Entry-Level Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy Admissions

Application Timeline

Applications are accepted to the Entry-Level Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy program on a rolling basis.

• As the program begins in the Summer I session, applications are accepted until February 15 of the same year the applicant plans to matriculate.
• Interviews are required and offered to the most qualified candidates.
• Applicants are notified of their acceptance by March 1.

How to Apply

All prospective OTD students, internal or external to Quinnipiac, must apply through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application System (OTCAS).

All application materials, including official transcripts from all undergraduate, graduate and professional schools, letters of recommendation, letter of intent, etc. should be submitted directly to OTCAS.

The deadline for a complete application to OTCAS is February 15. Quinnipiac does not require a supplemental application.

Apply on the OTCAS website

Admission Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree prior to matriculation into the OTD program.
• A minimum GPA of 3.0. The most competitive applicants will possess a cumulative GPA of 3.25.
• A minimum grade of B- or better in all the prerequisites, completed within 8 years of application from a regionally accredited institution.
• A minimum of 40 verifiable observation hours in the past 3 years. These hours may be a combination of traditional/clinical and nontraditional/nonclinical settings and populations.
  Candidates should complete the observation hours verification form (PDF)

• 3 letters of recommendation, with at least 1 from an academic reference, and at least 1 from a supervisor in an employee or volunteer capacity.
• A letter of intent outlining reasons for pursuing an entry-level professional OTD and how Quinnipiac may assist them in pursuit of their career goals.
• Successful in-person interview with the OTD Admissions Committee.
• Prerequisites (see details below)

The GRE is not required. However, students may submit scores if they believe it can enhance the strength of their application.

_{Applications are reviewed once all of the required materials have been received. It is your responsibility to ensure that missing documents are received prior to the stated admissions deadline.} 

OTD Prerequisites

At the time of application, prerequisites may be in progress or pending, but must be completed in May before starting the OTD program. Qualified candidates whose prerequisites are in progress or pending may be granted conditional acceptance until all prerequisites are satisfactorily met. All prerequisites must have a grade of B- or better. The OTD prerequisites are as follows:

• 2 semesters of anatomy and physiology with lab (8 credits)
• 1 semester of physics with lab (4 credits)
• 1-2 semesters of lifespan development, including child development and adult development (3-6 credits)
• 1 semester of abnormal psychology (3 credits)
• 1 semester of biostatistics or statistics for social and behavioral sciences (3 credits)

The following courses are not required but are strongly recommended:

• Coursework on the disease process (e.g., pathophysiology, human health and disease, biology of aging, etc.)
• Coursework on health systems, health policy or leadership
• Humanities: philosophy, ethics and courses on Western thought and ideas
• Social sciences: sociology, anthropology and courses relevant to the study of various cultures and society