Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Doctor of Occupational Therapy Curriculum

Students in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program earn a total of 117 credits, including 79 credits of core courses with virtual didactic coursework, 22 credits of fieldwork, and 16 credits representing the doctoral capstone experience. Upon successful completion of the OTD program, you’ll be eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification examination.

Request Information

Admissions Requirements

Candidates must meet the following admission requirements in order to be considered for the OTD program.

Bachelor’s Degree: A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. You can apply while you are still enrolled in an undergraduate degree program or while you are completing prerequisite coursework. You should submit a plan of study with your application that indicates all remaining courses that will be completed prior to program enrollment.

GRE: The GRE requirement is suspended for admission into the first professional occupational therapy programs for the Spring and Summer 2022 term.

Observation Hours: Please submit your application even without the full amount of observation hours. Our program directors have agreed to make the following concessions for applicants to the Spring, Summer and Fall trimesters: A minimum of 20 observation hours or submission of Alternative Observation Process. Contact your enrollment advisor or [email protected] for more information.

Resume: Include a current resume or curriculum vitae with your application.

Statement of Purpose: Include a short statement of why you wish to pursue occupational therapy as a career and why you chose the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences for that pursuit.

OT Supplemental Questions: Provide five short answers to help us learn more about you. – START OT SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONS

Prerequisites: Unless candidates have current work experience in a health sciences field, it is recommended (but not required) that their prerequisites have been taken no more than five (5) years previously — especially anatomy and physiology.

Prerequisite Check

All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of “C” (2.0) or better. You can find our OTD prerequisite form here. Evidence of successful completion of the following prerequisites is required:

Misrepresentation of Academic Credentials

Misrepresentation of academic credentials includes presenting information known as false and with the intent of obtaining employment or admission to an educational program at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences. Statements made and documents supplied by University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences applicants and students must be complete and accurate. The university will not tolerate any misrepresentation by a student or applicant of past or current academic programs, degrees, or professional accomplishments. If unexplained discrepancies appear between statements or documents provided to University of St. Augustine and information obtained otherwise, except in the case of misspellings and other such inadvertent errors, applicants may be rejected for admission and enrolled students may be dismissed.

Additional Requirements

• A total of two (2) references from the following: Two licensed occupational therapists (preferred) or one occupational therapist and one faculty member or academic advisor.
• A minimum of 40 volunteer or observation experience hours (volunteer hours, work hours, observation hours, etc.) in two different occupational therapy settings (20 in one setting and 20 in another) is required.
• Please submit your application even without the full amount of observation hours. Our program directors have agreed to make the following concessions for applicants to the Spring, Summer and Fall trimesters: A minimum of 20 observation hours or submission of Alternative Observation Process. Contact your enrollment advisor or [email protected] for more information.
• A comprehensive background check requiring fingerprints and drug screen will be administered during the admissions process. A felony charge and or conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or to attain state licensure.
• A minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.0 calculated on program prerequisites is preferred; however, the grade trend of the applicant will be considered.
• This is a hybrid program requiring both virtual (distance education) and face-to-face class participation. Online learners need access to/use of a computer/word processor and basic technical skills to succeed. These skills include the ability to create new documents, use a word processing program, navigate the Internet, and download software. Attendance requirements are enforced.

Request Information

Before you apply

Step 1: Review program and application requirements

• Check to make sure you have met all programmatic requirements
• Check your prerequisites here

Ready to apply 

Step 2: complete your application.

You may either:

• Apply online through our free application here or
• Create a profile and submit application through otcas.org. GRE code for OTCAS: 7352
• Have questions on your CAS application? Email us at [email protected]

Step 3: Fill out Supplemental Application

When your OTCAS application is in verified status, an enrollment advisor will be in touch to schedule an application review appointment by phone.

