Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Pre-Occupational Therapy (Advising Track)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science (Richard Bland College of William and Mary)
Richard Bland College
Richard Bland College
Associate degree
Program description

Students interested in the pre-occupational therapy advising track must be on track to complete all prerequisite coursework, have a minimum 3.0 GPA, and be on track to receive a baccalaureate degree by the time of applying to be considered for admission to occupational therapy (OT) school. Students interested in OT school should consult with a pre-professional health adviser to learn about requirements that are specific to the schools to which they hope to apply.


Declaration of the pre-occupational therapy advising track through the Office of Pre-Professional Health Advising does not constitute admission to the VCU Occupational Therapy program. Students must apply separately to the program(s) of their choice at the appropriate time.


Students with an interest in preparing for OT school must declare an academic major and should declare and maintain their pre-occupational therapy advising track. Students do not earn a pre-occupational therapy degree. Students unsure of their academic majors initially should clarify their academic interests through regular conversations with their advisers. Pre-occupational therapy students are encouraged to major in fields of greatest interest to them. To declare a pre-occupational therapy advising track, please see Canvas PPH Hub.

Career opportunities

Occupational therapists are professionals who help others live, work, and play regardless of disability or condition. Occupational therapists use evidence-based practice, explore research interests, and are prepared for changes in science and technology that impact patients in the profession.

Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Healthcare Researcher
  • Occupational Therapist
  • Professor
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Highest level of math required
  • STAT 314
Science required
  • 3-4 additional science courses
Foreign language requirements
  • No
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • A minimum GPA of 2.7 is required to apply to become a pre-professional health student and to stay on the pre-professional health advising track.

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Pre-Occupational Therapy (Advising Track)

Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Science)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend cultural events at RBC and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU's annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Familiarize yourself with the career services offered at RBC and VCU and explore career pathways on the VCU Career Services website.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."
Experience Year 2
  • Apply to VCU.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Select a VCU major.
  • Participate in the VCU STEM Transitions: Transfer Success Program after you’re admitted to VCU.
  • Consider applying for the summer Allied Health Career Exploration (AHCE) program.
  • Consider learning a foreign language.
  • Volunteer with a vulnerable, under-represented and/or underserved community. Reflect on the challenges these populations might face with their healthcare.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at RBC or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Find healthcare experience that’s paid, volunteer or shadowing experience - answer the question, "is this really what I want to do?"
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at RBC and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU's annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Make friends with people with diverse perspectives and join a cultural or identity-related student organization.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
  • Familiarize yourself with the career services offered at RBC and VCU and explore career pathways on the VCU Career Services website.
  • Develop personal and career goals and create SMART steps for 2-3 "dream jobs."

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Apply to VCU.
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing options for next year.
  • Select a VCU major.
  • Participate in the VCU STEM Transitions: Transfer Success Program after you’re admitted to VCU.
  • Consider applying for the summer Allied Health Career Exploration (AHCE) program.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Consider learning a foreign language.
  • Volunteer with a vulnerable, under-represented and/or underserved community. Reflect on the challenges these populations might face with their healthcare.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Become familiar with OMSA at VCU.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at RBC or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Find healthcare experience that’s paid, volunteer or shadowing experience - answer the question, "is this really what I want to do?"
  • Find out about VCU REAL and learn about REAL graduation requirement.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Explore the types of aid available at VCU.

Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2022-2023

Pre-Occupational Therapy (Advising Track)

Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Science)

Richard Bland College of William and Mary courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
Students who earn this associate degree before enrolling at VCU will be eligible for a waiver of VCU's general education requirements.
ENGL 101 Rhetoric and Research I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENGL 102 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
ENGL 102 Rhetoric and Research II UNIV 200 3 General education
MATH 151 Pre-calculus II MATH 151 3 General education
MATH 217 Statistics STAT 210 3 Elective
BIO 101 + Lab General Biology I + Lab BIOL/Z 101 4 General education (Pre-OT recommendation)
BIOL 205 + BIOL 206 Human Anatomy and Physiology (both courses must be taken to be equivalent to VCU’s courses) BIOL 205 + PHIS/Z 206 8 Elective (Pre-OT requirement)
PHYS 101 College Physics (Lecture and Lab) PHYS 201 4 Elective (Pre-OT recommendation)
PHIL 203 Introduction to Ethics PHIL 201 3 General education (Pre-OT recommendation)
PSYC 201-202 General Psychology I-II (both courses must be taken to receive credit for PSYC 101) PSYC 101 + PSYC 1XX 6 General education
SOC 201 General Sociology SOCY 101 3 General education (Pre-OT requirement)
Complete general education and elective requirements for associate degree VCU equivalents 20 General education
Richard Bland credits transferred to VCU 60
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
Your GPA Doesn't Transfer With You Although you worked hard to earn your grades at your current institution, they will only be considered by VCU for an admission decision. Once you enroll at VCU, your GPA will reset to 0.0, and your new GPA will be determined by your level of success in your classes at VCU.
The courses listed below are required or recommended for pre-occupational therapy students. Students must also select a VCU major and complete the major requirements. The minimum number of credits required for a bachelor's degree at VCU is 120 credits.
PSYC 304 Life Span Developmental Psychology 3 Elective (Pre-OT requirement)
PSYC 407 Psychology of the Abnormal 3 Elective (Pre-OT requirement)
STAT 314 Applications of Statistics 4 Elective (Pre-OT requirement)
Upper-level social sciences electives (from PSYC, ANTH and/or SOCY) 6 Elective (Pre-OT requirement)
Courses required for VCU major and electives 44 Major
Minimum number of credits completed at VCU 60
Minimum number of credits required for a bachelor's degree 120
In addition to completing the required courses, applicants must also demonstrate evidence of a minimum of 30 observation hours under the supervision of a licensed O.T. practitioner, an occupational therapist or an occupational therapy assistant, prior to the time of application.