About
About the Faculty of Health Sciences
The Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen’s University consists of the Schools of:
- Medicine,
- Nursing and
- Rehabilitation Therapy.
School of Rehabilitation Therapy
We offer 2‑year programs leading to Master of Science degrees in Occupational Therapy (MScOT) and Physical Therapy (MScPT).
Our vision: We will lead and inspire positive changes that transform lives through rehabilitation research, education and practice.
Interest in Future Doctoral Studies?
Students may, in their final year of the MScOT program, apply to the Rehabilitation Science Program or Aging and Health Program.
Belong to an Inclusive and Supportive Learning Environment
An optimally effective health care system must reflect the diversity of the populations it serves. Understanding this, the Faculty of Health Sciences, and the OT and PT programs at Queen’s University, are committed to creating an inclusive and supportive learning environment for all students.
If you have any questions regarding our programs or the available resources and supports at Queen’s, email our admissions team.
Indigenous Candidates
Queen’s University School of Graduate Studies welcomes and encourages inquiries and applications for all graduate programs from Indigenous candidates. The applicable graduate program personnel will consider and evaluate your academic, personal and professional background, and other factors indicative of your capacity for graduate-level study and research accordingly and on an individual basis.
Applicants who want to be considered under the Indigenous Admissions Pathway are required to submit documentation demonstrating their connection to a recognized Indigenous community. If an applicant does not possess proof of documentation, they must submit a statement about their existing relationship to a legally recognized Indigenous community and provide a letter of verification issued by a recognized First Nation, Inuit or Métis community.
The Faculty of Health Sciences and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy recognize the shortage of Indigenous rehabilitation professionals and the need to educate more Indigenous occupational therapists and physiotherapists in Canada. We welcome Indigenous applicants to both professional programs.
We offer you the opportunity to be considered under the School of Graduate Studies’ Indigenous Student Admissions Regulation. We will treat your decision to apply through this process confidentially. No student’s application will be disadvantaged by identifying as Indigenous. We are committed to providing a safe, respectful and supportive learning environment for all students.
If you are interested, complete and identify through the ORPAS application. In addition, email the Queen’s Admissions Coordinator for Occupational Therapy to confirm your desire to be considered under the Queen’s School of Graduate Studies Indigenous Student Admissions Regulation.
Every year, we designate 3 spots per program for Indigenous students who apply to the Queen’s OT and PT programs through this process. Unused spots in any given year will revert to the general applicant pool.
Students With Disabilities
Queen’s University and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy are committed to creating an inclusive learning environment for all students, including students with disabilities.
If you have any questions about our program and the professions, we encourage you to email our admissions team.
General Admission Requirements
Academic Requirements
Minimum Academic Requirement
The minimum academic requirement for admission to either program is a 4‑year baccalaureate degree, or equivalent, with a minimum second‑class standing (70%+) from a recognized university.
Place of residence and university where studies were undertaken are not criteria in the selection process.
Non-academic Requirements
Citizenship
We restrict admission to candidates who are Canadian citizens or Canadian permanent residents (landed immigrants) at the time of application.
Language Proficiency
Very good to excellent proficiency in English is required for academic courses and communication in clinical practice settings.
If you have resided in Canada or another English‑speaking country for less than 3 years as of September 2025, you must achieve a satisfactory score on one of the following tests:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- Minimum scores required: Internet‑based test (iBT) 94 with scores in the following ranges: Reading – high (22-30); Listening – high (22-30); Speaking – good (26-30); Writing – good (24-30)
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- Minimum score required: 7
You may upload your test results using Secure Applicant Messaging (SAM) in your ORPAS application.
Other Admission Requirements
Immunization
When you enter any training program in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Queen’s University, you must provide documentation of your:
- 2‑step tuberculin skin test status,
- varicella serological status and
- vaccination or immunization history for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, polio, tetanus, Hepatitis B and COVID-19.
For the Hepatitis B vaccine, you must submit to the School documentation of receipt of all 3 doses by the physician or Health Unit, as well as laboratory evidence of immunity (i.e., positive serology for the antibody to Hepatitis B surface antigen 2-3 months post-vaccination [HBsAg]).
Annual influenza immunization is required before clinical/fieldwork placements.
Newly admitted students will receive an immunization record by email or mail that must be completed in full.
We advise you to visit your family physician, student health services or public health office to be screened or to enter an immunization schedule. You are responsible for the cost of vaccination.
For students entering the first year of a rehabilitation therapy program, this documentation is required in the week prior to the start of classes. It is understood that Hepatitis B immunization may not be complete at registration, but all Hepatitis B tests must be in progress and must be completed 3 weeks prior to commencement of the first clinical placement.
First Aid/CPR
Upon entry to the program, you must also provide a copy of a valid certificate in standard first aid, Basic Life Support (BLS) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the Health Care Provider (HCP) level.
Both certifications must remain current throughout the duration of your enrollment in the program.
Criminal Record Check
All incoming students must obtain a new Criminal Record Check with Vulnerable Sector Check. You must update this annually while in the MSc Program.
We suggest completing the Criminal Record Check in August, as some placements require a background check within a 6-month time frame. Kingston Police offers this service online and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy is listed as an agency, so your background check can be sent directly to the school.
Selection Method
The number of students admitted to the MScOT and MScPT programs is approximately 70 students per program.
We select program applicants based on:
- a strong academic record and
- the assessment of personal characteristics considered most appropriate for the study of occupational therapy or physical therapy at Queen’s University.
More about:
Admission with Advanced Standing
We do not consider applicants for admission with advanced standing or on a part‑time basis. All students that we admit to either program must be registered full‑time for 2 years (24 months).
Accreditation
The MScOT and MScPT programs in the School of Rehabilitation Therapy are accredited by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) and the Physiotherapy Education Accreditation Canada (PEAC), respectively.
The Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MScOT) Program
MScOT Program
The School of Rehabilitation Therapy offers a 24-month program in OT leading to a professional MScOT degree.
Our mission is to inspire and educate occupational therapy professionals, leaders and scholars to advance knowledge and enable occupation for individuals, groups, communities and populations.
The overall aim of the program is to ensure that each graduate acquires the essential competencies required to become a practicing OT, and has the ability to provide leadership within complex and ever-changing practice environments.
MScOT Curriculum
The MScOT curriculum consists of a combination of required academic and fieldwork courses. There is an emphasis on the integration of basic science and social science with theory and practice and a focus on what it means to be a professional within a complex and rapidly changing health care system. Consequently, each course:
- integrates and builds on the foundational material (e.g., anatomy, physiology, psychology, sociology),
- evaluates knowledge and practice within the context of current evidence and clinical reasoning and
- engages students in the application of this knowledge to their fieldwork and other health-related experiences.
The intent is to encourage self-directed learning, transformative learning, team-based learning and reflective practitioner behaviours.
The program offers a dynamic curriculum that will meet and exceed professional and practice standards. It will prepare students with graduate-level knowledge, skills, competencies and professional behaviours required for practice in the contemporary health care arena.
Program Themes
The program is organized into 5 themes:
- Theme I – Fundamentals of Occupational Therapy
- Theme II – Determinants of Occupation
- Theme III – Communication
- Theme IV – Lifespan
- Theme V – Critical Reasoning
The 5 theme areas are horizontally integrated, which allows students to start with the basic material and then progress to more complex ideas over the course of the 2-year curriculum. Accompanying this integration is an increasing emphasis on the development of independent and self-directed learning.
The themes are also vertically integrated, thereby allowing you to clearly incorporate your academic and fieldwork experience.
Inquiry-based Approach
The curriculum is inquiry-based, in that the investigation of problems or key questions forms the basis for all course development. All students develop skills and knowledge in clinical reasoning, critical inquiry and evidence-based practice, which serve as a foundation for all educational experiences in the curriculum.
This progressive, integrated, inquiry-based curriculum allows for the development of increasing competencies in the field of OT and encourages deeper understanding of OT practice.
The MScOT curriculum promotes increasing levels of complexity and understanding and thus we expect students to demonstrate higher levels of learning throughout the educational process. We also intend to capitalize on their considerable intellectual and reflective capabilities (gained through their undergraduate studies) immediately.
For example, we expect students to engage in interpretation, application and critique as soon as they begin coursework. We also expect them to apply evidence in their practice upon graduation.
Fieldwork
Fieldwork is a critical aspect of the curriculum, with 1,000 hours designated by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists accreditation standards as the minimum required level.
Within the Queen’s curriculum, you are exposed to a well-rounded fieldwork experience through a variety of planned experiences that are integrated, through the themes, with academic coursework.
Most students are placed within the Queen’s University catchment area (east to Cornwall, west to Oshawa and north to Peterborough, Smiths Falls and Perth).
Placements may also be obtained elsewhere in Ontario, across Canada or internationally, although placements outside of the Queen’s catchment area are limited and based primarily on extenuating circumstances for eligibility.
You are responsible for the costs associated with clinical placements.
While every effort is made to place you in your location of choice, this is not always possible.
MScOT Admission Requirements
MScOT Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for admission, students must have a 4-year baccalaureate degree with a minimum second-class (B+ or 70%) standing from a recognized university.
Language Proficiency
The language of instruction and clinical learning is English. Applicants who have resided in Canada or another English-speaking country for less than 3 years as of the first day of the month of the first term of the program must achieve a satisfactory score on one of the following tests:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
- Minimum score required: 94 for Internet-based test (iBT) with scores in the following ranges: Reading – high (22-30); Listening – high (22-30); Speaking – good (26-30); Writing – good (24-30).
- Michigan English Test (MET)
- Minimum score required: 80.
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS)
- Minimum score required: 8.
Admission With Advanced Standing
There is no advanced standing track to admission.
Disability and Admission to Rehabilitation Therapy
Queen’s University and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy are committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment for all students. If you have any questions related to services available, contact Queen’s Student Accessibility Services for more information.
We also encourage you to refer to the Essential Skills and Attributes Required page in the ORPAS Application Guide and to reach out to the Admissions Coordinator at Queen’s for any specific questions regarding our programs.
MScOT Supplementary Materials
- All applicants to MScOT must submit a Statement of Intent (which consists of 2 questions to be completed in the Personal Submissions section of the ORPAS application).
- Two Confidential Assessment Forms (CAFs) are considered in your assessment.
- One CAF must be completed by someone who holds an academic position in a postsecondary university or college and is qualified to judge your academic ability. Positions such as teaching assistant, laboratory coordinator or athletic trainer do not qualify as academic referees.
- The second CAF may be either academic or professional and should be completed by someone who can judge you on your work performance, interpersonal skills and suitability for studies in occupational therapy.
- Neither of the CAFs may be submitted by relatives or friends.
- A resumé is required.
- Your resumé must be typed in 11‑point font, on 8.5 x 11″ paper, single‑sided, with 1‑inch margins on all 4 edges.
- It should be no longer than 2 pages.
- Include your name on your resumé.
- Upload your resumé directly to your ORPAS application.
MScOT Selection Method
MScOT Selection Process
The first cut-off is based on the cumulative converted grade point average for all years of undergraduate university study. The actual cut-off mark is based on the applicant pool, but typically students entering the MScOT program have a cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher on a 4-point scale.
The second stage of the selection process involves the assessment of the candidate’s CAFs, resumé and Statement of Intent. Instructions for completing the Statement of Intent can be found in the Personal Submission section of the ORPAS application.
The Statement of Intent should demonstrate an informed career decision and the strengths, experiences and abilities that the candidate would bring to the profession.
Candidates will be ranked for offers and placement on the waiting list using all assessment criteria.
Immunization
During the course of their studies, all students participate in approximately 1,000 hours of fieldwork learning that takes place at clinical sites in the geography in and around Southeastern Ontario.
Students who study at Queen’s will experience placements in a variety of settings, contexts and locations. Students are responsible for all costs associated with participating in clinical learning.
Due to the clinical nature of our programs and the fact that students will participate in clinical learning at placement sites in the region, students entering any training program in the Faculty of Health Sciences, Queen’s University, are required to provide documentation of immunizations.
Students must verify their 2-step tuberculin skin test status, varicella serological status and immunization history for measles, mumps, rubella, diphtheria, polio, tetanus and hepatitis B. Annual influenza is also required for all students prior to clinical and fieldwork placements.
Students offered admission to the MScOT program will receive an immunization record that must be completed in full before commencing their program.
Students are advised to visit their family physician, student health services or public health office to be screened or to enter an immunization schedule. Vaccination occurs at the student’s cost.
For students entering the first year, this documentation is required no later than 1 week prior to the start of classes.
It is understood that hepatitis B immunization may not be complete at registration. Still, all hepatitis B tests must be in progress and must be completed 3 weeks before commencement of the first clinical placement.
No screening is performed for infection with HCV or HIV. At this time, expert opinion and current evidence do not support the necessity of such screening. An advisory committee will consider students who self-report infections with these viruses.
Upon entry to the program, students must also provide a copy of a valid certificate in standard first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the Health Care Provider (HCP) level. Both certifications must remain current throughout the student’s enrollment in the program.
Criminal Record Check
All incoming students will be required to obtain a new CRC, including vulnerable populations.
The CRC must indicate a negative (or clear) result for all records and offences. This must be updated annually while in the MScOT program.
MScOT Additional Information
MScOT Contact Information
School of Rehabilitation Therapy
Faculty of Health Sciences
Queen’s University
Kingston ON K7L 3N6
Telephone: 613‑533‑6000, ext. 75448
Fax: 613‑533‑6776
Email: [email protected]
Master of Science in Physical Therapy (MScPT) Program
MScPT Program
The mission of the MScPT program is to inspire our learners to excel as competent and compassionate physiotherapists through transformative education, research, student experiences and collaborative partnerships.
MScPT Curriculum
The curriculum follows a competency‑based framework in which the specific goal is to prepare individuals to undertake the roles of a physical therapist in Canada.
These competency domains include:
- Physiotherapy expertise
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Management
- Leadership
- Scholarship
- Professionalism
Each domain has a set of essential competencies that must be demonstrated for successful completion of the program.
The curriculum will be delivered over a continuous 24‑month period that consists of a combination of academic courses, including clinical instruction and clinical placement experiences.
Most courses receive a grade mark, of which a minimum of B- is considered a pass. Some courses (e.g., clinical placements) are assessed on a pass or fail basis.
Clinical Placements
You will complete a minimum of 1,025 hours in clinical placements over the course of the 2‑year curriculum.
In accepting a position in the MScPT program, you must be prepared to undertake clinical placements as assigned.
We will arrange most clinical placements in facilities within the Queen’s University catchment area (catchment boundaries: Whitby in the west, Cornwall in the east and Orillia/Midland in the north).
We assign clinical placements based on availability, needs and, whenever possible, your preferences. We may also arrange placements elsewhere in Ontario, Canada or internationally, depending on availability.
You must arrange your travel and accommodation and cover related expenses.
Physiotherapy Competency Examination
Upon successfully completing the MScPT program at Queen’s University, you may apply to the Canadian Alliance of Physiotherapy Regulators to take the Physiotherapy Competency Examination.
You must successfully complete the examination to be able to register for professional practice as a physical therapist in Canada.
MScPT Admission Requirements
MScPT Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for admission, you must have completed a 4‑year baccalaureate degree or equivalent with a minimum second‑class standing (70%+) from a recognized university, including prerequisite courses.
MScPT Academic Requirements
Prerequisite Courses
To be considered eligible for program admission, applicants must earn a minimum grade of B- or (70%) in the following prerequisite university-level courses.
- Prerequisite 1: Human Anatomy – minimum half-year credit course (e.g., 3-unit course, 0.5 of full course credit)
- Eligibility: Any course with a focus on human anatomy. The course must include human and anatomy in the course title.
- Prerequisite 2: Human Physiology – minimum half-year credit course (e.g., 3-unit course, 0.5 of full course credit)
- Eligibility: Any course with a focus on human physiology. The course must include human and physiology in the course title.
- Note: You may use courses that combine Human Anatomy and Physiology as long as it totals a full year or 1.0 full time equivalent course.
- Prerequisite 3: Statistics and/or Research Methods/Design – minimum half-year credit course (e.g., 3-unit course, 0.5 of full course credit)
- Eligibility: Any course with a focus on statistical analysis, research methods and/or research design will be accepted. The course must include at least one of the following in the course title: Statistics, research design or research methods.
- Prerequisite 4: Human Psychology – minimum half-year credit course (e.g., 3-unit course, 0.5 of full course credit)
- Eligibility: Any course with a focus on human psychology. The course must include human and psychology in the course title and/or description. Prerequisite courses can be taken at any recognized university as part of your undergraduate degree or as continuing education.
Although these represent the minimal requirements for admission, given the importance of human anatomy and human physiology, we recommend that, if able, you complete a full course in each of anatomy and physiology. If you completed these courses more than 5 years ago, we recommend that you take a refresher course to ensure success in the PT program.
You must complete a Prerequisites Form located in the Personal Submissions section of the ORPAS application. You must submit each course (with course code, name and link to course description), under the appropriate prerequisite course section in the ORPAS application.
If you have questions about a course, our admissions team can review courses between August and October 30, 2025. Email [email protected] and include a detailed course outline and description of the course.
American University Courses
If you attend an American university, your program and prerequisites must be reviewed by our admissions team no later than October 30, 2025.
All courses must be completed and the transcripts acknowledging completion must be submitted to ORPAS by June 30, 2025.
MScPT Non-academic Requirements
MScPT Supplementary Materials
Personal Information Form
All applicants to PT must submit the Queen’s Physical Therapy Personal Information Form. This consists of these 4 questions, completed in the application:
- Physiotherapists work in a variety of settings with a variety of patient and client populations. Clearly describe experiences you have had working or interacting with a physiotherapist. For each experience:
- Name of setting, your role, name of physiotherapist/healthcare professional, total hours and contact information (phone or email).
- Reflect on how the experience contributed to your understanding of the profession and to your commitment to pursue a career in physical therapy.
- Briefly describe other experiences that provide evidence of your involvement and leadership in increasing the well-being of individuals, groups or society. How did these experiences contribute to your decision to pursue a career in physical therapy.
- Provide a specific example of a challenging experience you have encountered (academic, personal or professional). How did you respond to this challenge, and what did you learn about yourself?
The content of this Personal Information Form must be written by you, the applicant, and must accurately represent your experiences. We reserve the right to contact the facilities you mention to check the validity of your submission.
Confidential Assessment Forms (CAFs)
In addition to the Personal Information Form, 2 CAFs are considered.
- 1 academic
- 1 clinical/professional – preferably from a physiotherapist
- Neither of the CAFs may be submitted by relatives or friends
Casper
All applicants applying to the Physical Therapy program at Queens are required to complete Casper for the 2025-2026 admission cycle.
Casper is a standardized, multi-part online assessment that measures different competencies and attributes that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. Casper will complement the other tools that we use for applicant review and evaluation. In implementing Casper, we are trying to further enhance fairness and objectivity in our selection process.
Casper consists of a 100-120 minute online, open-response situational judgment test.
You will register for Casper, for CSP-10201 Professional Health Sciences, and indicate that you require Casper to share your score with Queen’s Physical Therapy Program.
MScPT Selection Method
MScPT Selection Process
Selection of applicants will consider all the previously described assessment criteria, including academic and non-academic elements.
Based on these criteria, applicants will be ranked and notified of their acceptance status:
- offered a position in the program,
- placed on a waiting list or
- unsuccessful.
MScPT Additional Information
MScPT Contact Information
School of Rehabilitation Therapy
Faculty of Health Sciences
Queen’s University
Kingston ON K7L 3N6
Telephone: 613‑533‑6000, ext. 75448
Fax: 613‑533‑6776
Email: [email protected]