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Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for admission to this program?The distance Master’s Program is an advanced degree that is only open to practicing occupational therapists (OT). In the United States, this means that the OT is registered (OTR) and has the necessary state licensure to practice. International students must have graduated from an OT program accredited by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT); be qualified to practice occupational therapy in their home country; and have passed the TOEFL if their undergraduate education was not delivered in English. Passing scores for the TOEFL are 550 for the paper-based test, 213 for the computer-based test, and 80 for the internet-based test. What are the benefits of obtaining a Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy?As of 2007, all qualifying occupational therapists in the United States are required to have a Master’s degree for entry level practice. Those with previously obtained baccalaureate degrees will be allowed to continue practicing but may be at a disadvantage for job hiring and promotions. More important however, is that a post-professional Master’s degree provides the therapist with the state of the art knowledge necessary to address the complex professional and clinical issues we face today. A Master’s degree may or may not mean a pay raise or job promotion, however data collected from our graduating classes indicate that our graduates do benefit, financially and professionally, through promotions, obtaining grants, and creating new programs and positions. The purpose of an advanced degree in OT is to enrich and enhance one’s understanding of OT and develop leadership skills in clinical practice, management, and education. This is quite a different focus from the qualifying degree, with the purpose of preparing clinicians for entry-level practice. Our students consistently express their newfound appreciation of their chosen field and marvel at how much they still had to learn! How does the quality of a distance program compare to a campus-based program?Distance education is still a relatively new phenomenon and is, therefore, often misunderstood and sometimes misused. Potential applicants are wise to carefully research the qualifications of those offering distance education courses. The distance OT program at SJSU was designed and is administered by faculty with extensive background in educational pedagogy as well as in OT. SJSU has a national and international reputation for its outstanding faculty and well as turning out graduates who have become leaders as clinicians, supervisors, managers, researchers, authors, and teachers. The SJSU degree is fully accredited and there is no distinction made on the diploma about campus based vs. on-line. Our outcome data show that not only is the distance format comparable to campus based programs, in some ways it may be of superior quality. Students and faculty alike report that the interaction level, depth of understanding and discussion, and even the ability to get to know everyone in the class are greater than what was experienced in traditional programs. What about the sustainability of this program?This is a self-supporting program that is therefore not affected by the ups and downs of the California state budget. The SJSU Department of Occupational Therapy is committed to supporting this program as long as the need exists. Our success with on-line delivery of classes has led the department to explore offering continuing education through this method. In addition, this Master’s program has now been articulated with the PhD in Human Science at Saybrook Graduate School. This arrangement allows the SJSU distance program graduates to transfer all 30 credits from their Master’s degree into the PhD program at Saybrook, a fully accredited distance program with a similar educational pedagogy and course offerings well suited to occupational therapists. (For further information about Saybrook Graduate School, please visit their website at: www.saybrook.edu ) How large is each class and who are the students who choose this program?We take in a yearly class of 18-20 people called a "cohort". Our students come from all over the United States as well as several other countries. Student motivations for obtaining an advanced degree vary. Some want to especially learn more about research; others want a way to advance their careers, particularly in teaching and management. A common theme found in the program applications is that advanced OT students are looking for ways to re-focus and rejuvenate their careers. Our outcome data reflect that the students achieve that goal and generally get much more from the education than they initially expected. Can I specialize my studies to fit my practice area?Our philosophy is that it is essential that occupational therapists can identify and articulate our generalist background. However, having said that, it is also true that individual students can and do explore their unique clinical passions. For example, there are assignments on assessment and evidence based practice that students individually design to meet their own needs. Certainly, the students’ research reflects their unique clinical interests. Much of the coursework, particularly early in the program, requires that one reflect on their current practice setting to address a wide variety of practice issues. It is really quite amazing how our students, with all their different geographical, cultural and professional backgrounds, learn that they have so much to offer each other. How many years experience as an OT should I have before applying to the program?Preference is given to applicants with at least two years clinical experience. However, exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis for otherwise qualified applicants. As this program is designed for the adult learner, we recognize that everyone will enter the program with different levels of comfort and expertise in various skills. For example, the more recent graduates are typically more familiar with recent theories, technology and academic writing. The therapist who has been in practice for extended length of time brings a wealth of experience but may be " rusty" in study skills. Do I need to take the GRE’s for acceptance into the program?We do not require the Graduate Record Exam (GRE) or any other standardized admissions examination. We are interested in working with a diverse group of occupational therapists who have leadership potential. What is the admissions process?The links for the various procedures and forms for admission are available on this website. Click on the "Forms" link. There are two separate applications. The university application is completed on-line and costs $55. The university requires official transcripts for all undergraduate institutions attended. The second application is sent directly to the Department of Occupational Therapy. The department requests copies of all transcripts but it is not necessary to send us official transcripts. There is no cost for the departmental application. Do you accept transfer credits from other institutions?It is possible to transfer up to 6 credits of previously completed graduate coursework; however, this is a rare occurrence. The courses are designed to support each other and the students go through the program sequentially in a cohort (together). In order for a course to be acceptable for transfer, the student would have to demonstrate that equivalent content was covered. This is determined through petition on a case-by-case basis. However, even when no credits are formally accepted, the post-professional students, who all come into this program with very rich backgrounds, do use their prior and current work to inform their class work and often build on it for not only their class assignments but for their research as well. How much is the tuition for California residents, out of state, or international students?All of our students in the post-professional distance program pay the same rate. The program is self-supporting and therefore does