OTD Admission Requirements
Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Eligibility

You may apply to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program if:

  • you have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, OR
  • you will graduate with a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university prior to admission to the OTD program (if accepted).

Strong applicants will demonstrate a mix of service, leadership, and academic experiences. Examples include: work or volunteer experiences with persons with disabilities or in healthcare settings, academic accomplishments, experiences that increase their potential to connect with and support diverse communities, leadership roles in service or work organizations, and/or participation in research activities.

Applicants should meet the following minimum requirements (see additional requirements below):

  • A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale) for upper division (junior and senior level) undergraduate college coursework.
  • A minimum GPA of 3.2 (based on a 4.0 scale) for all prerequisite coursesNo grade lower than a C.
  • NOTE: The GRE is not required for admissions.

Note: Applicants should be aware that a felony conviction might affect their ability to sit for the certification exam or attain state licensure. For more information, contact the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), and the state licensure board in the state you wish to practice.

Required Prerequisites

General prerequisites must be completed before entering the OTD program and can be completed at any accredited college or university. Anatomy, Physiology, Statistics, and Abnormal Psychology should be less than 5 years old from the application date. All other prerequisites should be less than 7 years old from the application date.

General Prerequisite Course Work

  • Biology with lab (4 credits required)*
  • Human Physiology with lab (4-8 credits required)**
  • Human (Systemic) Anatomy and lab (4-8 credits)**
  • Abnormal Psychology (3 credits required)
  • Introduction to Statistics (3 credits required)
  • Sociology or Anthropology (3 credits required)
  • Oral Communications (2-3 credits)†
  • Medical Terminology (1-2 credits)

TOTAL 19 (21) credits

Notes

*Core Biology and lab are preferred.  See an advisor for the biology course in your college or university that is most often recommended for students in science majors.

**A 2 course Anatomy and Physiology with Lab sequence will meet the requirement for a 4 credit lecture lab physiology course. Applicants must successfully complete both courses to meet the requirement. Completion of the 2 course sequence will also count as a 4 credit Anatomy course.

†Examples of accepted oral communication courses are public speaking, therapeutic communication, or interpersonal communication.