Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Graduate
Graduate Admissions Pathway
The Graduate Admissions Pathway requires that a candidate has completed all requirements outlined in the admissions process. A GAP applicant will have completed three years of college coursework. A 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) minimum cumulative GPA is required, as is a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) pre-requisite GPA. The admission criterion outlines additional requirements. The GAP utilizes the OTCAS system for admissions.
While CSM is a women’s college, men are welcome to apply for the traditional admissions pathway via OTCAS system for admissions.
Plan of Study - Graduate Pathway
Year 1 - Fall Semester
Total Credit Hours: 20
- Introduction to Professional Identity (2 credits)
- Fundamental Theory (2 credits)
- Fundamentals of Evaluation (2 credits)
- Principles of Education and Communication (3 credits)
- Conditions & Environments Impacting Occupation (3 credits)
- Human Movement and the Evaluation of the Body (4 credits)
- Clinical Neuroscience and the Evaluation of the Brain (4 credits)
Year 1 - Spring Semester
Total Credit Hours: 16
- Scholarship & Research I: Evidence-Based Concepts (1 credit)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Adults with Physical Challenges (3 credits)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Children I (3 credits)
- Clinical Reasoning I (2 credits)
- Level IA Fieldwork (1 credit)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Adults with Neurological Challenges I (3 credits)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Older Adults (3 credits)
Year 1 - Summer Semester
Total Credit Hours: 12
- Occupational Therapy Process with Chilren II (3 credits)
- Scholarship & Research II: Research Methods (3 credits)
- Healthcare Ethics and Occupational Justice (2 credits)
- Level IB Fieldwork (1 credit)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Upper Extremity Conditions (3 credits)
Year 2 - Fall Semester
Total Credit Hours: 20
- Occupational Therapy Process with Psychosocial Challenges (3 credits)
- Specialized Intervention (3 credits)
- Doctoral Capstone Project Development I (3 credits)
- Scholarship & Research III: Application (2 credits)
- Clinical Reasoning II (2 credits)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Groups, Populations, and Communities (3 credits)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Adults with Neurological Challenges II (3 credits)
- Level IC Fieldwork (1 credit)
Year 2 - Spring Semester
Total Credit Hours: 18
- Doctoral Capstone Project Development II (3 credits)
- Scholarship & Research: Systemic Review I (1 credit)
- Professional Identity: Health Policy and Advocacy (2 credits)
- Physical Agent Modalities Elective (3 credits)
- Clinical Reasoning III (2 credits)
- Professional Identity: Administration and Leadership (3 credits)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Complex Cases (3 credits)
- Level 2 Fieldwork Preparation (1 credit)
Year 2 - Summer Semester
Total Credit Hours: 8
- Scholarship & Research Systematic Review II (1 credit)
- Doctoral Capstone Project Development III (1 credit)
- Level IIA Fieldwork (6 credits)
Year 3 - Fall Semester
Total Credit Hours: 8
- Scholarship & Research V: Outcomes and Dissemination (1 credit)
- Doctoral Capstone Project Development IV (1 credit)
- Level IIB Fieldwork (6 credits)
Year 3 - Spring Semester
Total Credit Hours: 8
- Doctoral Capstone Experience & Dissemination (8 credits)
Requirements for Graduation from College of Saint Mary
For information about graduate classes, see the college graduate catalog.
Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for occupational therapist, administered by the National Board of Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, you will be an occupational therapist, registered (OTR). Most states require licensure in order to practice. 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, attain state licensure or complete fieldwork.
Accreditation
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at7501 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. 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 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 as well as an individual 14-week capstone experience within 24 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework, capstone preparatory activities, and Level II fieldwork.
Admission Requirements
- A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (on 4.0 scale) is required.
- If the applicant graduated more than 5 years ago from college, the last 60 credit hours will determine the cumulative GPA.
- A minimum pre-requisite course GPA of 3.0 (on 4.0 scale) is required.
- Completion of at least 72 collegiate credit hours and three academic years of undergraduate education are required. Bachelor's degrees are recommended.
- A grade of C or better on all pre-requisite courses is required.
