Occupational Therapy Schools in Washington

The Washington state has 3 ACOTE accredited Occupational therapy Schools which provides an entry-level master degree or Doctor of Occupational therapy program. Plus, the state also has 5 ACOTE accredited Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Schools which provides an associate degree. The license is required to practice as an OT in Washington; one can appear for the licensure examination after clearing the OT entry-level degree from accredited OT schools.

The 3 Occupational therapy schools in Washington are-

1. Eastern Washington University (EWU)
2. University of Puget Sound
3. University of Washington (UW)

Occupational Therapy in Washington-

The occupational therapist, Occupational therapy assistant, and OT/OTA students have their own state association, i.e. WOTA (Washington Occupational Therapy Association).

The WOTA is a non-profit volunteer organization which provides a professional community for its members. The WOTA is a state-based professional organization and public voice for the occupational therapy profession in Washington.

The main role of the association is to promote the occupational therapy profession, create public awareness, provide support to the therapist in continuing education and improve and maintain the quality of occupational therapy profession in the state of Washington. The WOTA is an affiliated state body of the American Occupational therapy association.

Website – WOTA.org

Occupational therapy License in Washington-

Occupational therapist and Occupational therapy Assistants are required to get a license from the Washington State Department of Health Profession’s Occupational therapy advisory Board.

Satisfactory completion of both the academic program and fieldwork are required to be eligible to take the Certification Examination of the NBCOT and get license offered by Washington’s Occupational therapy advisory Board. Successful completion of the licensure test allows graduates to practice the profession in Washington.

The minimum requirements for the license are –

• Entry-level master degree or OTD degree
• NBCOT exam’s passing certificate.
• Applicants must complete the online jurisprudence examination and pass with a score of 100 percent.
• Application fees of $166(OT/OTA).

Temporary OT/OTA License:

A temporary permit may be granted to persons who have completed the education and experience requirements which the board deems equivalent to those specified as requirements for licensure. The temporary/limited permit allows the applicant to practice in association with an occupational therapist. The limited permit is valid until the results of the next examination have been made public. One extension of this permit may be granted if the applicant has failed the examination, but during this period the person shall be under the direct supervision of an occupational therapist.
Limited permit fee- $55

Occupational Therapy Schools in Washington- List of OT schools with Overview

#1 Eastern Washington University (EWU)-

The Occupational therapy school at EWU is a friendly, dynamic and innovative program with Emphasis on community-based and client-centered activities through interactive class tasks, labs and various facility experiences.

The OT school provides two methods for students seeking entry into the profession of occupational therapy:

1. Master of Occupational therapy program (for bachelor’s degree holder)
2. Combined Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Interdisciplinary Studies or Bachelor of Science (BS) in Exercise Science with the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) degree programs. It’s a 3+2 year program.

Eastern Washington University College of Health Science and Public Health
Courses Offered–	Combined BS/MS Occupational therapy (entry level) Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT-entry level).
University Campus	Spokane, WA
Public or Private-	Public Institute.
Program Chair	Susan Burwash, Ph.D., MSc(OT), OTR/L
Course Duration-	BS/MS OT- 5 year program MOT- 2 ½-year program
Class Size	Around 32 students per year
OT program begins	The third week of June (summer)
Application Procedure	A candidate must apply through the OTCAS; a supplemental application to the EWU is required for MOT applicant only. An interview is required for acceptance.
Minimum Requirement (for both the programs)	A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning. You must earn a cumulative college-level GPA of 3 or higher on a scale of 4. GRE official test result (writing- min score 3.5 is required); Documented voluntary or work experience of 40 hours with a person with disabilities. At least 10 of the 40 hours must be shadowing an OT in at least two different practice settings. 3 letters of recommendations needed (1 must be from supervising OT; 1 must be from a faculty member or course instructor. The last reference may be from a person (unrelated) who can provide a character reference); A personal statement; Personal Essay in response to OTCAS prompts.
Prerequisites Course work (for both the programs)	General Biology (must include chemistry of atomic structure and cell functions.); Human Anatomy with lab; Human Physiology with lab; Intermediate English composition/Technical Writing; Introduction to Occupational Therapy (EWU offers online course); Medical Terminology; An introductory Sociology or Anthropology course; Abnormal Psychology General Psychology/Introduction to Psychology; Human Development Through the Life Span/ Developmental Psychology; Statistics.
Address	Department of Occupational Therapy 310 N. River point Boulevard, Box R, Spokane, WA 99202 Email- ot@ewu.edu
Website	www.ewu.edu/ot

#2 University of Puget Sound

The Occupational therapy school at University of Puget Sound offers an entry-level Master of Science in Occupational therapy degree. The most distinctive feature of the occupational therapy program at Puget Sound—rare among OT programs—is the on-site teaching clinic. It is equipped with a simulated apartment, activity spaces, and up-to-date assistive technology. A 4,000 square-foot mobility park simulates outdoor environments, including walkways, curbs, steps, ramps, a playground for children, and raised flower beds for gardening for clients with movement impairments.

