Summary

• Degree offered: Master of Health Science (MHSc)
• Registration status option: Full-time
• Language of instruction: French
• Program options (expected duration of the program):
  • with coursework (6 full-time terms; 24 consecutive months)
  • with coursework and research paper (6 full-time terms; 24 consecutive months)
  • with coursework and research paper, accelerated stream (3 full-time terms; 12 consecutive months or 9 part-time terms)
• Enrollment capacity: Limited
• Academic units: Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Rehabilitation Sciences.

Program Description

The mission of the Masters of Health Science in Occupational Therapy program at the University of Ottawa, which is offered in French, is to train competent health care professionals able to respond to the needs of the francophone population in Ontario and, more generally, to the needs of francophone communities in the bilingual and multilingual Canadian context.

Occupational therapy is both an art and a science whose aim is to prevent handicap situations, re- establish or promote occupation (everyday activities that people do), health, and well-being of individuals. Occupational therapists work in collaboration with individuals or groups of individuals to prevent or address occupational performance difficulties. Occupational performance difficulties may arise from a health condition, developmental issue, environmental obstacle or a consequence of aging. Difficulties may occur in areas of self-care, productivity, or leisure. Occupational therapists enable their clients to reconstruct their life and develop a renewed sense of self-identity and independence.

The occupational therapy program follows the standards developed by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT). This allows students develop the skills and competencies needed to practice their profession upon graduation. In addition to the coursework, students complete 1,000 placement hours as required by CAOT. These mandatory placements can take place in Ottawa-area hospitals, schools, community organizations, the interprofessional university clinic and rehabilitation centres or at locations outside the National Capital Region.

Students complete this limited-enrollment program over six consecutive terms, i.e., two years of full-time study (including placements). However, students with an undergraduate degree in occupational therapy at the time of admission can follow the accelerated program, which leads to a master’s degree after one year (three terms). Students complete practical and theoretical courses, placements and on-site observation placements. Teaching activities are grouped under the following six themes:

• Theme 1: Occupational participation: interaction between the person, their occupations and their environment;
• Theme 2: Fundamental principles for the practice as an occupational therapist (being a professional);
• Theme 3: Knowledge of health conditions and interventions - occupational therapist and the team;
• Theme 4: Occupational therapy practice: assessment and intervention approaches to promote occupational participation;
• Theme 5: Critical evaluation of knowledge;
• Theme 6: Knowledge integration.

Consortium National de Formation en Santé (CNFS)

The CNFS is a pan-Canadian organization funded by Health Canada. It brings together eleven post- secondary institutions offering programs of study in French in various health disciplines. It provides students of Francophone minority communities with improved access to health-related study programs. The CNFS allowed the addition of additional occupational therapy places for Francophones from provinces other than Quebec and Ontario. Students welcomed by the CNFS are encouraged to return to their home province to do their clinical rotations.

Learning Outcomes

The goal of the master’s program is to provide solid training following current clinical guidelines in the client-centred, evidence-based practice of occupational therapy. In addition to acquiring the knowledge and know-how required for professional practice (expertise, technical abilities and people skills), graduates develop the ability to critically analyze and synthesize research findings published in academic journals.

Other Programs Offered Within the Same Discipline or in a Related Area

• Master of Health Sciences in Audiology (MHSc)
• Master of Health Sciences Speech-Language Pathology (MHSc)
• Master of Health Sciences Physiotherapy (MHSc)
• Doctorate in Philosophy Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD)

Fees and Funding

• Program fees:

The estimated amount for university fees associated with this program are available under the section Finance your studies.

International students enrolled in a French-language program of study may be eligible for a differential tuition fee exemption.

• To learn about possibilities for financing your graduate studies, consult the Awards and financial support section.

Notes

• Programs are governed by the general regulations in effect for graduate studies.
• In accordance with the University of Ottawa regulation, students have the right to complete their assignments, examinations, research papers, and theses in French or in English. While French is the language of instruction, some clinical placements, however, take place in French, Bilingual and English settings.

