Occupational Therapy
Bachelor of Science / Master of Science
Help people engage in what makes life meaningful to them.
Occupations are meaningful activities that "occupy" our daily lives, like grocery shopping, sleeping, going to school, and spending time with loved ones!
Occupational therapists help others to achieve or regain the ability to engage in occupations that are important to them, overcoming physical, cognitive, perceptual and/or psychosocial challenges. OTs can help people develop or resume activities like completing self-care, learning in school, engaging in social relationships and community activities, or participating in job responsibilities. OTs work in many different private, non-profit, and public settings including schools, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, people's homes, rehabilitation centers, and community health agencies.
Highlights
Begin OT classes and be involved with clients in clinics from the first semester
Five community-based fieldwork experiences
B.S.-M.S. direct entry; no grad application
Consistently 100% pass rates on the certification exam and 100% graduation rates
How many years are required to become an OT? Do I need a doctorate?
You can launch your occupational therapy career with a master’s degree — which you can complete (along with your bachelor’s degree) in just five years in Nazareth’s streamlined B.S./M.S. program. A doctorate is not required. (If the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), which oversees occupational therapy education, determined with the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) ever mandates doctoral degrees for entry, all OTs with their master's degree will be grandfathered in and will not require additional education.)
Career Paths
- Occupational therapist in elementary and high schools
- Special needs settings
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Home care
- Medical equipment firm
- OT schools and research laboratories
- Long-term care
- Private practice
Internships and Field Experiences
- Albany Medical Center
- BronxCare Hospital
- Guthrie Specialty Care Clinic, Fort Drum, NY
- Healthcare Resort of Colorado Springs (CO)
- Jewish Senior Life
- Just Kids Early Childhood Learning Center (Middle Island, NY)
- Mary Cariola Children's Center
- Penn State Health Rehabilitation Hospital (PA)
- Radiant Child Therapy (NV)
- Rochester Psychiatric Center
- Rush-Henrietta School District
- Sarasota Memorial Health Care Center (FL)
- University of Rochester Medical Center
$63K-$80K
OT jobs are offering starting salaries of $63,000 to $80,000 in the Rochester, New York, area (2026).
17.9%
OT jobs are expected to grow 17.9% (adding 23,700 jobs nationwide) through 2028, much faster than average, according to The Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Top 20
U.S. News & World Report recently ranked occupational therapists among the top 20 health care jobs and #28 overall among The 100 Best Jobs.
Why Choose Nazareth OT?
- Enhance your clinical skills through on- and off-campus pro bono OT clinics, working with the same clients over 7-10 weeks to develop skills in evaluation, intervention planning, implementation, and documentation before fieldwork.
- Integrate classroom learning and clinical practice through five senior practice courses paired with pro bono OT clinic experiences.
- Learn to identify barriers to participation and develop solutions that promote accessibility, inclusion, independence, and well-being in real-world settings.
- Develop a holistic perspective by addressing the physical, social, emotional, and environmental factors that influence health and participation in daily activities.
- Collaborate with students, faculty, clinicians, and other health professionals through interprofessional learning, simulations, and research opportunities.
- Build advocacy skills that advance health equity, support underserved and marginalized populations, and promote the occupational therapy profession.
- Expand your expertise through specialized opportunities in early intervention, child and family services, and autism.
- Strengthen your foundational clinical knowledge through an on-campus, cadaver-based gross anatomy course.
- Graduate prepared to lead, collaborate, advocate, and create meaningful opportunities for participation across diverse healthcare and community settings.
- Benefit from primarily in-person coursework that emphasizes hands-on learning through labs and community outreach activities, with select hybrid and online courses.
Alumni Spotlight
“The professors are passionate about OT as a career and provide excellent lectures that I still think back to in my career today. This program goes above and beyond when creating meaningful learning experiences for the students, including the on-campus clinics and opportunities for learning in the community. Nazareth provides students with exposure to multiple OT settings, allowing students to explore the profession and prepare for their career!”
— Emma Surprenant '23, a pediatric occupational therapist at Golisano Children's Hospital/Strong Memorial Hospital for child and adolescent psychiatry and pediatric acute care