- Pre-requisite course requirements (21-22 credits)*:
- Anatomy and Physiology I & II with labs – 8 credits
- Statistics – 3 credits
- Lifespan or Developmental Psychology– 3 credits
- Abnormal psychology – 3 credits
- Medical Terminology – 1 or 2 credits
- Research Methods – 3 credits
- Completion of the following recommended coursework provides a competitive advantage to an application:
- Sociology/Anthropology
- Ethics
- Kinesiology
- Pathophysiology
- Public Speaking or Oral Communications
- Global or Cultural Diversity Course
- Pre-health professions course
- Three (3) letters of recommendation are required.
- An application is more competitive if one letter is from an undergraduate professor and if one letter is from an occupational therapist.
- If an applicant is a CSM student or CSM graduate, only two (2) letters of recommendation are required.
- Each applicant should submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) for consideration. Resumes or CVs should emphasize the applicant’s extra-curricular activities, work and/or volunteer history, and leadership experiences.
- The resume or CV should document the number of service/volunteer hours accumulated within the previous five years.
- Although no set number of service hours is required, 100 hours or more increases the competitiveness of the applications.
- Applications are more competitive if the applicant documents service hours across the lifespan (infants, children, adults, and older adults).
- The resume or CV should document the number of service/volunteer hours accumulated within the previous five years.
*No more than nine (9) pre-requisite credit hours may remain at time of application. The applicant must complete all pre-requisite courses before the start of OTD classes. The applicant must have taken all pre-requisite courses within five (5) years prior to application.
Upon verification of the above requirements in the OTCAS application, prospective students will be invited to complete the interview phase of the admissions process. This is completed online through the Kira Talent platform, where students will provide verbal or written responses to the program’s interview questions. The OTD Admissions Committee will review and score the Kira Talent assessment utilizing standardized rubrics to determine the applicant’s fit with the program.
Graduate Pathway Admissions Decisions
- Academic performance and documented aptitude (GPA and completed courses).
- Leadership and service activities.
- Health care and/or clinical experiences (shadowing, volunteering, etc.).
- Recommendations from qualified individuals with knowledge of the applicant’s character and performance.
- Communication and interpersonal skills (via resume, essay, interview and review of letters of reference).
OTCAS Application Process
- Post-baccalaureate candidates apply using the Central Application Service for Occupational Therapy (OTCAS)
Complete files are prepared for review by the OTD Admissions Committee and students will be notified of their interview status.
Academic Description
Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Graduate
Graduate Admissions Pathway
The Graduate Admissions Pathway requires that a candidate has completed all requirements outlined in the admissions process. A GAP applicant will have completed three years of college coursework. A 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) minimum cumulative GPA is required, as is a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale) pre-requisite GPA. The admission criterion outlines additional requirements. The GAP utilizes the OTCAS system for admissions.
While CSM is a women’s college, men are welcome to apply for the traditional admissions pathway via OTCAS system for admissions.
Accreditation
Accreditation
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at7501 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. 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 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 as well as an individual 14-week capstone experience within 24 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework, capstone preparatory activities, and Level II fieldwork.
Admissions Requirements
Admission Requirements
- A minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (on 4.0 scale) is required.
- If the applicant graduated more than 5 years ago from college, the last 60 credit hours will determine the cumulative GPA.
- A minimum pre-requisite course GPA of 3.0 (on 4.0 scale) is required.
- Completion of at least 72 collegiate credit hours and three academic years of undergraduate education are required. Bachelor's degrees are recommended.
- A grade of C or better on all pre-requisite courses is required.
- Pre-requisite course requirements (21-22 credits)*:
- Anatomy and Physiology I & II with labs – 8 credits
- Statistics – 3 credits
- Lifespan or Developmental Psychology– 3 credits
- Abnormal psychology – 3 credits
- Medical Terminology – 1 or 2 credits
- Research Methods – 3 credits
- Completion of the following recommended coursework provides a competitive advantage to an application:
- Sociology/Anthropology
- Ethics
- Kinesiology
- Pathophysiology
- Public Speaking or Oral Communications
- Global or Cultural Diversity Course
- Pre-health professions course
- Three (3) letters of recommendation are required.
- An application is more competitive if one letter is from an undergraduate professor and if one letter is from an occupational therapist.
- If an applicant is a CSM student or CSM graduate, only two (2) letters of recommendation are required.
- Each applicant should submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV) for consideration. Resumes or CVs should emphasize the applicant’s extra-curricular activities, work and/or volunteer history, and leadership experiences.
- The resume or CV should document the number of service/volunteer hours accumulated within the previous five years.
- Although no set number of service hours is required, 100 hours or more increases the competitiveness of the applications.