Program Contact Information

Academic Office, Faculty of Health Sciences
125 University Private, Room 242
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1N 6N5

Tel.: 613-562-5853
Toll free: 1-877-868-8292, ext. 5853
Email: healthsc@uOttawa.ca

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For the most accurate and up to date information on application deadlines, language tests and other admission requirements, please visit the specific requirements webpage.

To be eligible, candidates must:

• Have an honours bachelor’s degree or equivalent with a minimum average of B (70%).

Note: International candidates must check the admission equivalencies for the diploma they received in their country of origin.

• Have successfully completed 3 course units in musculoskeletal anatomy (e.g. ANP 1506 or equivalent).
• Have a satisfactory score on a personal characteristics test (Computer-Based Assessment for Sampling Personal Characteristics (CASPer)).¹

1	The CASPer exam can be completed in either French or English, depending on the candidate's preference.

Language Requirements

Candidates must be proficient in written and spoken French and must have a working knowledge of written and spoken English. In order to assess these language skills, French and English tests are required. 

Note(s)

• Candidates are responsible for any fees associated with the language tests.
• To help students obtain a passing grade in their bilingual clinical placements, the School of Rehabilitation Sciences offers an English conversation course (REA 5940). This course may be recommended or required according to the applicants’ language competencies.
• If deemed necessary, an English or French course could be added to the program of study at the time of admission and would be considered a program requirement.

Notes

• The admission requirements listed above are minimum requirements and do not guarantee admission to the program.

• Admissions are governed by the general regulations in effect for graduate studies.
• Prerequisite courses must have been completed within the last six years prior to admission application.
• The course codes in parentheses indicated above represent equivalent courses offered at the University of Ottawa and are given as examples to help applicants in their course choices. Acceptability of equivalent course from other universities may be verified with the Academic Office of the Faculty of Health Sciences.

Admissions to the Accelerated Stream

Candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from a Canadian university recognized by the CAOT, and who have a B (70%) average (calculated in accordance with graduate studies guidelines) may also be admitted to the accelerated stream of the master’s in occupational therapy. These candidates will be credited with 30 course units for their training, diploma and clinical experience. They will not be required to redo the 1000 hours of clinical training already completed at the bachelor’s level or through work experience.

Applicants must also fulfill these additional requirements:

• Have a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from a university accredited by the CAOT at the time of graduation;
• Have worked as an occupational therapist in a clinical setting for the equivalent of at least two years full-time;
• Be (or be eligible to become) a charter member of the regulatory body of the candidate’s province at the time of initial enrollment;
• Have an active understanding of spoken French and have sufficient knowledge of English to consult scholarly documents in that language;
• Submit a satisfactory master’s research project proposal (two pages maximum) that identifies the following: the area of research interest; the problematic that the candidate is interested in addressing; the research question; the proposed methodology; the name of the professor who has accepted to supervise the proposed research project. The candidate may wish to develop this research project proposal in collaboration with their potential supervisor.
• Applications for this program are submitted through ORPAS. 

Requirements for this program have been modified. Please consult the 2022-2023 calendars for the previous requirements.

The program proposes two pathways: the regular stream and the accelerated stream. The regular stream can be followed by doing only courses and internships or by doing courses, internships and a research paper. In both cases, the requirements for internships are the same. The accelerated stream is offered to students who already have a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and who meet the specific conditions described in the “Admission to the accelerated stream” under “Admissions Requirements”.

The stream chosen will need to be approved by the program management.

Master’s with Coursework (Regular Stream)

Students must meet the following requirements:

