Occupational Therapy Schools in New York
Columbia University Occupational Therapy Program
Programs in Occupational Therapy at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons are proud to be one of the oldest yet exceptionally progressive programs to prepare occupational therapists as superior clinicians, administrators, educators, and researchers. Our nationally distinguished faculty mentors students on both the masters and doctoral levels to meet the challenges of our complex health care systems. As part of one of the world’s most renowned health care centers, our mission is to advance practice through education and research.
The Programs in Occupational Therapy offer the following degree paths:
- Master of Science
- Dual Degree in Master of Science (MS) in Occupational Therapy and Master in Public Health (MPH)
- Master of Science/Doctor of Occupational Therapy (Post-Professional)
- Doctor of Education in Movement Sciences with a specialization in Occupational Therapy
- Online Doctor of Occupational Therapy (Post-Professional)
Program Head/Chair Person: Dawn Nilsen, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Phone: (212) 342 – 5602
Email: dmn12@cumc.columbia.edu
Website: https://www.vagelos.columbia.edu/education/academic-programs/programs-occupational-therapy
Dominican College Occupational Therapy Program
Through a non-traditional format, Dominican University New York can help you achieve your dreams of becoming a skilled, compassionate, and ethical occupational therapist. A full 100% of our graduates who seek employment upon graduation are employed! Start your occupational therapy journey without the need for a costly doctoral degree, a master’s degree is all you need. Benefit from our program’s 38-year legacy, with an impressive 98% pass rate on the NBCOT© OTR Certification Examination in 2021, surpassing the national average.
Average “On-Time” Program Graduation Rate for the past 3 years (2021 – 2023) is 77%
Program Head/Chair Person: Pamela Story, O.T.D
Phone: (845) 848-6039
Email: pamela.story@duny.edu
Website: https://www.duny.edu/ot/
D’Youville College Occupational Therapy Program
There are two occupational therapy (OT) entry-level programs; one is a five-year combined BS/MS program and the other is a three-year MS program.
- The BS/MS curriculum begins with a strong liberal arts and sciences curriculum, which provides students with a general knowledge base and the opportunity to develop analytical abilities that are the foundation for excellence as an entry-level professional in OT. Students in the BS/MS program also declare and complete a structured minor. Students enroll in the liberal arts and science courses and the courses for the declared minor throughout the 5-year curriculum but most of these are completed within the first few years. The OT-specific courses begin in the first year with one course each semester; the number of OT-specific courses within each semester increases each year.
- The MS degree in OT is an entry-level degree specifically created for people who have a B.A. or B.S. degree in another area of study and who meet the admission criteria. The curriculum is comprised of OT-specific courses throughout the 3-year span.
Program Head/Chair Person: DR. Amy J. Nwora
Phone: (716) 829-7707
Email: nworaa@dyc.edu
Ithaca College Occupational Therapy Program
Join Ithaca’s occupational justice-oriented program to become prepared to practice as an occupational therapist equipped to meet the dynamic needs of a diverse and global society. Gain the skills to promote your clients’ health, well-being, and participation in life. Whether you are just beginning college or are already a college graduate or career changer, you can train to be an OT at Ithaca College. They offer two pathways with a rigorous academic curriculum alongside active, hands-on learning experiences.
- Dual Degree in BS/MS and BS/OTD Occupational Therapy Programs: Unsure of which graduate degree is right for you? You now have options at IC! Earn your Bachelor of Science in Occupational Science in 4 years, and stay for an extra 1 or 2 years to earn your Masters or Doctoral Degree in Occupational Therapy! Our experienced faculty will help you determine the best path to meet your goals.
- Professional Entry-Level Master’s Program: This graduate program is a perfect fit for career changers and those who have earned a bachelor’s degree in another area of study.Our Professional-Entry Level (or PEL) graduate degree is specifically designed to train people who may have a bachelor’s degree in another area of study and/or who are career changers who want to be employed as an occupational therapist.
