Applying
for Admission
A. On Line Application: Complete the Graduate School on-line application
www.gradsch.wisc.edu/eapp/eapp.pl
making sure to select "Occupational Therapy Program" and "summer
term of admission". You may begin completing the on-line Graduate School application
mid summer the year before you wish to begin the MSOT program. (Please see FAQ #7
"When may I begin the application process?" below for further details.)
Please note, however, that applications must be accessed by the applicant 30 days
prior to paying the application fee in order to remain active.
B. Mail the following required materials to:
John Hageman
Graduate Admissions
Department of Kinesiology
2000 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706.
For questions, you may contact John at
kinesgrad@education.wisc.edu or 608-262-8730
- Application Form: A hard copy of UW-Madison Graduate School on-line
application
- Transcripts: Submit two (2) copies of official transcripts or academic
records from each school of higher education attended including information on all
course work in progress. Documents must be issued by the school with the official
seal/stamp and an official signature. International academic records must be in
the original language accompanied by an official English translation. Students offered
admission who are enrolled in course work are required to send in final transcripts
prior to beginning the program in June. (see FAQ #14 below)
- Personal Statement: Part of the selection process includes review
of a 500-word (approximate) personal statement. This personal statement is required
in place of the Graduate School "Reasons for Graduate Study" essay. Applicants
should reflect on the diversity of their life experiences and specifically comment
on how their experiences will promote success as an occupational therapist. The
most highly regarded statements present clear and convincing evidence that a student's
talents, experiences and accomplishments, including work experiences both paid and
unpaid, are relevant to the practice of occupational therapy and are of high quality.
Personal statements must be typed and double-spaced. (see FAQ #11 below)
- Three (3) Letters of Recommendation:
Use the Graduate School forms-- (http://www.education.wisc.edu/kinesiology/ot/Recommendation
Form.pdf): these should be sent directly by the recommender to John Hageman,
Graduate Admissions, Department of Kinesiology, 2000 Observatory Drive, Madison,
WI 53706. These forms can be sent either by mail or electronically:
kinesgrad@education.wisc.edu(see FAQ # 12 below)
- List of awards, honors, work experience and/or publications as appropriate.
A resume may be substituted if available but it is not necessary to use such
a format. Do not include OT shadowing experiences in this list.
-
Prerequisite Worksheet Print out this form and fill it in with courses that
you have taken in the past or plan to take prior to admission.
- Observation Experience
C. In Addition:
- GRE Scores: Applicants must arrange to have Graduate Record Exam
(GRE) (www.gre.org )scores sent to UW-Madison.
The GRE Institution Code for UW-Madison is1846. A department code is not necessary
for our system
- TOEFL Scores: Applicants whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate
instruction was not in English, must arrange to have Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL) scores (www.ETS.org) sent to
UW-Madison.
- Applicants are responsible for reading the following information:
Information About Criminal Background Checks for Prospective Occupational Therapy
Students
Information on our Admission Procedures
1. Graduate School Involvement
The Graduate School makes the final admission decision based on the Occupational
Therapy Program's recommendation.
Graduate School Checklist
http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/gschecklist.html
Graduate School Requirements for Admission
http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/requirements.html
2. Occupational Therapy Program Application and Admission Procedures
A. When to Apply:
Using rolling admissions, the UW-Madison Occupational Therapy Program will begin
reviewing applications beginning November 1 of the previous year, however application
materials may be submitted any time prior to the November 1st date. The deadline
for submitting applications is February 1 of the year of admission. (see FAQ#7 below)
B. Notification of Application Status:
Applicants will be notified no later than April of their status for admission in
June. Some early applicants may have final action on their applications prior to
that date. All offers of admission are provisional until spring grades and criminal
background investigation results are reviewed. If, after a student has been offered
admission, the final transcript or results of the criminal background check indicate
that a student does not satisfy all the eligibility criteria, the offer of admission
will be rescinded. Students should be aware that the offer of admission could be
rescinded after the start of Anatomy 622.
C. Criteria for Student Selection:
The admissions process is competitive. If the number of eligible applicants exceeds
the number of spaces available, not all applicants who qualify will be admitted.
A maximum of 25 students will be admitted each year. Nevertheless, many students
who are placed on our waiting list will be admitted into the program since some
accepted students withdraw their applications.
The Occupational Therapy faculty recognizes that some qualities desirable in future
occupational therapists are not reflected in academic factors alone. Among the non-academic
factors to be considered are: talents relevant to occupational therapy; accomplishments
and experiences; and thoughtful work (paid or unpaid).
The Occupational Therapy Program will select students based on the following:
- 60% Academic Factors
- GPA (on last 60 credits of undergraduate courses, prerequisite courses and overall
average)
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) scores
- 40 % Non-academic Factors:
The following qualities will be considered thorough analysis of the application
materials listed below:
FAQs About the Admission Process to the UW-Madison MSOT program:
1. What are the specifics of your admission requirements?
See section titled “Admission Criteria”
2. Can you answer my questions about the on-line Graduate School application
process and fees?
