Pre-Occupational Therapy
If you desire helping individuals overcome limitations, consider the field of occupational therapy. In this fulfilling and in-demand career, you play a key role in helping patients with injuries, diseases, physical disabilities and other conditions successfully manage their daily routines. Pave your career path by pursuing the pre-occupational therapy academic track at Wheaton. Deepen your knowledge and skills in biology, psychology, math, anatomy and physiology—all coursework required for admission into an occupational therapy graduate program. Gain experience in our cutting-edge laboratories and take advantage of our many resources for internships and other experiential learning opportunities.
Minimum number of courses: 7
The below courses are meant to serve as a guide for most schools, but may lack some specific requirements as they are updated by the professions and individual schools. The course prerequisites for admission vary significantly across OT education programs. Visit the institutions’ websites to determine what courses are required by each institution. Keep in mind that OT schools will require specific grades in all prerequisite courses.
One general Biology course
Bio 114: Introduction to Biological Sciences
Two other Biology courses
Bio 106: Human Anatomy
Bio 244: Introductory Physiology
One Mathematics course
Math 141: Statistics
Psy 141: Statistics for the Social Sciences
Soc 141: Statistics for the Social Sciences
Three Psychology courses
Psy 101: Introductory Psychology
Psy 233: Lifespan Development
Psy 247: Abnormal Psychology
Frequent Additional Courses
Physics and/or Chemistry
Additional English
Research Methods
Exercise Physiology/Kinesiology
Note: Exercise Physiology/Kinesiology are not offered at Wheaton. Students should investigate course offerings in these topics at colleges that are a part of the SACHEM cross-registration program.
Occupational Therapy (OT) Curricular Path (pdf)
Pre-Health Faculty Advising
Working with a dedicated Pre-Health Faculty Advisor, students interested in pre-health can expect individualized curricular sequencing guidance, career advice and coaching, and pre-application support for graduate and medical schools. Pre-health career students can also access a wide array of internship and shadowing opportunities that are regularly shared by the Pre-Health Faculty Advisor.
Students applying to pre-health graduate programs receive graduate school selection guidance and support, personal statement guidance, interview preparation, feedback on application materials, and testing guidance and testing preparation for GRE/MCAT/DAT/PCAT.
Medical school applicants are supported at Wheaton College through the Pre-Health Advisor and the work of an interdisciplinary committee of staff and faculty. Wheaton College’s Pre-Health Advisor is Hilary Gaudet, Ph.D.