Program Head/Chair Person: Melinda Cozzolino
Phone: (607) 274-3618
Email: mcozzoli@ithaca.edu
Website: https://www.ithaca.edu/academics/school-health-sciences-and-human-performance/occupational-therapy
Keuka College Occupational Therapy Program
Keuka College’s occupational therapy (OT) program features a four-year undergraduate degree (B.S.) in occupational science followed by a one-year graduate degree (M.S.) in occupational therapy.
Occupational Therapy is a hands-on discipline. Literally! This branch of health care is dedicated to helping people overcome barriers to a full, active, and rewarding life.
Whether the challenges are emotional, physical, or social, Keuka College’s Occupational Therapy degree program will give you the tools you need to assess and relieve these personal obstacles. You’ll learn how to analyze daily activities and tasks, and create therapy programs that enable individuals to participate more fully in daily occupations and functions.
At Keuka College, you’ll be part of the OT family from day one. As a freshman, you’ll be assigned an OT advisor who will guide you throughout your undergraduate career. You will be encouraged to take part in Occupational Therapy student organizations and division events and activities. You’ll also take an OT course during your very first semester on campus which provides you with an early introduction to the profession.
Program Head/Chair Person: Christopher Alterio, Dr.OT, OTR/L
Phone: (315) 279-5483
Email: calterio1@keuka.edu
Website: https://www.keuka.edu/academics/programs/occupational-therapy
Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus Occupational Therapy Program
Occupational therapy is a vital area of the healthcare profession with enormous scope and increasing opportunity. Occupational therapy is the use of self-care, work/productive tasks and play/leisure activities to increase independent function, enhance development, and prevent disability. Occupational therapists help people across age and disability overcome physical, mental, emotional, and developmental issues and perform the everyday tasks and functions of life.
LIU Brooklyn’s Occupational Therapy programs are designed to educate entry-level occupational therapists whose skills and training prepare them to practice competently in the rapidly changing urban health care environment and to equip patients and clients with skills for the workplace and for home. The Occupational Therapy curriculum offers students the opportunity to focus on individual professional growth, to participate in community-service learning, to refine cultural sensitivity and practice skills, to use health promotion in community settings, to utilize activity to promote health and independence, and to develop the skills required to treat the whole person.
About the Program: The Department of Occupational Therapy at the Brooklyn Campus offers a 122-credit B.S./M.S. degree in Occupational Therapy, that is approved by the New York State Education Department and the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Prior to entering the professional phase of the program, students must complete the liberal arts and sciences core curriculum (64 credits), which offers a comprehensive base of sciences, humanities and social sciences. The professional phase of the program spans three years of full-time professional academic courses and clinical work that is integrated with several community-service learning experiences.
Program Head/Chair Person: Michael Gawronski, PhD, OTR/L
Phone: 718-780-4510
Email: michael.gawronski@liu.edu
Mercy College Occupational Therapy Program
Nationally recognized faculty prepare you for a rewarding career in a high-demand field. Help individuals achieve professional and personal growth, and develop skills to lead to more self-sufficient, satisfying lives. Mercy College offers a Graduate And Undergraduate program.
Graduate Program: If you want an endlessly rewarding career in Occupational Therapy, Mercy University’s Graduate Occupational Therapy (OT) weekend program is for you. We offer a 60 credit, two year, full-time, weekend program with classes scheduled approximately every other weekend. The program incorporates a variety of learning methods including a mixture of lecture, discussion, small group problem solving, hands-on experiences, problem based learning (PBL) and our innovative “learning by doing” philosophy.
Undergraduate Program: This two-year Associate in Applied Science Degree is a full or part-time evening and weekend program designed to prepare its graduates to apply for certification and licensure as an occupational therapy assistant and to practice as an entry level generalist. The program teaches its students to develop skills to successfully work in a variety of health care settings including: hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, mental health facilities and community centers.
