Prerequisite Coursework

Prerequisite Coursework

General Guidelines

• Prerequisite coursework must be completed by the time of matriculation (start of UW OT classes) in the summer of the year of your admission.
• It is acceptable to apply to the Program prior to the completion of prerequisite courses as long as you describe how you plan to complete those courses by the time you start the UW MS-OT Program. Any admission is provisional until the transcripts for all prerequisite courses are received, evaluated, and accepted by UW OT.
• The applicant must achieve a grade of “C” or better in each course.
• Prerequisite courses can be completed at any accredited institution of higher education.
  • If you are a UW-Madison undergraduate student (or otherwise taking prerequisite courses at UW-Madison), please read and understand the important note, below, for Anatomy 328 and Physiology 335. You will likely need to plan significantly in advance of taking the course(s).

Specific Prerequisite Courses in summary

• Lifespan Development (6 credits; which is 2 courses of 3 credits each)
• Abnormal Psychology or Behavior Pathology (3 credits)
• Statistics (3 credits)
• Human Physiology (3-5 credits WITH LAB)
• Human Anatomy (3-5 credits). 
  • Applicants may complete 6-8 credits of combined Anatomy & Physiology (with lab) to fulfill both the Anatomy and Physiology prerequisites. 

Detailed Descriptions of Required Courses

Lifespan Development (6 credits)

• Two courses must be completed;  one course highlighting child development and one course highlighting adolescent through adult development.
• If your educational institution offers only a course that outlines the entire lifespan you will still need to complete an additional course highlighting a segment of the lifespan. Please contact the admissions coordinator with questions.
• Previously evaluated and known acceptable course options available at educational institutions in Wisconsin are listed below.
• If you have completed (or are considering) a prerequisite course at an educational institution not identified below, and if you question whether that course would fulfill the prerequisite requirement, please contact the admissions coordinator.

UW-Madison

Child Development: HDFS 362-Development of the Young Child, 3 cr.

OR Ed Psych 320-Human Development in Infancy and Early Childhood, 3 cr.

OR Psych 560-Child Psychology, 3cr.

Adult Development: HDFS 363-Development from Adolescence-Old Age 3 cr.

UW-Colleges

Child Development: PSY 360-Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence, 3 cr.

OR EDU 230-Educational Psychology, 3-4 cr.

Adult Development: PSY 362-Psychology of Adulthood and Aging, 3 cr.

OR PSY 250-Lifespan Developmental Psychology, 3 cr. {Students cannot receive credit for both PSY 250 and PSY 360 or PSY 362. Take this course only with EDU 230.}

UW-Colleges Online

Child Development:  PSY 360-Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence, 3 cr.

OR EDU 230-Educational Psychology, 3-4 cr.

Adult Development:  PSY 250-Lifespan Developmental Psychology, 3 cr.
{Students cannot receive credit for both PSY 250 and PSY 360 or PSY 362. Complete this course only with EDU 230.}

Madison Area Technical College (MATC)

Child Development: SOC SCI (#20809239)-Child Human Development
Adult Development: SOC SCI (#20809233)-Developmental Psychology

UW Independent Learning

Child Development: U315-320-Child Development

OR U820-560-Child Psychology

Adult Development: U315-321-Human Development in Adolescence

Abnormal Psychology or Behavior Pathology (3 credits)

• Course options available at educational institutions in Wisconsin are listed below.
• If you have completed a prerequisite course at an educational institution not identified below and you are questioning if the course would fulfill the prerequisite requirement, please contact the admissions coordinator.

UW-Madison

PSYCH 509-Abnormal Psychology, 3 cr.

OR PSYCH 511-Neurosis, 3 cr AND PSYCH 512 Psychoses, 3 cr.

UW-Colleges

PSY 309-Abnormal Psychology, 3 cr.

UW-Colleges Online

PSY 309-Abnormal Psychology, 3 cr.

Madison Area Technical College (MATC)

SOC SCI (#20809237)-Abnormal Psychology, 3 cr.

UW Independent Learning

U820-461- Abnormal Psychology, 3 cr.

Statistics (3 credits)

• Course options available at educational institutions in Wisconsin are listed below.
• If you have completed a Prerequisite Course at an educational institution not identified below and you are questioning if the course would fulfill the prerequisite requirement, please contact the admissions coordinator.

UW-Madison

PSYCH 210-Basic Statistics for Psychology

OR STAT 201-Principles of Statistics
OR STAT 301-Introduction to Statistical Methods
OR SOC 360-Statistics of Sociologists I

UW-Colleges

PSY 210-Statistical Methods in Psychology

OR MAT 117-Elementary Statistics

UW-Colleges Online

PSY 210-Psychology Statistics, 3 cr.

OR STATS 117-Elementary Statistics, 3 cr.

Madison Area Technical College (MATC)

MATH (#20804240) Basic Statistics, 4 cr.

UW Independent Learning

U932-301-Introduction to Statistical Methods, 3 cr.

Human Physiology (3-5 credits WITH LAB)

• Course options available at educational institutions in Wisconsin are listed below.
• If you have completed a Prerequisite Course at an educational institution not identified below and you are questioning if the course would fulfill the prerequisite requirement, please contact the admissions coordinator.

UW-Madison

PHYSIOL 335-Human Physiology, 5 cr.

Note: If you are a student at UW-Madison and you intend to enroll in this course, please email your Student ID number to the OT Admissions Coordinator early in the semester PRIOR to the semester in which you would like to enroll in this course. The Admissions Coordinator will submit your name to the Physiology Department, which will set aside a seat for you in the course. Otherwise this high-demand "pipeline" course, required for most Health Science professions, may be restricted and prevent your enrollment.

UW-Colleges

PHS 235-Human Physiology, 5 cr.

OR PHS 202-Anatomy and Physiology, 4 cr. AND PHS 203-Anatomy and Physiology, 4 cr. {PHY 202 & PHY 203 are a two-semester series, both courses are required}

Madison Area Technical College (MATC)

NAT SCI (#20806207)-Anatomy and Physiology I, 4 cr. AND NAT SCI (#20806208)-Anatomy and Physiology II, 4 cr. {Two-semester series, both courses are required}

Human Anatomy (3-5 credits) 

• Course options available at educational institutions in Wisconsin are listed below. 
• If you have completed a Prerequisite Course at an educational institution not identified below and you are questioning if the course would fulfill the prerequisite requirement, please contact the admissions coordinator.

UW-Madison
ANAT 328- Human Anatomy, 3 cr.

Note: If you are a student at UW-Madison and you intend to enroll in this course, please email your Student ID number to the OT Admissions Coordinator early in the semester PRIOR to the semester in which you would like to enroll in this course. The Admissions Coordinator will submit your name to the Anatomy Department, which will set aside a seat for you in the course. Otherwise this high-demand "pipeline" course, required for most Health Science professions, may be restricted and prevent your enrollment.

UW-Colleges
PHS 202-Anatomy and Physiology I, 4 cr. AND PHS 203-Anatomy and
Physiology II, 4 cr. {Two-semester series, both courses are required,
and this series will also satisfy the Physiology Prerequisite).

Madison Area Technical College (MATC)
NAT SCI (#20806207)-Anatomy and Physiology I, 4 cr. AND NAT SCI
(#20806208)-Anatomy and Physiology II, 4 cr. {Two-semester series, both courses are required, and this series will also satisfy the
Physiology Prerequisite}.