UNC-Chapel Hill Occupational Therapy Program?

Hello, I'm really interested in becoming an occupational therapist, and I've been exploring the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an option. Can anyone provide information about their occupational therapy program? How competitive is it to get into? Any info would be greatly helpful!

UNC-Chapel Hill does not offer an undergraduate program in occupational therapy. However, they do have a well-regarded graduate program at their Allied Health Sciences division, through the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy. You can pursue a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) degree at UNC, which usually takes about 2.5 years to complete.

Since you're still an undergraduate, you could consider pursuing a major in a related field, such as psychology, exercise science, or biology, for instance. These majors would provide you with the foundational knowledge and prerequisites necessary for entering an occupational therapy graduate program.

If you're set on studying occupational therapy at the undergraduate level, there are other universities that offer such programs. For instance, you could look at schools like Eastern Kentucky University, Quinnipiac University, or the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.

As for UNC's MSOT program, it is competitive. Admission is based on a variety of factors, including your undergraduate GPA, completion of prerequisite courses, observation/volunteer hours, diversity of experiences, and essay responses. A competitive applicant typically has a strong academic record, meaningful experience in the field (such as shadowing or volunteering), and effective communication skills.

If you're still interested in UNC for your undergraduate studies, consider researching related majors and discussing your options with a college counselor or academic advisor. This can help you better understand your optimal undergraduate options for pursuing a career in occupational therapy.