Why Study Occupational Therapy at AIC?
As strategic, collaborative allied health professionals, occupational therapists leverage movement and neurological sciences to help individuals of all ages and abilities scale hurdles and thrive in their daily lives.
American International College’s two Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) programs—direct entry and an accelerated 3+2 pathway for undergraduates—quickly connect theories and research with real-world outcomes that reinforce applications and visibly uplift our region. Mapping concepts to different contexts, our students explore assistive technologies right from campus, foster emotional resilience in area schools, and get exposure to diverse populations, conditions, and settings through fieldwork placements.
Our active, community-empowering education more than qualifies our students to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy® (NBCOT®) exam. AIC has a legacy of producing compassionate, adaptable practitioners who make a difference across the lifespan—from designing play areas for children with disabilities to helping adults manage chronic health conditions to ensuring seniors can safely age in place.
What to Expect
- Guidance from accomplished faculty: Your progress will be stewarded by award-winning faculty whose research has garnered regional, national, and international acclaim. Their specialties—in mental health, pediatrics, public health, and adult rehabilitation in inpatient and outpatient settings—let you preview where and how you could practice. Explore their recent achievements.
- Strong community relationships: Through the School of Health Sciences’ partnerships with area non-profits, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and schools, Occupational Therapy students build their competence, confidence, and adaptability while serving the Greater Springfield region.
- A close-knit program: Small class sizes on a small campus result in one-on-one attention from your instructors, lots of engaging discussions, and more time in our interdisciplinary simulation lab.
- Specialized experience: While students train for entry-level generalist roles, the MSOT’s detailed focus dives into assistive technologies, hand therapy, intensive care units, splinting, and more specialized treatments to graduate well-rounded, informed professionals.
- Research: MSOT students uncover the impact of data as they orchestrate interventions, monitor progress, and produce knowledge that advances the profession. Outside the classroom and field assignments, the Massachusetts Association for Occupational Therapy (MAOT) Conference has brought our students’ findings to a wider audience.
- Fieldwork: Understand how OTs support clients from infants to elderly adults, injured individuals, and veterans in assignments with schools, early intervention programs, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation centers, mental health facilities, and work-, community-, and home-based settings. For many students, their final placement transitions into a full-time job following graduation.
- Take the NBCOT: All direct-entry and 3+2 MSOT graduates are eligible to sit for the NBCOT examination, an essential qualification to enter the profession and pursue doctoral studies.
- Keep on learning: A free course promotion reduces continuing education costs for MSOT students returning for a Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy, an entirely online program that enriches research and clinical skills in preparation for policy, instructional, and leadership roles. Learn more about AIC’s Post-Professional OTD.
