Doctor in Occupational Therapy
Program Facts
College: College of Health Sciences
Major: Doctor in Occupational Therapy
Degree Level: Doctoral
- On-Campus
Credit Hours: 86
Duration: 3 Years
How To Apply
Tuition & Fees
Estimated costs available via the calculator.
Accreditation
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), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.
Overview
Tarleton State University’s Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program provides an innovative, rural focused curriculum that prepares students for professional, scholarly and leadership roles in practice. Successful completion of the didactic and clinical components of the program can lead to national registration as an occupational therapist and state licensure. Following a 8 semester cohort model, the Doctorate in Occupational Therapy can admit 50 students each year. As graduate of Tarleton State’s OTD degree program, you will have opportunities to apply and innovate in occupation-base card, engage confidently in interdisciplinary teams and specialize in rural healthcare and community opportunities. The degree program offers study abroad, advanced clinical courses and specialty practice electives to enhance your education experience....
Tarleton State University’s Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program provides an innovative, rural focused curriculum that prepares students for professional, scholarly and leadership roles in practice. Successful completion of the didactic and clinical components of the program can lead to national registration as an occupational therapist and state licensure. Following a 8 semester cohort model, the Doctorate in Occupational Therapy can admit 50 students each year. As graduate of Tarleton State’s OTD degree program, you will have opportunities to apply and innovate in occupation-base card, engage confidently in interdisciplinary teams and specialize in rural healthcare and community opportunities. The degree program offers study abroad, advanced clinical courses and specialty practice electives to enhance your education experience. As you progress through the curriculum, you are challenged to create, innovate and advocate towards change, accessibility and participation in the community.
Program Benefits
- Advanced clinical skills
- Leadership opportunities
- Comprehensive learning approach
- Networking and collaboration
- Client-centered approach to care
Courses
As part of the health care community, the focus of occupational therapy is to facilitate participation and engagement in meaningful, purposeful activities in their daily lives.
Stemmed from the root word, occupation, occupational therapy focuses on using tasks, activities, groups, support, virtual experiences, or education to engage in occupations: those things that matter to an individual, group or population.
Occupational therapy considers the complex and fluid relationship between clients, activities and their environment. Occupational therapists work with individuals, families, caregivers, educational providers, employers and community members to facilitate engagement in valued daily activities that may have had disruption due to injury, illness, social/emotional deficits, developmental delays or the aging processes.
Learning Outcomes
Stemmed from the root word, occupation, occupational therapy focuses on using tasks, activities, groups, virtual experiences, or education to engage in occupations: those things that matter to an individual, group or population.
Occupational therapy considers the complex and fluid relationship between clients, activities and their environment. Occupational therapists work with individuals, families, caregivers, educational providers, employers and community members to facilitate engagement in valued daily activities that may have had disruption due to injury, illness, social/emotional deficits, developmental delays or the aging processes.
Career Outcomes
The job market for OTs in the state and nation is strong and candidates from the Tarleton State’s OTD program are well equipped to seek out jobs outside of traditional OT job postings as they are innovators, creators and problem solvers. Traditional OT jobs may include hospitals, rehab facilities, skilled nursing facilities, school based, clinic based, academia and home health. Additional jobs for trained OTs include clinic/rehab liaison, data analyst, researcher, clinical trainer, life skills trainer, freelance writer, insurance liaison, case manager, assistance technology specialist, or medical sales representatives.
