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Help people. Work in a variety of settings.
With a master’s in Occupational Therapy, you’ll help individuals who are recovering from an illness or an injury to return to activities that are important to them. Occupational therapists work with people of all ages, from infants to the elderly, in patients’ homes, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, schools, private practice and community agencies.
About Sage’s Master’s Program in Occupational Therapy
Russell Sage College offers an accredited doctorate in Occupational Therapy and master’s in Occupational Therapy in Troy, New York.
As an OT master’s student, you’ll complete academic, clinical and research coursework and participate in five field placements.
Most full-time students complete the OT master’s in two-and-a-half years, including summers. Part-time options are also available.
Upon completing your Occupational Therapy graduate program, you’ll be eligible to take the certification exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, which leads to national certification and eligibility for state licensure.
Faculty
Many professors in hold leadership positions in professional organizations, and several hold advanced certification in pediatrics, neurorehabilitation, sensory integration, neurodevelopmental treatment, hand therapy or other areas.
Our 13-to-1 student-to-faculty ratio means professors get to know you and serve as mentors throughout your education and fieldwork — and even as you start your career.
3+2 Accelerated B.S./M.S. for Undergraduate Students
Eligible students can earn a bachelor’s degree and a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy in just over five years — that’s less time than it would take to pursue the degrees separately.
Undergraduate Majors for Occupational Therapy
The following Russell Sage College undergraduate programs are an excellent foundation for our Master or Doctor of Occupational Therapy programs and can be completed in an accelerated 3+2 or traditional 4+2 bachelor’s and master’s format:
OT Master’s Degree Spotlights
Careers with a Master’s in Occupational Therapy
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook for Occupational Therapists, the median annual wage for this group was $85,570 in May 2021, with employment opportunities expected to grow 14% from 2021 to 2031 (The average growth rate for all occupations is 5%, according to the Bureau.)
Our Occupational Therapy graduate program has a record of a 100% passing rate on certification exams and 100% job placement.
Sage graduates work in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing homes, schools, private practice and community agencies across New York state and around the country.
Recent employers include Capital District Beginnings, Anderson Center for Autism, United Health Services and Metro Therapy.
Research
You will also conduct original research under a faculty mentor and may be eligible for research funding from Sage’s Broughton Graduate Fellowship. Recent Broughton Fellows have investigated 3D hand modeling for splinting scleroderma patients, women’s maternal health, the impact of integrated play interventions on social skills and recommended sensory room features for an agency serving people with disabilities. Students have presented their research at American Occupational Therapy Association and New York State OT Association conferences and Sage’s Graduate Research symposium.
Networking
Sage’s Health Sciences programs stress interprofessional education and create opportunities for future occupational and physical therapists, nurses, dieticians, mental health professionals and others to learn together, in preparation for roles on interprofessional health care teams.
The Occupational Therapy program has a leadership role in annual interprofessional conferences, which attract hundreds of health sciences students from Sage and other colleges.
We also have an award-winning chapter of Pi Theta Epsilon, the national honor society for Occupational Therapy students.
Program Objectives
Russell Sage College’s 80-credit master’s program in Occupational Therapy includes classes, research experiences and field placements centered around the foundations of occupational therapy; therapeutic evaluations and interventions; and professional identity and responsibility. The program prepares students for the certification exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), which leads to national certification and eligibility for state licensure as an occupational therapist.
Application Process
Applicants to Russell Sage College’s Occupational Therapy graduate program should have a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.25, and should have completed the following prerequisite courses:
- Anatomy & Physiology I and II (with labs)
Please note that a 3.0 average in Anatomy & Physiology I and II is required for admission. - Introduction to Psychology (General Psychology)
- Human Development (Lifespan Development)
- Abnormal Psychology
- Statistics
- 3 credits of Sociology or Anthropology
- Physics I and Medical Terminology are recommended.
Additionally, students should complete and document a minimum of 20 hours of clinical observation under the supervision of an occupational therapist prior to beginning the professional program.
We have rolling admissions, but our deadline for application is February 1. Please apply by February 1 and include the following materials with your application:
- official transcripts from all the post-secondary institutions you attended
- two letters of recommendation
- one-to-two page essay describing your career goals
- resume
- documentation of at least 20 hours of clinical observation under the supervision of an occupational therapist
- Occupational Therapy Supplemental Forms 2020
You may be eligible for preferred acceptance if you are applying to Russell Sage College’s Occupational Therapy graduate program directly from an undergraduate college with which we have an articulation agreement. Please visit the Occupational Therapy department’s partnership page to learn more.
Accreditation
The Russell Sage College Occupational Therapy program is registered with the New York State Education Department and accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association, 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20852. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611 and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.
For more information, visit the Russell Sage College Occupational Therapy program’s accreditation page, which includes graduation rates and NBCOT exam pass rates for the past three years.
Master’s in Occupational Therapy Program Faculty
Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy & Assistant Academic Fieldwork Coordinator
Chair, Interdisciplinary Studies Department; Assistant Director, Center for Teaching & Learning; Program Director and Associate Professor, Public Health
