Apply to the Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program

The deadline to apply is June 1.

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Admission Requirements

The entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program selects students based on grade point average (GPA), a written personal statement, letters of recommendation, and an interview.

College Transcripts: Complete an undergraduate or graduate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.

GRE: Not required. The GRE will be reviewed if submitted. The school code is 4822.

GPA: Cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale.

Observation Hours: Complete the Observation Form with 40 documented hours in at least 2 different OT practice settings.

References: Three (3) written references are required from:

  1. An occupational therapist
  2. A college professor
  3. A personal friend or professional colleague

Interview: By invitation for qualified students.

Prerequisite Coursework: General prerequisites must be completed before entering the OTD program and can be completed at any accredited college or university. (Grade C or better.)

Required Prerequisite Course Required Credits Additional Info
Intro/Basic Science Clinical and Technical Skills 3-4 Credits Biology, Cell Biology, Chemistry, etc. (with lab preferred)
Anatomy, Physiology, Anatomy/Physiology 6-8 Credits 2 Course Combination/Sequence (with lab preferred)
Psychology Courses (3) 8-12 Credits Intro to Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, Developmental Psychology, Human Development (Lifespan Emphasis), etc. 3 Course Combination/Sequence
Research Methods 3-4 Credits Statistics, Research Methodology, Qualitative or Quantitative Research, etc.
Medical Terminology 3-4 Credits A medical terminology certificate (online or in-person) will also satisfy the requirement.

Note: Applicants should be aware that a criminal record/felony conviction might affect their ability to take the NBCOT national certification exam, attain state licensure, and/or pursue employment in the field of occupational therapy. 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.

In August 2020, the Presbyterian College Occupational Therapy Degree Program was granted candidacy status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its Web address is www.acoteonline.org.

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Statement on Felony Convictions

A felony conviction must be disclosed and may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam, as well as the ability to attain state licensure.

Statement on Criminal Background Check

All students accepted into the Occupational Therapy Doctoral program will be required to complete a background check in order to participate and prior to any clinical and/or fieldwork experiences.  

*Refer to the PC-OTD Bulletin and PC-OTD Fieldwork Handbook for detailed OTD programmatic policies and procedures.