There is no major called “pre-occupational therapy”, nor is there any particular major which is required for admission to OT schools. Bradley University offers a wide range of excellent majors, courses and opportunities which prepare students well for admission to OT schools. Students should choose a major based on their personal interests and abilities, and then meet with both their Academic (within their major) and Pre-Health Advisor regularly to ensure that they are taking the necessary courses (and at the right time) to meet their major and graduation requirements, as well as required and recommended courses for admission to OT schools. These pre-requisites can be taken as part of the major, Bradley Core, or free electives towards graduation, thus allowing students flexibility with their choice of major, and the ability to customize their pre-OT plan.
The following majors and minors are most popular among pre-occupational therapy students, because they incorporate many of the pre-requisite courses into the major requirements:
Majors
Minors
Below are the pre-requisites for Bradley’s Occupational Therapy program. Be aware that each occupational therapy school may establish their own specific pre-requisites which may vary from this list, so it is your responsibility to carefully research the admission requirements for schools to which you plan to apply. Pre-requisite courses may be taken as part of a Bradley major, minor, Bradley Core or free electives. Work with your academic advisor to plan the best timing and sequence for completing pre-requisites for pre-occupational schools. All science courses should be taken with labs unless otherwise noted.
See OTCAS Participating Programs Directory or individual program websites for program-specific requirements.
Recommended:
Competitive applicants to occupational therapy schools are well rounded and have pursued a wide range of experiences to develop not only their scientific background and skills, but also interpersonal, teamwork, and leadership skills, and professionalism.
Observation Hours & Internships
Most OT schools require students to observe occupational therapists in a variety of settings and with a variety of patient populations: inpatient and outpatient, pediatrics to geriatrics. A minimum of 40 observations hours specifically with OTs is recommended by the time of application, but requirements vary by program. The Smith Career Center maintains a contact list of Peoria area occupational and physical therapy clinics where students may observe.
Volunteering and community service, whether or not it is in a healthcare setting, demonstrates your commitment to serving others, as you will as a future physical therapist.
Get Involved
Becoming a leader in a student organization, job, etc. gives you experience working with teams, communicating, and working together to share responsibility for accomplishing shared goals. Consider joining organizations such as HSO, Alpha Epsilon Delta honor society, Wags for Mags, or Best Buddies and working your way toward an executive board or other leadership role.
The GRE General Subject test is required by most (but not all) OT programs. Competitive scores usually at least at the 50th percentile or higher (minimum ~300 combined Verbal + Quantitative), but vary by program.
GRE Prep
Although we do not offer a formal GRE prep course at Bradley, the Health Professions student clubs often hold a GRE Workshop and offer an on-campus practice test day to help students develop a personalized strategy, timeline, and study plan to meet their individual needs. There are many commercially available GRE prep materials and services. We do not endorse any one over the others, but can assist students in choosing products and services that fit their learning style, timeline, and budget.
GRE Testing Locations
The GRE is administered year round at Prometric Testing Centers. The closest testing centers to Bradley University are:
Sylvan Learning Center 7501 N University, STE 218 Peoria IL 61614
Sylvan Learning Center 2405 E Federal DR Decatur IL 62526
Sylvan Learning Center 1035 Lincoln Rd, STE 307 Bettendorf IA 52727
OT School Information and Resources:
Entrance Exam:
Application Service:
Fee Assistance Programs:
Since 2013, Bradley graduates have been accepted to and continued their education and training at many Occupational Therapy programs around the Midwest and across the US. We are proud of the success and accomplishments of our alumni.
Occupational Therapy Schools
Offers also received from: Carroll University, Gannon University, Huntington University, Indiana Wesleyan, Maryville University, Midwestern University, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee
