Internal Transfer Process

The UNH Occupational Therapy program is a combined BS/MS professional degree program that takes 5½-years to complete beginning the freshmen year. After the senior year, students completing all UNH undergraduate degree requirements and the Bachelors of Occupational Therapy requirements are awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy. Students then enter the Master’s portion of the program with advanced standing and complete the program with a Master's of Science in Occupational Therapy. Graduates are then eligible to take the NBCOT board exam to become a registered occupational therapist. Please see the OT department website for program details.

UNH undergraduate students may apply to transfer into the BS/MS OT Professional Program during their first semester sophomore year ONLY. If accepted, internal transfer students will enter the major as second semester sophomores. To apply for transfer into the program, students must have a plan to complete all undergraduate OT major and UNH requirements by the end of their senior year. At the time of application, it is desirable that students have completed or be enrolled in: English 401, Psychology 401, OT 510, Exploring Occupational Therapy and Occupation, OT 500 Child Development, Statistics, Anatomy and Physiology (BMS 507, 508), and several other UNH Discovery courses. Applicants are encouraged to meet with Dr. Shelley Mulligan to develop their plan to complete all course requirements through their senior year (contact information provided).

Only complete applications will be reviewed. A complete application includes: 

  1. An Intent to Apply Notification:  Send an Email to the OT Dept. Administrative Assistant, Nancy Lindley-Gauthier at Nancy.Lindley@unh.edu to inform her that you intend to apply to the OT Program as an internal transfer student. In the body of your email, include the names of the two individuals that you plan to have serve as your references.
  2. UNH transcript:  With the Intent to Apply Email (described above), attach a copy of your most current UNH transcript or Degreeworks course summary with grades (printed/scanned from Webcat- Degreeworks).  Attach any other official transcripts for college courses completed outside of UNH. Students MUST have a cumulative GPA of a 3.0 or above to be considered.
  3. Completion of an Application Form (access by clicking the APPLY NOW button). This form includes: 
    1. A typed, double-spaced essay (approximately 500 words)
    2. Written plan for completion of all undergraduate BS requirements through the senior year, organized by semester
  4. Two reference letters using the OT Internal Transfer Letter of Recommendation Form:  Letters of Recommendation must be received by the OT Dept by the last Friday of October.  
    1. One reference should be from someone who can address your university level academic abilities such as an academic advisor or course instructor, and the other should be completed by someone who can address your work ethic and ability to work in health and human services.
    2. The OT applicant is responsible for providing the OT Internal Transfer Letter of Recommendation Form to his/her references. Please click on the LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FORM link to download this form.
    3. Once completed, the reference must email the Letter of Recommendation to Nancy Lindley-Gauthier, OT Department Administrative Assistant at Nancy.Lindley@unh.edu. If preferred, references may also mail/drop off the completed Letter of Recommendation to the UNH OT office, care of Nancy Lindley-Gauthier, 116 Hewitt Hall, 4 Library Way, Durham NH 03824. 

Admission decisions are based on a number of factors including: academic achievement, the applicant’s understanding of occupational therapy and evidence of an informed decision about entering the field, the applicant’s personal qualities that would allow for success in a health care field, and references who can attest to the applicant’s academic potential for completing the program successfully. The UNH OT Department often receives more applications than there are spaces available, making the admissions process competitive. Not all qualified applicants are offered admission. All applicants will be notified in writing of the decision on their application prior to registration for the spring semester.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about the program or the application process, please contact:

Dr. Shelley Mulligan
Phone: (603) 862-3528
Email: shelley.mulligan@unh.edu


Application deadline is the last Friday of October.

Apply Here

Letter of Recommendation form