Additional Resources

• RSVP to VIS events or campus tours (San Marcos (CA), St. Augustine, Miami (FL), Austin (TX) & Dallas (TX)
• FAQ’s – usa.edu online application
• FAQ’s – OTCAS
• Deadlines
• COVID-19 Updates

Request Information

Tuition

The 117-credit-hour OTD program can be completed in 2 years and 8 months. Total program tuition and cost of attendance for the 2021-2022 academic year is as follows. Tuition estimates are based on the assumption that a student goes straight through the program, without breaks or repeating academic work.

Cost of Attendance

Choose your program and the campus you are interested in attending to see cost of attendance estimates. All tuition and expense numbers are subject to change.

Financial Aid

Student loans may be available to assist with funding your OTD program. USAHS has financial aid counselors who are available to explain your options.

Financial aid counselors can be reached by email, phone, or on campus. Regular office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday in each time zone. If you are unable to meet during regular office hours, after-hours appointments are available by request.

Please visit our Financial Aid Contact page for more information.

Request Information

Accreditation

Please click on the following menus for the OTD program accreditation status of each USAHS campus:

OTD Program Accreditation Status

Doctor of Occupational Therapy - San Marcos Campus

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree (OTD) program at the San Marcos, California campus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. 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). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of all prior didactic portions of the program. Students must complete an individual 14-week capstone experience within 18 months following completion of the remaining didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as well as completion of preparatory activities defined in 2018 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3. For more information about the occupational therapy accreditation process, contact the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, 301-652-AOTA or visit www.acoteonline.org. Complaints about the program that cannot be resolved after following the University’s procedures must be submitted electronically to the ACOTE Chairperson, c/o the AOTA Accreditation Department. The complaint must be submitted as an attachment to an e-mail addressed to [email protected] and must include a signed complaint form, “Complaint Against a Program Subject to ACOTE Accreditation”.

Doctor of Occupational Therapy - St. Augustine Campus

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) degree program at the St. Augustine, Florida campus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. 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). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of all prior didactic portions of the program. Students must complete an individual 14-week capstone experience 18 months following completion of the remaining didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as well as completion of preparatory activities defined in 2018 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3. For more information about the occupational therapy accreditation process, contact the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, 301-652-AOTA or visit www.acoteonline.org. Complaints about the program that cannot be resolved after following the University’s procedures must be submitted electronically to the ACOTE Chairperson, c/o the AOTA Accreditation Department. The complaint must be submitted as an attachment to an email addressed to [email protected] and must include a signed complaint form, “Complaint Against a Program Subject to ACOTE Accreditation ”.

Doctor of Occupational Therapy - Miami Campus

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree (OTD) program at the Miami, Florida campus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. 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). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of all prior didactic portions of the program. Students must complete an individual 14-week capstone experience within 18 months following completion of the remaining didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as well as completion of preparatory activities defined in 2018 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3. For more information about the occupational therapy accreditation process, contact the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, 301-652-AOTA or visit www.acoteonline.org. Complaints about the program that cannot be resolved after following the University’s procedures must be submitted electronically to the ACOTE Chairperson, c/o the AOTA Accreditation Department. The complaint must be submitted as an attachment to an e-mail addressed to [email protected] and must include a signed complaint form, “Complaint Against a Program Subject to ACOTE Accreditation”.

Doctor of Occupational Therapy - Austin Campus

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree (OTD) program at the Austin, Texas campus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. 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). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of all prior didactic portions of the program. Students must complete an individual 14-week capstone experience within 18 months following completion of the remaining didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as well as completion of preparatory activities defined in 2018 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3. For more information about the occupational therapy accreditation process, contact the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, 301-652-AOTA or visit www.acoteonline.org. Complaints about the program that cannot be resolved after following the University’s procedures must be submitted electronically to the ACOTE Chairperson, c/o the AOTA Accreditation Department. The complaint must be submitted as an attachment to an e-mail addressed to [email protected] and must include a signed complaint form, “Complaint Against a Program Subject to ACOTE Accreditation”.

