Admissions Requirements

Admission Criteria to the Pre-Professional Phase

Misericordia University has announced that it will continue test-blind admission review for the first-year class entering in Fall 2023 and Fall 2024 in all academic programs. Students who have taken the SAT or ACT are not required to submit their scores. Test scores will not be used in determining admission or academic scholarship awards.

Students with backgrounds which include good academic performance, diverse extracurricular activity involvement, a history of leadership, and an appreciation for the profession of occupational therapy, who meet the criteria stated below, will be considered for admission to the occupational therapy program.

Admission Criteria to the Pre-Professional Phase

1. Minimum high school grade point average of 3.2. A high school science background required in biology and mathematics; physics is also recommended.

2. Two letters of reference

3. Submission of a 500 word, typed statement of personal and professional goals

4. By the beginning of the fall semester of their freshman year, documentation of 6-8 hours of documented service in a health care setting with a licensed occupational therapy practitioner. Applications may be reviewed for admission if this documentation is pending.

5. All applicants who are certified occupational therapy assistants must submit evidence of current NBCOT certification.

 

Admission Requirements - Full-time First-year Students

Misericordia University encourages applications from those who seek a strong liberal arts base for their chosen baccalaureate education, and who present evidence of the ability and desire to pursue an academic program of study.

Candidates for general admission are reviewed on a rolling admission basis by the committee on admissions. The decision to admit a student is based on the student’s intended field of study and on an evaluation of the student’s qualifications. An applicant for admission who wishes to enter the first-year student class should provide the admissions office with the following:

1. Application for admission (www.misericordia.edu/apply) or Common Application (www.commonapp.org)
2. Official copy of the secondary school transcript forwarded to the director of admissions by the guidance department of the secondary school. The transcript should indicate that the candidate has completed, or is in the process of completing, at least 16 Carnegie Units. The transcript should include current semester courses and all pertinent information regarding the student’s educational background. Students who have secured a high school equivalency diploma will also be considered for admission, and must submit a copy of their GED (General Education Development) test.
3. Test results of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) of the College Entrance Examination Board or the American College Testing (ACT) Program are generally required for admission. Waiving of test requirements is made only by written permission from the director of admissions. NOTICE: The test requirements have been suspended for the 2023-2024 application cycle.
4. A written recommendation from the high school principal, guidance counselor, or teacher is encouraged. For applicants to the occupational therapy (OT) program, two letters of recommendation and documentation of 6-8 hours of service in an OT setting are also required. For occupational therapy and speech-language pathology applicants, a 500-word essay on their professional interest is also required.

Although personal interviews are not normally required, applicants are strongly encouraged to arrange for a personal interview and tour.

Incoming full-time students who wish to enroll at Misericordia University for either the fall or spring semester must submit a non-refundable reservation deposit of $300 (an additional $100 is required for residential students). Normally, reservation deposits should be made within six weeks of notification of acceptance. When needed, requests for extensions to the deposit deadline may be submitted to the Office of Admissions.

Admission Criteria - Transfer into the weekday entry-level Occupational Therapy Program

A limited number of applications for transfer to the weekday entry-level occupational therapy program may result in acceptance at the freshman and sophomore level, based on space availability, successful completion of appropriate prerequisites, and favorably undergoing a competitive review process.

In order to apply for transfer, applicants will typically hold a minimum collegiate grade point average of 3.0, having completed at least 15 college credits. 

Transfer applicants for the weekday program need to also submit the following:

1. Two letters of reference.
2. A 500-word typed statement of personal and professional goals.
3. By the beginning of the first semester of enrollment, documentation of a full day (6-8 hours) of documented service in a health care setting with a licensed occupational therapist is required. Students accepted as transfers at the freshman and sophomore levels must complete the makeup classes of those seminars missed by the beginning of the professional phase of the program.

 

For information about University Admission requirements for transfer students, please visit the Transfer Students Policies page.

Admission Criteria to the Graduate Phase

1. Successful completion of the BS in Occupational Science.
2. GPA of 3.0 or better.
3. Minimum grade of C- in all BS in OS classes.
4. Good academic standing at the University.
5. Free of any professional behavior violations.
6. Distance education requirement.
   Click here for the requirements for distance education

Contact Information

For Admissions Information

Dr. Joseph Cipriani, OT Professor and Week-day Admissions Coordinator
570-674-6412
jcipriani@misericordia.edu .

Steve Secora, Director of Admissions
570-674-6460
ssecora@misericordia.edu

For Transfer Information
Patti Ross, Assistant Director of Transfer Admissions
570-674-8183
pross@misericordia.edu

Students who meet the following criteria will be considered for admission:

Admission Criteria for Non-traditional BS/MSOT Program (Weekend Professional Entry Level Masters

1. An associate degree or baccalaureate degree from an accredited program with a minimum of a 3.0 cumulative grade point average

2. Two letters of reference (at least one from an occupational therapist is highly recommended)

3. 6-8 hours of documented service in a health care setting with an occupational therapy practitioner. If the prospective applicant is a licensed and practicing OT assistant, they may use current practice as documented service in a health care setting. Their direct supervisor must still sign off on their submitted hours.

