Washington University 3-2
Occupational Therapy Program

Designed specifically for Washington University (WUSTL) undergraduate students, this program allows you to earn both your undergraduate degree and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) within five and a half years.

Continuing Your Education at Washington University

Washington University offers undergraduates incredible preparation for careers in health care. By pursuing a graduate degree through the Program in Occupational Therapy, you’ll gain advanced knowledge and skills to enhance participation in everyday activities through direct care, research, management and advocacy.

Undergraduate Coursework

The WUSTL 3-2 OT program is available to students pursuing any major at Washington University. From the first three years, students should take six pre-requisite courses to prepare for the MSOT degree, and complete them with a “B” or better:

  • Abnormal Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology
  • Physiology
  • Life Science
  • Social Science
  • Statistics (not Business Statistics)

At least four of the six courses must be completed by the end of fall semester of your junior year in order for the admission committee to review your application. The remaining two pre-requisites may be completed in spring of your junior year, if necessary.

Eligibility and Application

To be eligible to apply to the 3-2 program, you must complete all of your distribution and major requirements by the end of your junior year, with elective credits available to be applied toward MSOT course credit during your senior year (first year of the MSOT program).

Applicants to the 3-2 program must also adhere to the following requirements:

  • Check with your undergraduate dean’s office to make sure you are on track to complete your undergraduate requirements by spring of your junior year
  • Review Application Instructions for the MSOT program
  • Apply to the MSOT program through OTCAS by Dec. 1 (early admission) or Jan. 30 (regular admission) of junior year

While all admission requirements for the MSOT program apply to 3-2 applicants, special consideration is given for the level of academic and life experience, given the undergraduate status of the applicant. We strongly encourage applicants to highlight leadership and service experiences such as internships, volunteer work, work with health or social service organizations, study-abroad, etc., to demonstrate life experience. Potential 3-2 students should also complete a minimum of 30 hours of OT-related experience, with at least some of those hours in direct observation of an OT. To shadow an OT at Washington University, fill out an observation form.

3-2 Program Enrollment and Financial Aid

Students accepted into the 3-2 MSOT program will remain coded prime in their undergraduate division in University systems (i.e., WebSTAC) for their fourth year of study, even though the student will be completing graduate-level coursework at the Program in Occupational Therapy. The student will be coded prime to the School of Medicine MSOT program in their fifth year of study.

3-2 MSOT students will continue to be charged the standard full-time undergraduate tuition rate for the fourth year of study, and as such will receive financial aid for the fourth year based upon their eligibility for undergraduate financial aid awards, including Pell grants.

In the fifth year, 3-2 students will be charged at the MSOT tuition rate applicable to that academic year. If an OT scholarship was awarded at the time of admission to the 3-2 program, the scholarship will apply in that fifth year only.

Program in Occupational Therapy faculty and staff are available to assist and support 3-2 students in interpreting these policies and identifying any special needs associated with their 3-2 program status. Please contact us at [email protected].

Ranked as the Number Three OT Program in the Nation

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We welcome inquiries from prospective students, potential collaborators, community partners, alumni and others who want to connect with us. Please complete the form below to begin the conversation.

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Schedule an Info Session

We are excited that you are considering applying to the Program in Occupational Therapy at Washington University. Please join us for a Zoom Information Session for either our entry-level MSOT or OTD degrees or our online Post-Professional OTD. Current faculty members will discuss the degree program and answer any question you may have. We are offering these sessions on the following days and times. The content is the same for each one, so you only need to sign up for one.

Upcoming ENTRY-LEVEL Degree ZOOM Info sessions:

Schedule an Entry-Level Info Session

Upcoming PP-OTD Degree ZOOM Info session:

Schedule a PP-OTD Info Session