How many years of school is required to become an occupational therapist?

To practice the profession of occupational therapy, occupational therapists must be graduates of an accredited occupational therapy program and pass a national certification exam. While there are both bachelor’s and master’s degree level occupational therapy education programs, entry-level master's degree programs increasingly becoming the standard pathway to becoming an occupational therapist. Most entry-level master's degree programs are usually two-and-a-half to three years in length, but some can take up to four years.