4. Submission of a 500 word, typed statement of personal and professional goals

5. Successful interview with an occupational therapy faculty member

6. Certified occupational therapy assistants must submit evidence of current NBCOT certification.

7. Technical competency in using Word, Excel, and an electronic classroom is an expectation for all new students.

8. Pre-requisites: 1. BIO 211 A&P I (with lab) 2. BIO 212 A&P II (with lab) 3. Math 115 4. Physics 117 (with lab) 5. PSY 290 Psychopathology (Abnormal Psych) 6. PSY 123 (Introduction to Psychology) All students must complete the above pre-requisites with at least a C- or better within the 10 years prior to admission into the nontraditional OT program. If you are entering the program with an AS degree: For those who are entering the program with an AS degree, those students will take the above pre-requisite courses and remaining core courses to fulfill the requirements of BS in Occupational Science degree at Misericordia University. Students may transfer in credits from another college/university (must comply with Misericordia University transfer policy). https://catalog.misericordia.edu/content.php?catoid=8&navoid=477 If you are entering the program as an occupational therapy assistant: For applicants who are currently licensed and practicing as occupational therapy assistants, the 10-year time limit of prerequisite courses may be waived. If the prospective student has completed prerequisite courses older than 10 years, they must provide a copy of their state OTA licensure, documentation of employment (either part time, per diem, or full-time within the last two years), and official transcripts of the prerequisite courses taken in order to apply this waiver. If the prospective student has never taken the pre-requisite course, then the prospective applicant is required to take that pre-requisite course and pass with a C- or better.

9. English Language Proficiency: If English is not your first language, or if English is not the primary language spoken in your home, you must submit the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The following are the minimum score requirements: Internet-based TOEFL exam (iBT): The Internet-based TOEFL has four subsections, with a grading scale for each section from 1 to 30 (30 being the highest score). Misericordia University will look closely at the score for each section rather than the total score. he minimum scores for each section are as follows: • Writing: 22 • Speaking: 22 • Reading: 22 • Listening: 22 Students should indicate on the registration form that they wish the test results to be sent directly to Misericordia University. The TOEFL code for Misericordia University is 2087.

 

For Admissions Information
Maureen Sheridan
(570) 674-6451
msheridan@misericordia.edu

OR

OT Weekend Program Director
Dr. Orley Templeton
(570) 674-8154
otempleton@misericordia.edu

Admission Criteria

• Minimum of a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy or a BS in OT and an MS in another field.
• Minimum of 1 year practicing as a licensed Occupational Therapist
• Completed application including official transcripts, 3 references, statement of professional goals
• Minimum GPA of 3.0 in prior studies
• Interview

The preferred deadlines for application and supporting documentation are as follows:

• 1st round application review deadline March 1.
• Second round application review deadline May 1.

Pending space availability, interviews will be scheduled during April and May. Upon acceptance, students will be required to submit a $200 deposit, non-refundable, and applied to first semester tuition.

To apply for admission, students must submit the following:

• Application statement of purpose and practice goals
• Current Resume, official transcripts for occupational therapy education
• Copy of NBCOT certification
• Copy of current state license/certification in a US jurisdiction
• Official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score with a minimum of 550 (213 if computer generated)
• Three letters of recommendation (one recommendation must be from a licensed occupational therapist).

Misericordia University is no longer accepting applications for this program.

• The Post-Professional Masters degree program requires submission of the following information for admissions consideration:
  • NBCOT initial certification as an occupational therapist
  • College transcripts from all prior academic work
  • Basic Statistics course
  • Undergraduate GPA of 2.8 or higher
  • Statement of professional goals and how matriculation in the Post Professional Masters degree Program can contribute to those goals.
  • 2 letters of reference
• Students taking courses in the Pediatric Certificate Program who wish to move into the Post Professional Masters Degree Program should apply by the final semester of their 12 credit certificate, if they have not completed formal application prior to that point.
  If students are not enrolled in the Pediatric Certificate Program, and they are interested in pursuing the Masters degree, they must formally apply to the Post Professional Masters Degree program after 6 credits of coursework.
• Transferring in Courses:
  Students in the Post Professional Masters Degree Program must take 30 graduate credits to receive the Masters of Science Degree. Credits transferable to this degree must be within the following guidelines:
  • All courses transferred in must be formally evaluated by the Registrar's Office for transferability.
  • Students who have completed the Pediatric Certificate may apply the 12 credits toward the elective requirement of the post professional Masters. In all other instances, a maximum of 6 transfer credits will be accepted towards the 30 required for the Masters of Science degree.
  • For information on the Post-Professional Masters of Occupational Therapy, please contact: Dr. Ellen McLaughlin, 570-674-6399 or emclaughlin@misericordia.edu

Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the graduate will be an occupational therapist, registered (OTR). In addition, most states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. The NBCOT decides each case individually via its Character Review Program. Individuals are advised to seek clarification of their eligibility by directly contacting NBCOT. 

Please visit this link for additional information: https://www.nbcot.org/-/media/PDFs/Cert_Exam_Handbook.pdf