http://alliedhealth.ouhsc.edu/Prospective-Students/Academic-Programs/Doctor-of-Occupational-Therapy-OTD
Program Description
All didactic coursework is offered on the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) campuses in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. To meet the broad healthcare needs of Oklahomans, the University of Oklahoma Occupational Therapy Program offers our program in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City. Students physically attend courses and labs on one of the two campuses. Lectures are broadcast between the two campuses which provides the opportunity for students to receive a rich and wide-ranging education from regional experts in the field.
The Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree-professional program consists of three years (99 semester hours) of sequenced and integrated didactic, clinical, and capstone courses. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork as well as an individual 14-week capstone experience within 18 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. All coursework, fieldwork, and capstone courses are to be completed in no more than five years. 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 O.T.D. Standard D.1.3.
The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center College of Allied Health ensures that program expectations, learning objectives, and educational outcomes offered at the Oklahoma City campus and Tulsa campus are consistent. Program outcomes between the Oklahoma City campus and Tulsa campus are evaluated yearly by course directors.
The progression and retention policies for the program in Occupational Therapy are described in the College of Allied Health Academic Standards.
Program Defined
Occupational therapists work with individuals who may be recovering from illnesses or injuries, contending with developmental disabilities, or coping with changes resulting from the aging process. Occupational therapists advance the person's well-being by promoting adaptation and independence through meaningful activities of everyday living to enhance and restore health. By preventing, reducing, or overcoming physical, social, and emotional impairments in people, occupational therapists help to restore and sustain the highest quality of productive life to persons of all ages.
Accreditation/Credentialing
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the:
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
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 http://www.acoteonline.org. The program must have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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.
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are enrolled in the prescribed courses and to pay tuition and fees at the time designated by the Bursar's Office. Details regarding tuition/fee charges and collection are available from the Bursar's Office.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission, an applicant must:
- Meet the following degree requirements:
- Complete a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university prior to enrollment in the program. There is no preference given to a specific major, applicants should choose a major of interest;
- AND meet the following GPA requirements:
- At minimum, earn a 2.75 cumulative grade point average on a 4.0 scale as calculated by OTCAS;
- At minimum, earn a 2.75 science grade point average on a 4.0 scale as calculated by OTCAS. This may include pre-requisites but also factors in all science courses taken, as determined by OTCAS;
- The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences does not recognize academic forgiveness nor reprieve policies. All attempts of a course are included in the calculation of GPAs;
- Be in good standing with the college or university last or currently attending;
- While a 2.75 is the minimum eligibility requirement, please review our admission statistics from the previous year to ensure that you are a competitive applicant.
- AND have completed, or are in the process of completing the required pre-requisites:
- Successfully complete all departmental prerequisite courses with grades of C or better prior to beginning our program the first week of June.
- Courses taken during the spring 2020 semester may have a “P” for passing or “S” for satisfactory due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Please note that the required 2.75 cumulative grade point average still applies;
- If your pre-requisites are from a college or university other than the University of Oklahoma, please refer to the Transfer Equivalency Database to find out if your courses transfer.
- The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is no longer required as part of the application process.
- If English is a second language, submit Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. Applicants must earn a minimum score of 600 (paper-based) or 100 (Internet-based) within two years prior to application. The OTCAS TOEFL Designated Institution Code for the OTD program at OUHSC is 7448. The department may waive TOEFL scores if the applicant provides evidence of graduation from a U.S. High School or a 4-year Bachelor’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution. Click here to review additional information regarding the TOEFL and TOEFL waiver;
- Observation hours are not required, only recommended for applicants to better understand the profession and expectations for a career in Occupational Therapy.
- Be able to meet all Technical Standards of the profession during the program.
Application Procedure
- Complete an application through the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS);
- Applicants will have the opportunity to provide their campus preference but sometimes a student spot is only available on one campus. Students are required to attend all classes on the campus to which they are admitted.
- As part of the application process through OTCAS, you will complete an online asynchronous interview/assessment through Kira Talent;
- Complete an online application through the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Office of Admissions and Records;
- Submit official, sealed transcripts from all colleges and/or universities attended directly to OTCAS:
- Transcripts sent directly to the OUHS Admissions and Records will not be considered for the application as they must be assessed by OTCAS
- If previous coursework is from colleges or universities outside of the US, have all transcripts/mark sheets processed through World Education Services (WES);
- Selection
- Once an application is complete, including the OTCAS application, Kira Talent Assessment, Official Transcripts, and OUHS Application, it will be reviewed on a rolling basis beginning October 1st.
- Decisions may include admitted, waitlisted, or denied. We do not publish our waitlist and will continue to admit students until the class is filled, which may continue through April 2025.
- Admitted applicants will be notified via an electronic letter sent by OU Health Sciences Admissions and Records. Waitlisted or Denied students will be notified via OTCAS of their status.
- It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure they have provided a correct email address in both OTCAS and the OU application systems and be monitoring their email for updates.
- Admitted applicants must accept their position according to the timeline communicated on their electronic letter received through OU Health Sciences Admissions and Records, or the position will be considered declined. If admitted, applicants must accept their position by paying a non-refundable deposit, which will be applied toward tuition and fees during the first term.
- Students are required to attend a mandatory orientation the week before the start of their first semester beginning in June 2025 as well as meet all university compliance and eligibility requirements. Admission is conditional based on meeting all requirements and the college reserves the right to rescind admission offers up until the start of the first week of school.
ttend all classes on the campus to which they are admitted.
Prerequisites
Course numbers are those of the University of Oklahoma. Approved prerequisite courses are offered at many institutions. It is extremely important that you look up every course you have taken, plan to take, and/or are currently enrolled in to verify that they are equivalent courses. The responsibility is yours to enroll in equivalent courses and we provide the tools to make sure you do. Check the Transfer Equivalencies Database or with your school advisor regarding equivalent courses. There are instructions on that page on how to request a transcript evaluation for particular courses if your courses are not listed in the database.
All prerequisites are required. Please read the footnote description located directly underneath the table.
Course List
| Code |
Title |
Hours |
| PSY 2603 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| BIOL 2234 | Introduction To Human Anatomy | 4-5 |
| or BIOL 2255 | Human Anatomy |
| BIOL 2124 | Human Physiology | 4 |
| PSY 2403 | Introduction To Personality | 3 |
| or PSY 4453 | Abnormal Psychology |
| BIOL 1005 | Concepts in Biology. | 4-5 |
| or BIOL 1124 | Intro Biol: Molecule/Cell/Phys |
| CLC 2413 | | 2-3 |
| PHYS 2414 | General Physics For Life Science Oriented Majors | 4 |
| 1 | 3 |
| Introduction To Statistics | |
| Elements Of Statistics | |
| Research Methods I: Statistics | |
| Understanding Statistics | |
Additional Information
If you are attending OU in Norman for these courses, click here for equivalent courses; if attending another institution, please check the Transfer Equivalency Database.
Program Outcomes
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the:
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
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. The program must have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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.