Program Head/Chair Person: Dr. Francine Seruya
Phone: (914) 674-7816
Email: fseruya@mercy.edu
Website: https://www.mercy.edu/academics/programs/occupational-therapy
New York Institute of Technology Occupational Therapy Program
The Department of Occupational Therapy at New York Tech is committed to advancing the profession of occupational therapy and meeting the unique needs of our local, national, and global communities. Our diverse and complex society warrants an innovative and progressive approach to occupational therapy practice. Our dedicated faculty provide exceptional learning experiences that promote “doers, makers, and innovators” in the field.
Degrees Offered:
- Life Sciences, B.S. / Occupational Therapy, M.S.
- Life Sciences, B.S. / Occupational Therapy, OTD
- Occupational Therapy, M.S.
- Occupational Therapy, OTD
Program Head/Chair Person: Pamela Karp
Phone: (516) 686-3783
Email: pkarp@nyit.edu
Website: https://www.nyit.edu/departments/occupational_therapy
New York University Occupational Therapy Program
The Department of Occupational Therapy, located within NYU Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, is one of the oldest, largest, and most highly-rated occupational therapy departments in the United States. We’re focused on educating both graduate-level students who want to become occupational therapists and credentialed OTs who want to earn a post-professional master of arts, doctor of occupational therapy, or doctor of philosophy degrees.
The professional education of occupational therapists is based on the sciences of biology, sociology, and psychology and on the role of activities in improving, restoring, and sustaining function.
Post-professional education focuses on research and advanced clinical skills to prepare master clinicians, administrators, educators, researchers, and professional leaders. For post-professional graduate study, we focus on applied scientific inquiry and such clinical areas as pediatrics, developmental disabilities, mental health, physical disabilities, and assistive rehabilitation technologies.
Entry-Level Programs Offered:
- Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Professional Degree
Post-Professional Degrees:
- Master of Arts Occupational Therapy
- Doctoral Occupational Therapy
- Doctor of Philosophy Occupational Therapy
- Doctor of Philosophy Rehabilitation Sciences
Program Head/Chair Person: Tsu-Hsin Howe
Phone: (212) 992-7682
Email: tsuhsin.howe@nyu.edu
Website: https://steinhardt.nyu.edu/departments/occupational-therapy
Sage Colleges Occupational Therapy Program
The mission of the occupational Therapy Program is to prepare students to be knowledgeable, ethical and competent therapists. The OT Program is based on a framework that considers how biological, psychological, and socio-cultural factors influence occupational behavior.
Undergraduate Accelerated Programs Offered:
- Occupational Therapy 3+2 (BA / BS + MS)
- Occupational Therapy 4+3 (BA / BS + MS)
Graduate Programs Offered:
- Masters in Occupational Therapy (MS)
- Online Masters in Occupational Therapy (MS)
- Doctoral Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Program Head/Chair Person: Debra L. Collette, OTD, OTR/L
Phone: (518) 244-4591
Email: colled@sage.edu
Website: https://www.sage.edu/academics/schools/health-sciences/occupational-therapy-graduate-programs/
State University of New York Downstate Medical Center Occupational Therapy Program
The MS program is only offered in the Summer & The PPOTD is only offered in the Fall of each year.
Occupational Therapy is the therapeutic use of self-care, work/productive activities, and play/leisure activities designed to achieve functional outcomes that increase independent function, enhance development, promote health, and prevent injury or disability. It includes adapting tasks and the environment to maximize independence and quality of life.
The term “occupation” refers to activities that are meaningful to the individual within the environments in which he or she lives and functions.
Occupational Therapists work with individuals whose abilities to cope with the tasks of daily living are threatened or impaired by developmental deficits, injury, illness, or disability.
Program Head/Chair Person: Efekona Nuwere, Ed.D, OTR/L
Phone: (718) 270-7730
Email: Efekona.nuwere@downstate.edu
Stony Brook University Occupational Therapy Program
The School of Health Professions (SHP’s) Occupational Therapy Program is a graduate 3-year program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association. Our graduates will receive a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy upon graduation. Graduates will sit for the national certification exam for occupational therapists administered by the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy.