The Graduate School has developed a helpful FAQ recourse:
http://info.gradsch.wisc.edu/admin/admissions/faq.html You may also check
the Graduate School home page at www.wisc.edu/grad/
3. Can you send me additional information in the mail?
We do our best to include as much information regarding our program and admissions
procedures on this website. We do not have brochures or printed information on our
MSOT program for dissemination through the mail. However, you may contact the Graduate
School office at 608-262-2433 or www.wisc.edu/grad/
for
printed information on the scope of graduate studies offered at UW-Madison.
4. Is an interview required for admission?
No. It is preferred that prospective students attend one or more of the “Group
Advising Sessions” that are posted on the “Program Description”
section of this web page. If necessary, individual appointments may be made with
the admissions coordinator if extenuating circumstances prevent attendance at group
sessions.
5. Are “Group Advising Sessions” just for those currently attending
the University?
No. These informal informational sessions are intended for anyone interested in
learning more about our MSOT program and the admissions requirements. Friends and
family members of prospective students are also welcome. (See section titled “Program
Description”)
6. How can I contact the Admissions Coordinator if I have specific questions
not addressed on this website?
Cherie Murray, MS, OTR/L may be emailed at
otadmissions@education.wisc.edu or by phone at 608-265-2223.
7. When may I begin the application process?
Our website states that we accept applications from November 1 until February 1
(final deadline) prior to the summer of admission. However, you may begin to fill
out the on-line application and send in materials prior to the November 1 date.
No applications will be considered complete nor sent to the OT Admissions Committee
for review prior to November 1. The earlier you get your application in, the better
chance you have for being accepted. However, you should wait until mid summer the
year before you wish to begin the program to fill out an on-line Graduate School
application.
8.Do I have to graduate before applying?
No. If you anticipate graduation in December or May prior to the beginning of the
program the following summer, your application may be consideed as early as November
1. However, all offers of admission are provisional until spring grades and Criminal
Background Investigation results are reviewed.
9. When will I find out about the result of my application?
Since we have rolling admissions, it depends upon when your application is complete
and when the next OT Admissions Committee meeting is scheduled. Notification could
occur between 2 to 6 weeks after an early application is received. All applicants
will be notified no later than April of their admission status.
10. Does your admissions committee give preference to applicants who went to
UW-Madison for their undergraduate education?
No. We do our best to review each application fairly and objectively. There are
no undergraduate majors at the UW that can be considered “feeder programs”
for our MSOT program.
11. Is is OK to obtain assistance to write my personal statement?
Yes. We encourage prospective students to obtain assistance from resources such
as the UW-Madison Writing Center. It is wise to ask another to proof read your work
prior to submission. Remember that it is your responsibility to advocate for yourself
in your admission materials and it is very appropriate to address the qualities
listed in the non-academic factors portion of the Criteria for Student Selection
section above.
12. Who should I ask to provide letters of recommendation?
It is wise to ask individuals who know you well enough to address the qualities
listed in the non-academic factors portion of the of the Criteria for Student Selection
section above. It is seldom a good idea to ask a professor who does not know you
well. However, accademic references from an advisor or instructor can be very helpful
if you do have a dynamic relationship with the individual. References from co-workers,
supervisors, long standing family friends, and occupational therapy practitioners
may be helpful to you. We will review more than 3 letters of recommendation if they
are submitted.
13. Why does your application process involve a Criminal Background Investigation(CBI),
and do I have to do anything for it?
Although you do not have to do anything to initiate the CBI, all offers of admission
are provisional until the investigation is completed. CBI’s are initiated
automatically once an accepted applicant has indicated that he or she intends to
enroll in our program. We conduct CBIs because someone with a criminal record may
be barred from doing fieldwork at specific facilities; sitting for the NBCOT exam;
or may not be eligible for state licensing. (See “Information About Background
Checks for Occupational Therapy Students” on our website).
14. Where do I send the 2 final, official transcripts of my prerequisite courses
and or completed degree(s)?
If you have NOT yet been accepted into the MSOT program, send 2 copies of
the official, final transcripts to:
John Hageman
Graduate Admissions
Department of Kinesiology
2000 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706 (For questions, you may contact John at
kinesgrad@education.wisc.edu or 608-262-8730.)
If you have already been accepted into the MSOT program, send the 2 final,
official transcripts to:
1. Send one official copy of the transcript to:
Lisa. Blochwitz, MS
Occupational Therapy Program Assistant
1300 University Ave., Room 2130
Madison, WI 53706
For questions regarding this, contact Lisa at
blochwitz@education.wisc.edu
2. Send one official copy of the transcript to:
Graduate School
Bascom Hall, Room 217
500 Lincoln Drive
Madison, WI 53706