6611

Website: http://www.acoteonline.org

 

 

Licensure & Certification

Graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination for occupational therapists, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR®).

Illinois and most other states also require licensure to practice. State licenses are often based on the results of NBCOT's certification examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT examination and/or their ability to attain state licensure.

For more information about how our graduates perform, look up Chicago State University’s certification exam results on

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Student Outcomes

The following are outcomes for students enrolled in both our combined BS/MOT and MOT programs. The curriculum is designed so that students who maintain full time status can complete all program requirements within 3 years. Students joining the new curriculum as of Fall 2024 will graduate within 2 years and part-time students will be able to complete the new curriculum within 4 years.

Our program also has the flexibility of a part-time track. Students can change their status from full-time to part-time at any point. Students choose this option due to several different circumstances. Students continuing the part-time track are reflected in the total graduate’s column. Part-time students’ graduation is considered on-time if completed within 4.5 years.

Graduation Cohort Statistics

Graduation Year	Students Entering (G2)	Students withdrew for non-academic reasons (G3)	Students Graduating (G1)	Graduation Rate* (4.5 years)	Persistence
2022	20	2	16	88.9%
2023	23	6	13	76.5%
2024	22	3	10	52.6%	5 still in program
2025	23	1	12	N/A	8 still in program
3 years total (2022-2024)	65	11	39	72.2%

 

*Program includes part-time and full-time students. Graduation rate = G1/(G2-G3).National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) program data results: https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance

 Certification Exam Results

History

The Department of Occupational Therapy at Chicago State University started in 1982 under the leadership of Ms. Artice Harmon. The first class of four students graduated in 1984. CSU ‘s program is the second oldest OT program in the State of Illinois. The Department of Occupational Therapy provided an undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy for 21 years. In 2003, the Department of Occupational Therapy received approval for a combined Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences and Master in Occupational Therapy program (BS/MOT). The first class entered the new entry level Master of Occupational Therapy professional program in the fall semester of 2004. Many of our alumni are in leadership positions at various levels in Illinois and elsewhere.

Mission

The mission of the Chicago State University Occupational Therapy Program is to create and support a transformative, diverse community of lifelong learners.

We work together to educate occupational therapists who create connections and address occupational needs of underserved communities with occupation-based, contextually relevant services. We encourage and embrace each other as we work to be agents of connection and transformation in our local, and international communities.

Vision

To build and sustain intentional collaborative partnerships that co-create a culturally evolving community of occupational therapy practitioners who are change agents within communities affected by social determinants of health. We strive to continually collaborate locally and internationally to transform our communities and our profession. We will work within a thriving College and University to support restorative justice as we work to eliminate health disparities and promote occupational justice.

Characteristics

• The professional program includes integrated fieldwork experiences that provide apprenticeship opportunities in which students apply the concepts that they learn in the classroom in authentic settings under the supervision of faculty or practicing clinicians.
• Level I & II fieldwork provides experiences in a wide variety of community-based and traditional settings with individuals who are well and those with a wide range of health conditions and disabilities.
• The professional curriculum is designed to help students develop reasoning skills necessary to be resourceful professionals.
• The department is committed to helping students develop the skills necessary to continue the process of lifelong learning.
• Small student-faculty ratio allows close contact between students and faculty.
• Faculty are committed to teaching, research and service and provide enriched active learning experiences inside and out of the classroom.
• Students participate in collaborative applied research and program planning with faculty member mentorship.
• The diversity of the student population enriches classroom experiences.
• Educational experiences are enhanced by faculty's involvement in current clinical practice and research.
• CSU is committed to keeping tuition rates affordable.

The Health Insurance plan can be waived with proof of insurance and students can opt-out of the U-pass.

Tuition and fees are subject to change.

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