We are a nationally-ranked OT program that makes every effort in providing a dynamic learning experience for our student cohorts. Consistent with AOTA, our program is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusive practices for all individuals and abilities. Our program encourages interdisciplinary and professional collaborative research, relationships with strong community programs, and opportunities to develop robust scholarly activities both within the program and as future leaders in healthcare.
Our program has two campus sites, Stony Brook and Stony Brook at Southampton. Both campuses provide student-centered learning experiences and often join cohorts to collaborate in ongoing community projects. Each year we admit 60 students within our program with 30 students per campus student cohort. Our students receive faculty mentorship throughout their academic experience and oftentimes continue that mentorship post-graduation.
Program Head/Chair Person: Dale Coffin, Ed.D., OTR/L
Phone: (631) 444-7392
Email: dale.coffin@stonybrook.edu
Website: http://www.healthtechnology.stonybrookmedicine.edu/programs/otp/welcome
Touro College Occupational Therapy Program
Touro’s comprehensive OT program combines a strong didactic foundation, valuable clinical experience, and rewarding fieldwork and community service opportunities. You’ll be well prepared to pass the national board exams and start your career.
You don’t need a degree to get started. If you have 60 undergraduate credits that meet their requirements, you’re ready to apply! You’ll finish the program with both your MSOT and your bachelor’s, as well as the option to earn a doctorate over the course of your first year practicing as an OT.
Program Head/Chair Person: Stephanie Dapice Wong, DPT, PT, OTR/L, CAPS
Phone: (631) 665-1600 ext. 6231 or 212-463-0400 ext. 55545
Email: Stephanie.Wong@touro.edu
Website: https://shs.touro.edu/programs/occupational-therapy/
University at Buffalo, State University of New York Occupational Therapy Program
Obtain the skills needed to maximize health, well-being and quality of life for all people, populations and communities by facilitating participation in everyday living.
UB is the only five-year BS/MS program within the SUNY system where you can complete your entry-level OT degree within five years of high school graduation. Our five-year program in occupational therapy leads to a bachelor’s degree in occupational science and a master’s degree in occupational therapy. This program is flexible enough to meet your individual needs and interests while ensuring that you are prepared to pass the national certification exam and state licensure requirements to enter the profession.
Program Head/Chair Person: Janice Tona, PhD, OTR
Phone: (716) 829-6741
Email: tona@buffalo.edu
Website: https://publichealth.buffalo.edu/rehabilitation-science/education/occupational-therapy-bsms.html
Utica College Occupational Therapy Program
The Occupational Therapy program at Utica University is distinctive in its collaborative community alliances that enable faculty and students to meet the needs of society while promoting critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and skill development.
Current approaches to adult education are used to facilitate students’ development into highly competent, ethical, entry-level occupational therapy practitioners who are well-prepared to take their place within multiple health care venues in a rapidly changing, global economy.
Our graduates work in a variety of arenas of health care including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, nursing homes, and community programs and private practice. Students and graduates have presented at national and state conferences and many have published in occupational therapy journals and health related journals.
Program Head/Chair Person: Colleen M. Sunderlin, Ph.D.
Phone: (315) 792-3150
Email: csunder@utica.edu
Website: https://www.utica.edu/academics/programs/occupational-therapy
York College, The City University of New York Occupational Therapy Program
We are the only Occupational Therapy program in the CUNY system. We boast a culturally diverse student body, with all of the CUNY student, academic, and library resources at your disposal. York College offers an accredited combined degree program leading to a Bachelor of Science in Health Science and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. York College is proud to be one of the senior colleges situated in the City University of New York, the largest urban university system in the United States. Since 1978, our graduates have successfully entered the occupational therapy profession with distinction and many have taken on roles of certified advanced practitioners, mentors, managers, administrators, educators, consultants, entrepreneurs, and researchers within the profession.
Program Head/Chair Person: Donald Auriemma, MS Ed, OTR/L
Phone: (718) 262-2725
Email: DAuriemma@York.CUNY.edu
Website: https://www.york.cuny.edu/academics/departments/occupational-therapy