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Compulsory Courses:
ERG 5531	Concepts fondamentaux en ergothérapie : personne, occupation et environnement	3 Units
ERG 5532	Occupations dans une perspective développementale	3 Units
ERG 5534	Personne, occupation et environnement dans une perspective de sens et de justice occupationnelle	3 Units
ERG 5714	Principes d'évaluation et de traitement en ergothérapie	3 Units
ERG 5722	Perspectives théoriques et modèles en ergothérapie	3 Units
ERG 5741	Atteintes à la santé des enfants et approches d'intervention	3 Units
ERG 5742	Atteintes à la santé physique des adultes et approches d'intervention	3 Units
ERG 5743	Atteintes à la santé mentale des adultes et approches d'intervention	3 Units
ERG 5744	Atteintes à la santé des personnes âgées et approches d'intervention	3 Units
ERG 5754	La recherche en ergothérapie	3 Units
REA 5703	Pratiques professionnelles en réadaptation	3 Units
ERG 6551	Perpectives particulières en ergothérapie	3 Units
ERG 6715	Pratiques professionnelles avancées en ergothérapie	3 Units
ERG 6741	Intervention de l'ergothérapeute auprès des enfants	3 Units
ERG 6742	Intervention de l'ergothérapeute auprès des adultes (santé physique)	3 Units
ERG 6743	Intervention de l'ergothérapeute auprès des adultes (santé mentale)	3 Units
ERG 6744	Intervention de l'ergothérapeute auprès des personnes âgées	3 Units
REA 6503	Pratique factuelle en réadaptation	3 Units
Seminars:
ERG 6755	Séminaire de recherche	3 Units
ERG 6761	Séminaire d'intégration des acquis en ergothérapie	3 Units
Clinical Placements: 1
ERG 5901	Clinical Placement in Occupational Therapy I
ERG 5902	Clinical Placement in Occupational Therapy II
ERG 6903	Clinical Placement in Occupational Therapy III
ERG 6904	Clinical Placement in Occupational Therapy IV
ERG 6905	Clinical Placement in Occupational Therapy V

Note(s)

1	A minimum of 1000 placement hours must be completed over the five clinical placements.

Master’s with Coursework and Research Paper (Regular Stream)

Students must meet the following requirements:

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Compulsory Courses:
ERG 5531	Concepts fondamentaux en ergothérapie : personne, occupation et environnement	3 Units
ERG 5532	Occupations dans une perspective développementale	3 Units
ERG 5534	Personne, occupation et environnement dans une perspective de sens et de justice occupationnelle	3 Units
ERG 5714	Principes d'évaluation et de traitement en ergothérapie	3 Units
ERG 5722	Perspectives théoriques et modèles en ergothérapie	3 Units
ERG 5741	Atteintes à la santé des enfants et approches d'intervention	3 Units
ERG 5742	Atteintes à la santé physique des adultes et approches d'intervention	3 Units
ERG 5743	Atteintes à la santé mentale des adultes et approches d'intervention	3 Units
ERG 5744	Atteintes à la santé des personnes âgées et approches d'intervention	3 Units
ERG 5754	La recherche en ergothérapie	3 Units
REA 5703	Pratiques professionnelles en réadaptation	3 Units
ERG 6715	Pratiques professionnelles avancées en ergothérapie	3 Units
ERG 6741	Intervention de l'ergothérapeute auprès des enfants	3 Units
ERG 6742	Intervention de l'ergothérapeute auprès des adultes (santé physique)	3 Units
ERG 6743	Intervention de l'ergothérapeute auprès des adultes (santé mentale)	3 Units
ERG 6744	Intervention de l'ergothérapeute auprès des personnes âgées	3 Units
REA 6503	Pratique factuelle en réadaptation	3 Units
Seminar:
ERG 6761	Séminaire d'intégration des acquis en ergothérapie	3 Units
Research Paper:
ERG 6999	Major Paper	6 Units
Clinical Placements: 1
ERG 5901	Clinical Placement in Occupational Therapy I
ERG 5902	Clinical Placement in Occupational Therapy II
ERG 6903	Clinical Placement in Occupational Therapy III
ERG 6904	Clinical Placement in Occupational Therapy IV
ERG 6905	Clinical Placement in Occupational Therapy V

Note(s)

1	A minimum of 1000 placement hours must be completed over the five clinical placements.

Master’s with Coursework and Research Paper (Accelerated Stream)

Students must meet the following requirements:

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Compulsory Courses:
ERG 5534	Personne, occupation et environnement dans une perspective de sens et de justice occupationnelle	3 Units
ERG 5722	Perspectives théoriques et modèles en ergothérapie	3 Units
ERG 5754	La recherche en ergothérapie	3 Units
ERG 6998	Directed Studies and Research Paper Proposal	3 Units
REA 6503	Pratique factuelle en réadaptation	3 Units
Optional Courses:
9 optional course units in occupational therapy (ERG) at the graduate level 1		9 Units
Research Paper:
ERG 6999	Major Paper	6 Units

Note(s)

1	The courses must be relevant to occupational therapy and/or to the student's research paper. These courses must be pre‐approved by the research paper supervisor and the program director.

