Program Highlights
A pre-occupational therapy degree can serve as the foundation of a rewarding career.
As a student in our pre-occupational therapy bachelor’s degree program, you’ll take classes led by experienced occupational therapists. With small class sizes, you’ll get all of the individualized attention you need as you learn how to develop and implement treatment plans for your patients. Through a combination of classroom learning and hands-on experience in clinical rotations, you’ll be able to take what you’ve learned and apply it in real-world situations. This is a limited enrollment program.
This program is designed to be combined with our Master of Science occupational therapy degree program.
- You’ll complete four years of undergraduate studies through our pre-occupational therapy degree program, then complete two years of our Master of Occupational Therapy program.
- Once both programs are completed, as well as your Level II clinical courses, you’ll be able to sit for the national certification exam to qualify for state licensure.
- The Bachelor of Science in Pre-Occupational Therapy program at Baker College is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) www.acoteonline.org, located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929; Phone: 301-652-2682. Graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination.
- The estimated total cost for completing the Master of Science Occupational Therapy program including all undergraduate requirements is $92,365.00. This includes books and fees. The total cost can be lower if the student has transfer credit. Experiential/work experience can not be used for occupational therapy course credit.
This program will be offered at the new Royal Oak Campus in August of 2022.
“In the Lab” Events
Considering a major in the healthcare industry? Experience our state-of-the-art health science labs firsthand and learn about our programs in nursing, occupational therapy and other popular majors.
Credit Hours
Years (Avg.)
Students who receive scholarships, grants or financial aid
Learn Your Way
Pre-Occupational Therapy classes will be taught exclusively at the Royal Oak campus beginning in 2022. Plus, general education and prerequisite courses are typically available through Baker Online, Online Live, and on all campuses throughout Michigan.
Learn MoreWhy Study Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapists require master’s degrees. At Baker College, students must complete the pre-occupational therapy degree program before entering the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy program. Occupational therapists provide therapeutic interventions to individuals of all ages. Interventions are designed to promote successful engagement in everyday activities (occupations). These include the skills necessary for learning, social interaction and recovery from emotional, physical and/or cognitive limitations.
This program is concerned with providing a practical education that will enable graduates to apply their skills to a diverse population in a variety of settings. The curriculum will provide students with early exposure to the occupational therapy profession and to those conceptual models that are applied by occupational therapists on a daily basis.
Career Facts
Median Yearly Income
Outlook 2018–2028
Median Salary for Executives
Curriculum
The Baker College pre-occupational therapy bachelor’s degree program is a four-year, ACOTE-accredited program consisting of 121 credit hours (28 prerequisites and 78 hours of major requirements). Our curriculum includes 15 hours of general education requirements, program planning/intervention strategies and a fieldwork experience.
Take your learning to a whole new level.
The College of Health Science is proud to offer courses that include Extended Reality (XR) learning. These experiences provide immersive, hands-on learning that will prepare you for a successful career in the healthcare field.

Additional Requirements
The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) and the American Occupational Therapy Association have mandated that all entry-level occupational therapists must be prepared at the master’s degree level beginning January 2007. Therefore, all pre-occupational therapy students will be required to apply to the Baker College Center for Graduate Studies upon completion of the pre-occupational therapy bachelor’s degree program.
The Baker College Bachelor of Science in Pre-Occupational Therapy and Master of Occupational Therapy programs are combined as a 4+2 degree program; students complete four years of undergraduate study and two years of graduate study. Graduate admission is open only to students who have completed the pre-occupational therapy program at Baker College.
Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapist, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®). After successful completion of this exam, the graduate will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A FELONY CONVICTION MAY AFFECT A GRADUATE’S ABILITY TO SIT FOR THE NBCOT CERTIFICATION EXAMINATION OR ATTAIN STATE LICENSURE.
Accreditation
The occupational therapy program is fully accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) www.acoteonline.org, located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929; Phone: 301-652-2682. Graduates are eligible to take the national certification examination.
Classes Available
This program is offered in-person on our campus in Auburn Hills. In Michigan our students come from Ann Arbor, Cadillac, Dearborn, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Jackson, Lansing, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Owosso, Traverse City, and many other locations. Beyond Michigan, our online graduates hail from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and other states.
On Campus Available
View campus locationsUnavailable on Baker Online
Core courses for this degree program are not offered through Baker Online.
For those interested, a selection of general education and prerequisite courses are available through Baker Online each semester.
Baker OnlineUnavailable on Online Live
Core courses for this degree program are not offered through Online Live.
For those interested, a selection of general education and prerequisite courses are available through Online Live each semester.
Online Live