Doctor of Occupational Therapy - Dallas Campus

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree (OTD) program at the Dallas, Texas campus is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org. 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). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of all prior didactic portions of the program. Students must complete an individual 14-week capstone experience within 18 months following completion of the remaining didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as well as completion of preparatory activities defined in 2018 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3. For more information about the occupational therapy accreditation process, contact the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, 301-652-AOTA or visit www.acoteonline.org. Complaints about the program that cannot be resolved after following the University’s procedures must be submitted electronically to the ACOTE Chairperson, c/o the AOTA Accreditation Department. The complaint must be submitted as an attachment to an e-mail addressed to [email protected] and must include a signed complaint form, “Complaint Against a Program Subject to ACOTE Accreditation”.

For more information about the occupational therapy accreditation process, contact the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, 301-652-AOTA or visit www.acoteonline.org.

Complaints about the program that cannot be resolved after following the University’s procedures must be submitted electronically to the ACOTE Chairperson, c/o the AOTA Accreditation Department. The complaint must be submitted as an attachment to an e-mail addressed to [email protected] and must include a signed complaint form, “Complaint Against a Program Subject to ACOTE Accreditation”.

State Approvals

Flex Doctor of Occupational Therapy (Dallas)

USAHS currently is accepting applications for enrollment in the Flex Doctor of Occupational Therapy for residents of the following states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, West Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. USAHS has not made a determination that its curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the following locations:  American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.

USAHS is not accepting applications from prospective students residing in states where the institution does not have state authorization. However, prospective students are encouraged to check back in the near future as the program may be offered in additional states.  Additionally, for states denoted with clinical field experience restrictions, USAHS does not have the necessary state authorization approvals to offer on-the-ground activities of this kind in those states at this time. However, these restrictions should not impact a graduates’ eligibility for professional licensure in his/her state, provided all other requirements are met. The OTD program prepares students for licensure in all 50 states.

For states denoted with clinical field experience restrictions, USAHS does not have the necessary state authorization approvals to offer on-the-ground activities of this kind in those states at this time. However, these restrictions should not impact a graduates’ eligibility for professional licensure in his/her state, provided all other requirements are met.   As such,  the OTD program prepares students for licensure in all 50 states.

OTD (Austin, Miami, St Augustine, and San Marcos)

USAHS currently is accepting applications for enrollment in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (Austin, Miami, St. Augustine, and San Marcos campuses) for residents of the following states:  Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. USAHS has not made a determination that its curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the following locations:  American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.

For states denoted with clinical field experience restrictions, USAHS does not have the necessary state authorization approvals to offer on-the-ground activities of this kind in those states at this time. However, these restrictions should not impact a graduates’ eligibility for professional licensure in his/her state, provided all other requirements are met.   As such,  the OTD program prepares students for licensure in all 50 states.

OTD Dallas

USAHS currently is accepting applications for enrollment in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy, Dallas campus, for residents of the following states:  Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. USAHS has not made a determination that its curriculum meets the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the following locations:  American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau.

For states denoted with clinical field experience restrictions, USAHS does not have the necessary state authorization approvals to offer on-the-ground activities of this kind in those states at this time. However, these restrictions should not impact a graduates’ eligibility for professional licensure in his/her state, provided all other requirements are met.   As such,  the OTD program prepares students for licensure in all 50 states.

Request Information

OTD Student Outcomes

Graduation Rate

The entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program graduation rate is the percentage of students in a cohort that graduated within 100% of the expected completion time. The 150% graduation rate for the initial cohorts will be available in 2021.

The San Marcos and Austin campuses graduated their initial cohorts in 2019. The following table reflects one year of graduation data at 100% of the expected completion time.

San Marcos, CA

Austin, TX

NBCOT Exam Pass Rate

Graduates of the accredited University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences Doctor of Occupational Therapy programs are eligible to take the certification examination administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. Program performance data from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://www.nbcot.org/en/Educators/Home#SchoolPerformance.

Request Information

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Click a campus below to view the program data:

San Marcos, CA Residential
St. Augustine, FL, Residential
Miami, FL, Residential
Austin, TX, Residential
Dallas, TX, Residential | Flex

Request Information

Visit the ACOTE Website for more information on the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education.

Visit the NBCOT website for more information on NBCOT examination results.