- Applications are more competitive if the applicant documents service hours across the lifespan (infants, children, adults, and older adults).
- The resume or CV should document the number of service/volunteer hours accumulated within the previous five years.
*No more than nine (9) pre-requisite credit hours may remain at time of application. The applicant must complete all pre-requisite courses before the start of OTD classes. The applicant must have taken all pre-requisite courses within five (5) years prior to application.
Upon verification of the above requirements in the OTCAS application, prospective students will be invited to complete the interview phase of the admissions process. This is completed online through the Kira Talent platform, where students will provide verbal or written responses to the program’s interview questions. The OTD Admissions Committee will review and score the Kira Talent assessment utilizing standardized rubrics to determine the applicant’s fit with the program.
Graduate Pathway Admissions Decisions
- Academic performance and documented aptitude (GPA and completed courses).
- Leadership and service activities.
- Health care and/or clinical experiences (shadowing, volunteering, etc.).
- Recommendations from qualified individuals with knowledge of the applicant’s character and performance.
- Communication and interpersonal skills (via resume, essay, interview and review of letters of reference).
OTCAS Application Process
- Post-baccalaureate candidates apply using the Central Application Service for Occupational Therapy (OTCAS)
Complete files are prepared for review by the OTD Admissions Committee and students will be notified of their interview status.
Curriculum
Plan of Study - Graduate Pathway
Year 1 - Fall Semester
Total Credit Hours: 20
- Introduction to Professional Identity (2 credits)
- Fundamental Theory (2 credits)
- Fundamentals of Evaluation (2 credits)
- Principles of Education and Communication (3 credits)
- Conditions & Environments Impacting Occupation (3 credits)
- Human Movement and the Evaluation of the Body (4 credits)
- Clinical Neuroscience and the Evaluation of the Brain (4 credits)
Year 1 - Spring Semester
Total Credit Hours: 16
- Scholarship & Research I: Evidence-Based Concepts (1 credit)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Adults with Physical Challenges (3 credits)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Children I (3 credits)
- Clinical Reasoning I (2 credits)
- Level IA Fieldwork (1 credit)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Adults with Neurological Challenges I (3 credits)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Older Adults (3 credits)
Year 1 - Summer Semester
Total Credit Hours: 12
- Occupational Therapy Process with Chilren II (3 credits)
- Scholarship & Research II: Research Methods (3 credits)
- Healthcare Ethics and Occupational Justice (2 credits)
- Level IB Fieldwork (1 credit)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Upper Extremity Conditions (3 credits)
Year 2 - Fall Semester
Total Credit Hours: 20
- Occupational Therapy Process with Psychosocial Challenges (3 credits)
- Specialized Intervention (3 credits)
- Doctoral Capstone Project Development I (3 credits)
- Scholarship & Research III: Application (2 credits)
- Clinical Reasoning II (2 credits)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Groups, Populations, and Communities (3 credits)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Adults with Neurological Challenges II (3 credits)
- Level IC Fieldwork (1 credit)
Year 2 - Spring Semester
Total Credit Hours: 18
- Doctoral Capstone Project Development II (3 credits)
- Scholarship & Research: Systemic Review I (1 credit)
- Professional Identity: Health Policy and Advocacy (2 credits)
- Physical Agent Modalities Elective (3 credits)
- Clinical Reasoning III (2 credits)
- Professional Identity: Administration and Leadership (3 credits)
- Occupational Therapy Process with Complex Cases (3 credits)
- Level 2 Fieldwork Preparation (1 credit)
Year 2 - Summer Semester
Total Credit Hours: 8
- Scholarship & Research Systematic Review II (1 credit)
- Doctoral Capstone Project Development III (1 credit)
- Level IIA Fieldwork (6 credits)
Year 3 - Fall Semester
Total Credit Hours: 8
- Scholarship & Research V: Outcomes and Dissemination (1 credit)
- Doctoral Capstone Project Development IV (1 credit)
- Level IIB Fieldwork (6 credits)
Year 3 - Spring Semester
Total Credit Hours: 8
- Doctoral Capstone Experience & Dissemination (8 credits)
Degree Requirements
Requirements for Graduation from College of Saint Mary
For information about graduate classes, see the college graduate catalog.
Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for occupational therapist, administered by the National Board of Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, you will be an occupational therapist, registered (OTR). Most states require licensure in order to practice. 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, attain state licensure or complete fieldwork.