Certification and Licensure Preparation
The program must have a preaccreditation 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) and its web address is https://www.nbcot.org/. After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
Admissions Requirements
- Completed bachelor’s degree
- Submitted official transcripts
- GPA: 3.0
- No GRE
- Personal statement
- Completion of the following pre-requisites with B or higher: StatisticsAnatomy & Physiology with Lab I & II
- Verification and/or compliance with all required immunizations, background checks and drug screenings
- Successful faculty interview
Credit for Prior Learning
The program will accept full-time students only. Students will not be able to transfer from other OTD programs due to the distinct nature of different OTD programs. All courses must be completed as offered and transfer credits are not accepted. The Tarleton State OTD Program does not accept work experience towards course credit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Tarleton State OTD Program Admission Procedures
- Create an account and submit your application on OTCAS - Complete all required sections in OTCAS - You will need a personal copy of transcripts to complete the application. - Arrange for official transcripts to be sent to OTCAS (in Colleges Attended section) - Complete all sections in the Program Materials area - SUBMIT your completed application to OTCAS designating Tarleton State University between mid-July to mid – October of each calendar year to be considered for summer entrance. - If you are qualified, you will be invited for formal interviews that take place at Tarleton State University. - Wait to hear from Tarleton State University OTD Program via email through OTCAS regarding the status of your application. - If you are invited to complete an interview, you will be requested to apply for the College of Graduate Studies at Tarleton State. - PLEASE DO NOT APPLY TO THE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES UNTIL YOU ARE NOTIFIED TO DO SO BY THE OTD PROGRAM.Current Tarleton Student Pre-Requisite Courses
Statistics – MATH 1342 or Principles of Bio-Statistics – Math 3450 Anatomy & Physiology with Lab I & II – BIOL 2401 and BIOL 2402Tarleton State Graduate School Application
Once requested by the OTD Program after OTCAS application review, the student will be invited to apply to Tarleton State’s Graduate Studies Program. Admissions will follow the institutional standards for Tarleton and the Texas A&M University System. In accordance with this, the following requirements are established for admission to the Tarleton’s Graduate Program. Students should not apply to Graduate Studies prior to being requested to do so by the OTD Program.International Student Requirements
International applicants are required to submit TOEFL or IELTS scores as a part of the application process. Tarleton also accepts PTE, iTEP, and Duolingo English proficiency scores. Scores can be no more than two years old: TOEFL: minimum score 80 IELTS: minimum score 6 PTE: minimum score 53 TOEFL ITP Plus for China: minimum score 543 iTEP: score between 3.5-3.9 TOEFL Essentials: minimum score 8 Duolingo: minimum score 105Holistic Admission Process (AAMC, 2022)
To encourage and facilitate student recruitment, acceptance and retention, the OTD program will implement holistic application strategies. This process takes into consideration the applicant’s experiences, attributes and academic metrics as well as the value the applicant would contribute to the program and ultimately to the profession. The admission committee will consider the “whole” applicant rather than focusing on just one factor. Holistic review will consider the principles of the Association of American Medical Colleges.Estimated Required Technology for OTD Program
Laptop Computer: Windows or Apple Mobile Device: Android or Apple If additional software or digital content is required for a course, it will be stated in the course syllabus to allow plenty of time to purchase it. A variety of mobile device applications are required for use throughout the program.Regarding a Felony Conviction
A felony conviction could affect eligibility to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination and make an applicant ineligible for a license from the Executive Council for Physical and Occupational Therapy Examiners (ECPOTE). Please carefully review both entities requirements regarding felony convictions prior to application. NBCOT: When applying for application, one must complete an attestation towards Character Review in alignment with the NBCOT Code of Conduct. (NBCOT Handbook, p.13). ECPOTE: Texas reserves the right to revoke, suspend or disqualify one’s OT License (Texas Administrative Code §374.5). If you have questions or concerns, please reach out to NBCOT. As part of the application process, students complete a background check prior to the first day of class, and items of concern will be referred to the Director for student advisement and discussion to ensure transparent options for future practice, if relevant.OTCAS Applications Questions
For questions about your OTCAS application, please contact OTCAS Customer Service at 617.612.2860 or otcasinfo@otcas.org For questions about application preparation, prerequisites and undergraduate pathways at Tarleton to contact the College of Health Sciences Academic Resource Hub 254-968-0796 https://www.tarleton.edu/chs-resource-hub/