University of Puget Sound School of Occupational Therapy
Courses Offered–	Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT-entry level) Doctor of Occupational Therapy (post-professional).
University Campus	Tacoma, WA
Public or Private-	Private Institute.
Program Director	Yvonne Swinth, Ph.D.
Course Duration-	MSOT- 2 ½ -year program
Class Size	Around 36-40 students per year
OT program begins	Fall semester
Application Procedure	A candidate must apply through the OTCAS; a supplemental application to the college is required.
Minimum Requirement (MSOT)	A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher learning. You must earn a cumulative college-level GPA of 3 or higher on a scale of 4. GRE official test result; Exposure to the practice of OT (either volunteer or paid) under the supervision of a licensed OT is required (no minimum number of hours); 1 letter of recommendation from an OTR; Supplemental Essay – submitted via the questions section in OTCAS.
Prerequisites Course work (MSOT)	2 sequential Human Anatomy & Physiology courses, preferably with lab; Statistics; Human Behavioral Science/Human Development (3 courses)- Human Development through the life span; Psychology, Anthropology or Sociology. Recommended- Medical Terminology.
Address	Occupational Therapy Program 1500 North Warner Street, CMB 1070 Tacoma, WA 98416-0510 Email- ot@pugetsound.edu
Website	www.pugetsound.edu

#3 University of Washington (UW)-

The Occupational therapy school at UW offers Master of Occupational therapy degree. The OT school is a part of the renowned Department of rehabilitation medicine.

Why choose OT @ UW-

• Widely recognized OT school with a ranking of 14th in the nation by US News & World Report (2016);
• 100% NBCOT passing score;
• Small classes and personal attention;
• The opportunity to take foundational interdisciplinary courses taught by expert faculty in medicine, allied health, and basic sciences with students from other allied health disciplines.
• A year-long capstone Graduate Project in the community.
• OT passed out from UW are qualified for Educational Staff Associate (ESA) Certification in the State of Washington, so they can take jobs working with children in the Washington State public school system after graduation without additional training.

University of Washington Department of Rehabilitation Medicine
Course Offered–	Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT-entry level)
University Campus	Seattle, WA
Public or Private-	Public Institute.
Program Head	Janet M. Powell, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA
Course Duration-	MOT- 2 ½ -year program
Class Size	Around 24 students per year
OT program begins	—
Application Procedure	A candidate must apply through the OTCAS; a supplemental UW Graduate application is required.
Minimum Requirement (MOT)	US citizenship; Meet the UW Graduate School’s English language proficiency requirement at the time of admission. Official GRE scores (No minimum score is required.); Bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college; Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale; A minimum of 40 hours of OT-related work or volunteer experience across two different client or patient populations. 3 letters of recommendations; 2 essays (OTCAS general essay and UW MOT specific essay.
Prerequisites Course work (MOT)	Human Anatomy (lab optional); Human Physiology (lab optional); Chemistry (lab optional); Statistics; Developmental Psychology; Abnormal Psychology; Introduction to Sociology or Sociocultural Anthropology or Cultural Anthropology.
Address	Division of Occupational Therapy Department of Rehabilitation Medicine Box 356490 Seattle, WA 98195-6490 Email- ot@u.washington.edu
Website	rehab.washington.edu

Occupational Therapy Assistant Schools in Washington-

#1 Bates Technical College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program 
1101 S. Yakima Avenue 
Tacoma, WA 98504-4895 

#2 Green River College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program 
12401 S.E. 320th Street 
Auburn, WA 98092

#3 Lake Washington Institute of Technology
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
Allied Health Programs
11605 132nd Avenue NE 
Kirkland, WA 98034-8506 

#4 Pima Medical Institute-Renton
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program 
555 S. Renton Village Place, #400
Renton, WA 98057

#5 Spokane Falls Community College
Occupational Therapy Assistant Program
2917 W. Fort George Wright Drive, MS 3029
Spokane, WA 99224-5288.

Occupational Therapy Jobs in Washington-

The outlook for occupational therapy employment is very good in Washington. The United States’s Bureau of Labor Statistics includes occupational therapy as one of its fastest growing occupations, with registered occupational therapists predicted to have a faster than average growth (21- 36%). Many Health Care Recruitment providers have reported a shortage of occupational therapists and OTA in Washington. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were about 2800 employed and licensed occupational therapists in Washington on May 2017. And the requirement of license practitioner is increasing. Huge opportunities are there in Washington for the occupational therapist and occupational therapy Assistant.

Occupational Therapy Salary in Washington-

As per indeed.com, the average salary of an occupational therapist in Washington was $81,000 per annum (in 2017) and According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average annual and hourly income of occupational therapy professionals was $80,590 and $38.74, respectively in May 2017.