For more information or if you have any questions about the program please contact our program director, Cindy Mathena at 800-241-1027, or by email at cmathena@usa.edu.

Program Objectives

Through completion of this program, students will:

	Think logically, critically, creatively, and independently in a manner that will promote advanced practice of occupational therapy.
	Develop leadership skills in an area of clinical practice that will promote the profession of OT and the patients who receive care.
	Display depth of knowledge and advanced competence in at least one major area of clinical theory and practice.
	Develop effective communication skills in the presentation of occupational therapy theories and concepts in order to advance professional goals.
	Advance student competence in the interpretation and application of professional literature promoting evidence based practice.
	Develop a systematic approach to solving problems in patient care, either through clinical research, product or program development as part of the culminating Capstone Project.

Admission Requirements

Application to the OTD program is open to all occupational therapists who entered the profession with a bachelor's degree or master's degree in occupational therapy from an accredited institution. It is expected that all applicants are licensed or eligible for licensure in the United States. Additionally, a student in the t-OTD program must be currently employed as an occupational therapist or have a minimum of one year's experience as an occupational therapist, bachelor's degree applicants also need to have five years of clinical experience as an occupational therapist.

Official transcripts from all previous institutions of higher learning must be submitted directly to the University in accordance with the Application for Admission instructions.

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International Students Applying for Admission

Foreign-trained candidates who do not require a student visa to participate in University courses and/or degrees can be considered for admission. To enter the post-professional OTD program, the following criteria will apply:

Notification of Status

The applicant will be notified by letter from the University of his/her admission status after all required application materials have been reviewed by the Admissions Committee.

Academic Requirement

To remain in the OTD program, the student must:

Program Overview

For candidates who hold a master's degree* from the University of St. Augustine in occupational therapy, a minimum of 30 credits will be required to earn the OTD degree and for candidates who hold a master's degree in occupational therapy, a minimum of 35 credits will be required to earn the OTD degree. The student should be able to complete this program in two to three years on a part-time basis.

For those who hold a bachelor's degree in occupational therapy, a minimum of 60 credits will be required. The student should be able to complete this program in three to four years on a part-time basis.

The Transitional OTD program includes several required courses depending on your highest previous degree. For the student holding a masters degree these include: Science of Occupation (4 credits) and Capstone 1 and 2 (5 credits), Organizational Leadership and Policy in Health Care (3 credits), Evidence Based Research for the Health Professional (3 credits), Health Administration (3 credits), Residency (1 credit) and 6 credits of practice courses. For the student with a Bachelor’s degree there are two additional courses: Reflective Practice (4 credits) and Professional Communication (2 credits).

In addition to the required courses listed above, the remainder of OTD coursework is comprised of elective courses and seminars. The University will also consider accepting graduate credits from other accredited institutions six (6) credits may be transferred) provided they are consistent with your area of interest, and meet the standards of our University.

*The master’s degree may be either the first professional degree or a post-professional degree.

Incomplete Coursework

If a student cannot complete the required work within the predetermined timeframe, he/she will receive a grade of Incomplete ("I"). The student must then complete the work by the new assigned due date to receive a letter grade. No further extension will be permitted. If the student does not complete the requirements within the approved time, the "I" grade will automatically become an Incomplete/Fail ("I/F") on his/her transcript.

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POST-PROFESSIONAL OTD CURRICULA

Master's Degree Applicant Coursework:	Credits
Science of Occupation - ONL	4 credits
Capstone 1	1
Capstone 2	4
Health Administration	3
Organizational Leadership and Policy in Health Care	3
Residency	1
Evidence Based Research for the Health Professional	3
Electives (USA MOT graduate students select a total of 11 credits of which six of the credits are required from the Advanced Practice Courses; MOT graduate student select a total of 16 credits of which six of the credits are required from the Advanced Practice Courses):
Advanced Practice Courses
Clinical Integration	up to 8
Extremity Evaluation & Manipulation	2
Foundations of Clinical Orthopaedics	2
Spinal Instability	2
Interventions for the Older Adult with a Neurological Impairment	3
Application of Motor Control & Motor Learning to Neurologic Intervention	2
Psychology of Health and Exercise	2
Applied Performance Psychology	3
The Pediatric Client with a Neurological Impairment	3
Electrotherapy: Principles & Clinic Applications for Orthopaedics	2
Pharmacology	2
Imaging	2
Ergonomics	2
Advancing your hand therapy skills	2
Cardiopulmonary	2
Leadership/Academic Courses
Foundations of Teaching and Learning	3
Independent Study Courses
Directed Readings	1-4
Directed Study	1-4

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TUITION AND FEES - OTD PROGRAM

Tuition for all courses not involving a separate seminar is $385.00/credit hour. Courses with a seminar prerequisite for which seminar fees are charged separately, the OTD coursework bears a per credit hour charge of $165.00.

USA Master’s Degree Applicant Estimated Tuition Costs of the Transitional OTD Program

The following is presented only as a guide for the student. The estimated costs set forth below cover course tuition and examination fees. Textbooks and travel and lodging for seminars are additional.

• Tuition for coursework (includes seminar fees): $11,550 (30 hours)
• Administrative Fees (minimum): $200
• Estimated total for OTD – USA Master’s Degree Applicant: $11,750
  
  

Master’s Degree Applicant Estimated Tuition Costs of the Transitional OTD Program

The following is presented only as a guide for the student. The estimated costs set forth below cover course tuition and examination fees. Textbooks and travel and lodging for seminars are additional.

• Tuition for coursework (includes seminar fees): $13,475 (35 hours)
• Administrative Fees (minimum): $200
• Estimated total for OTD – Master’s Degree Applicant: $13,675
  
  

BSOT Degree Applicant Estimated Tuition Costs of the Transitional OTD Program

The following is presented only as a guide for the student. The estimated costs set forth below cover course tuition and examination fees. Textbooks and readings are additional.

• Tuition for coursework (includes seminar fees): $23,100 (60 hours)
• Administrative Fees (minimum): $200
• Estimated Total for OTD – BSOT Degree Applicant: $23,300