Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate Admissions

Admission Requirements

To qualify for admission to the occupational therapy doctorate (OTD) program, a student must:

• have a bachelor‘s degree in occupational therapy with a GPA of 3.0 or higher and a related master’s degree; or

• have a master‘s degree in occupational therapy with a GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Classes begin in August for the fall term. Candidates are advised to submit their applications as early as possible.

Please note: Students who have a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy as their highest level of education must enter the program on the Bridge from BS to OTD track and complete 12 additional credits over 2 semesters.

Required Documents

To qualify for admission to the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program, students must meet the following admissions criteria:

• Completed application form

• $45 application fee

• Official transcript(s), indicating the year of graduation from an Accreditation Council for Education of Occupational Therapy (ACOTE) or a World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) accredited entry-level professional program.

• Proof of initial certification by the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) or American Occupational Therapy Certification Board (AOTCB) initial certification (prior to NBCOT). International applicants who do not have NBCOT certification must provide proof of qualification/licensure in their home country.

• Students for whom English is not their first language must take the TOEFL iBT (Test of English as a Foreign Language).

• Verification of current employment as an occupational therapist.

  Proof of active licensure to practice (if applicable in the state of current practice).

• Current membership to the American Occupational Therapy Association.

In addition, students must submit the following documents which will be used to evaluate the fit and potential for success in the OTD program:

• Two professional references, at least one of which must be from a supervisor or administrator.

• A personal essay that sets forth the applicant’s professional goals and compatibility with the program’s learning objectives. The essay must address focused questions that coincide with the program’s mission. Question prompts may include:

  • Describe a professional issue in your practice area and identify how you might address or resolve this issue.

  • How would this program assist you in meeting this professional need?

  • Reflect upon and describe your professional goals and motivations.

Responses to each question should be 350 words at most. Responses must include current references utilizing APA formatting. The essay will be evaluated based on the depth of content as well as writing ability.

Finally, a telephone interview may be required in the admission process. Qualified applicants will be notified via email if they are selected for an interview.

All accepted students will also be required to complete a background check and drug screen following acceptance and before the start of classes. Acceptances will be conditional prior to the satisfactory completion of both.