not take any money from the California General Fund. This is arranged by design, as we wanted to have a truly global program. We have students and alumni from over 25 states and 12 countries. The current cost is $350 per credit and the program consists of 30 credits. Are there any additional costs?Additional costs for the program are minimal. The yearly on-campus retreats cost approximately $275 for the program, with some meals included. Group rates are arranged at a hotel within walking distance to campus, and students are also responsible for paying their airfare to San José. There is no additional fee for the technology but of course, it is expected that you have an up to date computer and access to the Internet. The only other expense is books. The first semester may cost as much as $300, but we use several of these books throughout the program. We also heavily use electronic resources, which are available to you free as a SJSU student. Are students in this program eligible for financial aid?As this is a fully accredited degree program, students are eligible for government and private student loans. However, as the expectation is that the student is a working professional, need based scholarships are very difficult to obtain. In our effort to keep the tuition fees down for everyone, the program operates at cost and is therefore generally not able to offer scholarships. We do have a small need based travel scholarship especially designated to assist our most far flung students to attend the retreats. The advisor routinely provides resource information for other scholarships. Do I have to attend an orientation in San José?Although this program is designed to be delivered entirely on-line, research has shown that successful distance learning programs have some element of face-to-face personal contact. All students must attend the 4-day orientation (in-residence workshop) prior to beginning the program. This Orientation Retreat is held in mid-August, prior to the beginning of fall semester classes. The students get to meet their classmates with whom they will share so much in the subsequent two years. They also meet the course instructors, their advisor and many of the support people from the library and technological services. In addition, new students have the opportunity to meet returning students and take part in the research symposium (poster presentation) and graduation. Are there additional meetings in San José?There are two additional retreats that are part of the program. The retreat between the first and second year of study is designed for the student to learn about the remainder of the classes and prepare for the research component of the program. It is also an opportunity to reconnect face to face with classmates, greet the incoming class, and once again attend the graduation and research symposium. Students can petition to miss this retreat as well as the final graduation retreat for reasons of undue hardship, and can work with the advisor to design alternative assignments to replace these experiences. Very few people actually take advantage of this option, however, as they find the retreats priceless. Students do end up flying in from all over the world. All retreats are held in mid-August; students are given the specific dates well in advance in order to facilitate travel planning. What is it like to take courses on-line?It is much easier than one might think, even with minimal computer skills. The general rule is that if you can handle e-mail you can handle the virtual classroom. Keep in mind that all students receive training in the technology during the orientation. We also have a dedicated technical assistant available through e-mail, who will help you with any computer problems. Each instructor arranges her course somewhat differently but in general you can expect study notes to be posted in unit increments (between 4 and 8 units throughout a semester, depending on the class) that provide content material, links to additional electronic sources, and instructions for assignments. A cornerstone of the learning experience is the posted discussion questions. Each student responds to questions posed by the instructor and dialogues with other students about their responses. Contrary to the perception that distance education is isolating, these discussions foster a genuine learning community. Are there "live" discussions that require students to be on-line at a certain time?No. We use what is known as an "asynchronous model (not in real time – like e-mail) rather than a synchronous model (real time, as in chat rooms). The asynchronous model allows for much greater flexibility and accommodation for individual learning and life styles. As this is an international program, it would also be impractical to have "live" chats as someone would most assuredly have to be up in the middle of the night! In order to make sure that all the necessary content is delivered there are class schedules. Typically students have at least one week to answer any posted question and are provided with a calendar with due dates of assignments. Are there any tests given in the classes? What are the assignments like?We do not use tests in any of our post-professional graduate classes. Assignments consist of papers and projects that are often carried out in the worksite. Depending on the professor’s instructions, assignments may be posted on-line for the whole class to see or submitted electronically solely to the instructor. Students can expect to receive individual feedback from the instructor regarding both their participation in the class discussions and on the quality of assignments. How much work/time can I expect to devote to the program?Everyone’s learning style and skills are different so the amount of time needed for this program is highly variable. A very general rule of thumb is to expect to spend at 2-3 hours per credit per week on schoolwork. (about 15-18 hours per week). One of the benefits of distance education is the built in flexibility, where students are able to plan their study time to accommodate their busy personal as well as professional lives. In other words, students may not be able to put in that time every week but can plan ahead to complete assignments. Do students have access to each other and to the teachers outside of the "virtual" classroom?We use the technology to not only deliver course material but to provide formal and informal access to each other and to the faculty. Each cohort has their own virtual cafe where students share a whole range of ideas, only some of which have anything to do with the classes. We also have a virtual "town square", where all cohorts of distance students and faculty can converse. An e-mail program is part of the web-based classroom so students and faculty may easily contact individuals as well as the group. What kind of support can I expect once I am in the program?As a degree student at SJSU you are entitled to the services of the university. This includes the financial aid office, the library, the writing center, and the office of international and extended studies, as well as the department of distributed education, which provides on-going technical support. As a comprehensive university with a history of continuing and distance education, SJSU has a myriad of electronic services including an integrated web based platform and electronic library services and databases. In addition to the support of the instructors and the other students, each cohort is provided with an advisor to assist in all aspects of student life. How can I make my application successful?
How can I get more information?The program director, Dr. Pam Richardson is available to answer any questions you may have (Pamela.Richardson@sjsu.edu) regarding this Master’s degree program. But probably the best way to find out if this program is for you is to talk with students who are currently enrolled. Upon request, you can receive the e-mail addresses of students who work in your area of practice or geographic region. Our students love to talk about the program! |
Department of Occupational Therapy
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