Pre-Occupational Therapy
MOT / OTD • Prepare for OT programs. OTs help patients regain independence across physical, cognitive, and mental health domains.
~3.5 avg
Avg Applicant GPA
40+ observation hrs
Typical Experience
9 courses
Required Courses
3 areas
Key Experiences
Required Courses
Click any course to see who teaches itThese courses are required by most MOT / OTD programs.
View all Pre-Occupational Therapy classes →Recommended Courses
Not required but strengthen your application significantly.
Key Experiences Needed
How applicants actually build each one. Not just what to do, but how.
OT observation hours
- 1Most OT programs require observation hours signed by a licensed OT, this part is unpaid
- 2Observe across pediatric, mental health, inpatient, and outpatient settings (100+ hours)
- 3Use Integral Care and the RISE School of Austin
Paid rehab / OT aide work
- 1Get hired as a rehab tech or OT aide, clinics often train on the job
- 2Paid hands-on experience strengthens your application beyond observation
Mental health / disability experience
- 1Work or volunteer with disability services or mental health orgs
- 2OT programs want to see you understand the field beyond "helping people"
Build your Pre-Occupational Therapy plan
Map your courses by semester & plan your experiences →
Quick Links
💡 UT Austin Advantage
OT programs want to see varied settings, and Austin has outpatient, hospital, pediatric (RISE School), and community mental-health (Integral Care) placements all near campus, exactly the range that makes an application stand out. Many of those settings also hire rehab techs and OT aides, so you can get paid while you build hours.
📍 Austin Resources
- • UT Health Austin Rehabilitation Services (utmedicine.org)
- • Integral Care (mental health volunteering)
- • RISE School of Austin (pediatric OT)
- • CommUnityCare clinics