2023-2024
Pre-Occupational Therapy (Advising Track)
VCU
Community college:
Associate of Science (Richard Bland College of William and Mary)
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
Telephone: (804) 827-1349
Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu
VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist
Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638
Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.
Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
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
2023-2024
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 | ||
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| Explore | Year 1 |
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| Experience | Year 2 |
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Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Attend RBC Orientation.
- Schedule an appointment with your Learner Mentor to discuss your degree and class plan.
- A stellar GPA is vital to being a competitive student. Use tutoring resources to get ahead.
- Review the resources on the VCU Healthcare Pathways website, especially the Pre-Occupational Therapy Advising Guide.
- Explore GRASP financial aid resources and submit the FAFSA on time.
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
- Review admission requirements for the VCU OTD program.
- Learn about the transfer admission process for VCU.
- Cultivate relationships with your professors.
- Review volunteer and shadowing opportunities on the VCU Healthcare Pathways website.
- Get involved with student clubs and organizations.
- Register to vote.
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
- Explore possible career opportunities for pre-occupational therapy students.
- Build a LinkedIn profile.
- Review volunteer and shadowing opportunities to find healthcare volunteering and information about shadowing.
- Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
- 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."
- Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
- Explore your eligibility for the Two-Year College Transfer Grant.
- Submit the FAFSA on time.
- Submit a transfer advising request to the VCU Transfer Center.
- Maintain a high GPA. Use tutoring resources to get ahead. Be prepared to earn good grades at VCU.
- Be prepared for academic challenges by meeting with your Learner Mentor and understanding RBC Student Support available.
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
- 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.
- Consider learning a foreign language.
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
2023-2024
Pre-Occupational Therapy (Advising Track)
Richard Bland College of William and Mary (Associate of Science)
| 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 121 | Pre-calculus I | MATH 141 | 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 210 | Survey of Psychology | PSYC 101 | 3 | General education |
| SOC 201 | General Sociology | SOCY 101 | 3 | General education (Pre-OT requirement) |
| COMM | Select one: COMM 101, COMM 102, or COMM 201 | SPCH | 3 | General education (Pre-OT recommendation) |
| Complete general education and elective requirements for associate degree | VCU equivalents | 20 | General education | |
| Richard Bland credits transferred to VCU | 60 | |||
| 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. | ||||
| 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) | |
| HPEX 250 | Medical Terminology | 1 | Elective (Pre-OT recommendation) |
| Courses required for VCU major and electives | 44 | Major | |
| REAL | The REAL requirement may be satisfied by successfully completing a 300-level (or higher) course that has received a REAL attribute of Level 2, 3 or 4 or through an approved “REAL” co-curricular experience that has received a REAL attribute of Level 3 or 4. See VCU advisor for options. | 0 | Major |
| Minimum number of credits completed at VCU | 60 | ||
| Minimum number of credits required for a bachelor's degree | 120 | ||