Entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD)

Fall 1

• OT 7100: Foundations for OT practice (2)
• OT 7110: Functional anatomy (4)
• OT 7120: Movement and occupational performance (3)
• OT 7130: Development of occupational beings (2)
• OT 7140: Psychosocial and mental health influences on occupation (3)
• OT 7180: Activity analysis (2)

Spring 1

• OT 7250: Older adults as occupational beings (6)
• OT 7200: Therapeutic interventions (3)
• NSCI 6020: Neuroscience (3)
• OT 7240: Visual and cognitive-perceptual influences on occupation (3)
• NH 6899: Fundamentals of Critical Inquiry (3)

Summer 1

• Fieldwork – Level I (2)
• OT 7350: Cultural immersion (2)
• OT 7600: Capstone I (1)
• OT 7370: Research I (2)

Fall 2

• OT 7450: Young adults as occupational beings (6)
• OT 7480: Designing creative therapeutic intervention (2)
• OT 7400: Teaching and advocacy  (2)
• OT 7470: Research II  (2)
• OT 7490: OT practice management (3)           
• OT 7610: Capstone II (1)

Spring 2

• OT 7550: Children as occupational beings (6)
• OT 7590: Becoming a life-long practitioner and learner (3)
• OT 7560: Living life to the fullest (3)
• OT 7570: Research III (2)
• OT 7620: Capstone III (1)

Summer 2

• OT 7710: Fieldwork - Level II (9)

Fall 3

• OT 7720: Fieldwork - Level II (9)

Spring 3

• OT 7630: Capstone IV (8)

98 Total Credits

Further program requirements are outlined in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Student Handbook (PDF) and Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Manual (PDF).

Applicants must complete a baccalaureate degree in any major at a regionally accredited institution with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher; applicants with a baccalaureate degree from institutions outside the U.S. will also be considered.

All applicants must complete the following prerequisite courses with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or greater prior to entry into the program:

• One semester of General Psychology (3 credits)
• One semester of Abnormal Psychology (3 credits)
• One semester of Human Development (3 credits)
• One semester of Statistics (3 credits)
• One semester of Biology (3 credits)
• One semester of Human Anatomy with lab (4 credits)
• One semester of Human Physiology with lab (4 credits)
• Two semesters of Social Sciences (Anthropology, Humanities, Philosophy, Sociology: 6 credits )
• Medical Terminology: All students accepted into the program will need to have evidence of taking a medical terminology course. If the course is taken through an institution, it will show up on the transcript and no further action by the student is needed. If the course is taken online, a certificate demonstrating completion is needed and must be sent to the UVM Admissions office.

Additional requirements:

• 40 observation hours (observation hours are waived for the 2022 - 2023 admissions cycle)
• 3 letters of recommendation (1 academic letter and 2 professional letters, preferably one by an OT)
• Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) for non-US residents who did not receive their undergraduate degree from an institution at which English is the language of instruction
• For students who pass through the first stage of the admissions process, an interview will be required

NOTES: GRE scores are not required for this program. No transfer credits will be accepted, and no credit will be given for work experience.

Is there a period of time that the prerequisites are no longer acceptable towards my application?

It is highly recommended that prerequisite courses are taken no more than ten years prior to applying to the program.

What is the average class size?

The program accepts 40 students per academic year.

What about financial aid and the tuition costs for the program?

For current information about financial aid, tuition, and fees, refer to the Student Financial Services website. If you have questions about whether you are an in-state or out-of-state resident, refer to the Registrar's Residency Policy.

Are there graduate assistantships available?

There are no graduate assistantships available at this time. We are working on developing these in the future.

Will I need a car?

You will most likely need access to a car during your clinical experience courses. Students are responsible for travel to and from affiliated clinical sites. The Burlington community has a robust public transit system which is free for UVM students and encompasses many but not all of our off-campus clinical locations.

What type of computer will I need? What other technology requirements do I need to know about?

UVM OTD students are required to have a laptop computer with software that allows for word processing, the creation of presentations, and basic spreadsheet capabilities. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of these software programs. Microsoft Office can be downloaded for free through the UVM Information Technology office. Student technical support can be found through the UVM Enterprise Technology Services. The minimum computing requirements are listed below. A netbook/chromebook/tablet will not be sufficient for the program.

• 13-inch high definition / high resolution screen
• 2.0 GHz dual core processor
• 8 GB RAM
• 256 GB Hard Drive memory (512 GB is ideal)
• 256 MB graphics memory (6 to 8 MB L3 Cache)
• 802.11 a/c wireless connectivity
• Front-facing camera

Is an interview required for admission into the program?

Yes. Students who pass through the first stage of the admissions process will be granted an interview.