Minimum Requirements

The pass mark in each individual course is C +. S (Satisfactory) is required for each clinical placement.

Students who fail two courses (course or clinical placement) must withdraw from the program. Students who fail only one course/clinical placement can repeat the course or the clinical placement at the next time the course is offered. Students will not be able to take the courses or clinical placements for which the failed course or clinical placement is a prerequisite. In this case, students will not be able to complete the program within the prescribed time. Failing the repeated course or clinical placement is considered a second failure.

Duration of the Program

The regular program normally runs over 6 consecutive full- time terms. Students are expected to complete all program requirements, including the Research Project (ERG 6755 or ERG 6999), within this two-year period.

The accelerated stream is done either in a school year (three full-time terms) or three years part-time. The maximum duration allowed is three years for full- time studies or four years for part-time studies.

Expected Professional Behaviour

As future rehabilitation professionals, occupational therapy students are required to maintain a high level of integrity as well as personal and professional ethics. The student agrees to adhere to this standard in all aspects of his program (courses, clinical placements, projects) during his interactions with colleagues, professors, clinical supervisors, clients, research participants, academic staff, etc. A list of essential skills and qualifications for occupational therapy students can be found here.

Requirements for Clinical Placements

Students must adhere to the requirements established by the Office of Risk Management (RMO) regarding immunizations, police records and any other training or information required to ensure health and safety in clinical placement settings. It is the student’s responsibility to know these requirements and to abide by them.

Non-adherence to the requirements can have major consequences, including not being able to start a clinical placement and even withdrawal during a clinical placements.

Presence at the clinical placements is mandatory; the abandonment of a clinical placement already started without good reason is a failure. In accordance with the affiliation agreement between the University of Ottawa and the clinical institution: "The organization may terminate an internship in a clinical setting and prohibit a student from continuing it if, in its opinion, the student’s behavior represents a potential danger to its customers or patients or has a negative impact on their well-being or on the personnel of the organization ". A student who is dismissed from a clinical placement by the clinical organization will receive a failing grade for this clinical placement.

The clinical placements take place in the Ottawa region as well as in other parts of Ontario and Canada. A student may be assigned to a local clinical placement or outside. In some cases, the Consortium National de Formation en Santé (CNFS) can help with travel costs for clinical placements.

Research Fields & Facilities

Located in the heart of Canada’s capital, a few steps away from Parliament Hill, the University of Ottawa is among Canada’s top 10 research universities.

uOttawa focuses research strengths and efforts in four Strategic Areas of Research:

• Creating a sustainable environment
• Advancing just societies
• Shaping the digital world
• Enabling lifelong health and wellness

With cutting-edge research, our graduate students, researchers and educators strongly influence national and international priorities.

Research at the Faculty of Health Sciences

Research at the Faculty involves many important aspects of health, including women's health, health in the elderly, health needs of francophones in a minority context, Aboriginal health, physical activity and health, multiple interventions in population health, palliative care, rehabilitation and functional autonomy, health and technology, and evidence based practice.

The Faculty of Health Sciences is involved in the following Research Centres and Institutes:

• LIFE Research Institute
• Music and Health Research Institute
• Centre for Research on Health and Nursing
• Interdisciplinary Centre for Black Health

The Faculty of Health Sciences has strong collaborations with the region’s hospital-affiliated research institutes:

• The Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
• The Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute
• The Bruyère Research Institute
• The Royal's Institute of Mental Health Research
• L’Institut du Savoir Montfort
• University of Ottawa Heart Institute

For more information, refer to the list of faculty members and their research fields on Uniweb. 

IMPORTANT: Candidates and students looking for professors to supervise their thesis or research project can also consult the website of the faculty or department of their program of choice. Uniweb does not list all professors authorized to supervise research projects at the University of Ottawa.