Program Overview

Introduction to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program is an entry-level, 105 credit hour, post-baccalaureate, professional degree. This program is designed for students who do not have a degree or certificate in occupational therapy, but have a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution, and are seeking an entry-level graduate program in occupational therapy.

Program Overview

The program does not have a preference as to the background or type of bachelor's degree. The program will be offered in a full-time, traditional classroom and laboratory environment. The OTD curriculum follows a fixed course sequence. Students pursuing an OTD can expect to be in school for a minimum of 9 academic semesters. The educational program consists of academic coursework, two full-time supervised fieldwork experiences and a 14 week doctoral capstone experience.

Course Sequence

The course sequence for the OTD program is as follows:

• Year 1:
  • Summer: OTD 590, OTD 580, OTD 583
  • Fall: OTD 581, OTD 582, OTD 650, OTD 601, OTD 602
  • Spring: OTD 651, OTD 660, OTD 640, OTD 652, OTD 620
• Year 2:
  • Summer: OTD 653, OTD 661, OTD 654
  • Fall: OTD 655, OTD 656, OTD 680, OTD 701, OTD 621
  • Spring: OTD 750, OTD 770, OTD 751, OTD 681, OTD 752, OTD 702, OTD 622
• Year 3:
  • Summer: OTD 760, OTD 771
  • Fall: OTD 761, OTD 772, OTD 753
  • Spring: OTD 790, OTD 791, OTD 780

Admissions Requirements

Students who hold a Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale may apply to the OTD program, permitting the prerequisite courses are completed prior to beginning the graduate level coursework. The prerequisite coursework requirements include:

• Human Anatomy with lab required
• Abnormal Psychology or Psychopathology
• Human Physiology (with lab preferred)
• Life Span/Human Growth and Development
• Statistics (must include inferential)
• Introductory Psychology
• Introductory Sociology or Introductory Anthropology
• Medical Terminology
• Introductory Physics OR Physical Science/Biomechanics/Kinesiology

Fieldwork and Doctoral Capstone

The fieldwork experiences are comprised of three one week full-time mostly observational experiences and two twelve week sessions. The doctoral capstone experience occurs in the Spring semester of the final year of study. At the successful conclusion of all academic requirements and ACOTE accreditation, OTD students will qualify to sit for the national occupational therapy certification exam (NBCOT).

Accreditation and Pass Rates

The occupational therapy program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR).

Graduation Requirements

To progress through the program, students must receive a grade of C or above in all courses, maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 while in the program, receive passing grades for all fieldwork and doctoral capstone experiences, and successfully complete a culminating project. In addition to the above requirements for graduation, students must have no outstanding debt to Student Accounts, demonstrate professional behaviors, and have the approval of the program faculty.