NOTE: Provisional or non-degree students seeking admission as a degree candidate to the Penn State Berks Occupational Therapist Assistant associate degree program must complete at least 9 credits of Penn State course work with a minimum 2.0 average.
Overview and Requirements
Students who are currently attending Penn State and are now seeking degree status in the Occupational Therapist Assistant program must have completed a minimum of 9 credit hours and earned a cumulative Penn State grade-point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale as the minimum requirement for admission consideration. In general, admission to the Occupational Therapist Assistant program oftentimes requires a substantially higher cumulative grade-point average. The number of qualified applicants typically exceeds the number of available program spaces; therefore, satisfaction of the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission.
The program is competitive and new applicants to the program are reviewed annually in January. Therefore, students should submit an application to the Undergraduate Admissions Office (for provisional to degree and non-degree to degree students) by January 15 of the year they wish to enroll. Applications received after January 15 will be reviewed on a space-available basis.
In addition to a cumulative grade point average, it is recommended that all provisional to degree and non-degree to degree applicants should have demonstrated successful completion of at least one (1) laboratory based biological and one (1) social science related course prior to the January review. This means you must have completed the following courses (with a recommended grade of "C" or better) prior to the January review:
Biological and Life Sciences (choose at least one)
- BIOL 161, 162 Anatomy and Physiology I - Lecture and Lab (4 cr total)
- BIOL 163, 164 Anatomy and Physiology II - Lecture and Lab (4 cr total)
Social and Behavioral Sciences (choose at least one)
- PSYCH 100 General Psychology (3 cr)
- HD FS 129 Introduction to Human Development and Family Studies (3 cr)
You should work with your current academic advisor to choose appropriate courses, however, it is recommended that you review the "recommended academic plan for Occupational Therapist Assistant program at Berks" to help choose courses that will count toward the Occupational Therapist Assistant program.
How to Apply
Penn State requires all students who are going from provisional to degree status to complete a special form and return it to the admissions office at Mont Alto for processing.
View the Provisional Reentry Form/Provisional To Degree Request Form
Students who are going from non-degree to degree status should submit their application online at the Penn State University Admissions website. Once you have completed the online application, you should submit official high school transcripts (unless previously sent to the Undergraduate Admissions Office) or proof of equivalency to the undergraduate admissions office. Standardized test scores are not required of applicants from this category.
