Prerequisite Coursework

Admissions

To be eligible for admission to the OTD Program, applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. A baccalaureate degree and all prerequisite courses must be completed prior to enrollment, with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.00 scale.
   
   
2. The following prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better in each course by May 31st of the application year. For example, if a student is applying in the spring of 2025, all of the required prerequisites must be completed by May 31st of 2025. All prerequisite courses must be reported on official transcripts for an application for admission to be considered. If a course is repeated, an average of “C” or better is required. Prerequisite courses may include on-site or online content.
   
   

   Prerequisite Requirements

   Course	Credit Hours
   General Biology (or Zoology)*	4
   Anatomy and Physiology*	8
   Additional Science Course*	3
   Kinesiology*	3
   English Composition	6
   Oral Communication	3
   General Psychology	3
   Lifespan Psychology (or Human Growth and Development)**	3
   Abnormal Psychology	3
   Sociology, Social Psychology, or Anthropology	3
   Statistics	3
   Medical Terminology	1

   *The anatomy and physiology and kinesiology courses must be taken within five years of planned enrollment and the biology, anatomy and physiology, and additional science courses must include a laboratory component. Higher-level science courses may be substituted if current and approved.

   **Course content MUST cover conception to death. Two or three psychology courses may be required to fulfill the across the lifespan requirement at some institutions.

   No credit is awarded for prior experiential learning to meet the prerequisite requirements.

   The following Advanced Placement courses will be accepted as prerequisite requirements if accepted by the undergraduate institution: Biology (3 credit hours of lecture and 1 credit hour of lab), English, Psychology, and Sociology/Social Psychology/Anthropology. (If an applicant receives 3 credit hours for Advanced Placement Biology, they will need to take a 1 credit hour lab at a university.)

   Prerequisite Recommendations 

   Humanities***

   Electives****   

   ***Recommended courses include: foreign language (Spanish preferred), philosophy, logic, ethics, literature, and/or fine arts.
   ****Recommended courses include: computer/technology skills, education, technical or critical writing, logic, fine and performing arts, language and communication systems, philosophy, and industrial arts or activity-based courses (e.g., woodworking, ceramics, photography).

3. A completed application must be submitted to the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (www.otcas.org) on or before a September 1 for early admissions or November 1 for standard admissions of the year prior to the August start date. To be considered for early admissions, applicants must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA of a 3.2 or higher, and all required prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to the application submission. The student will submit all official transcripts to OTCAS. ALL application materials, including transcripts, and pre-professional evaluations, must be verified by OTCAS within four (4) weeks of the application close date for the Admissions Committee to consider the application.
   
   

4. In addition to coursework completed, the student will report the following information on OTCAS on or before the application deadline:

   1. Plan for completion of remaining coursework
   2. Three professional or academic references  (recommend at least one occupational therapist or other professional recommendation)
   3. Leadership and service experiences (including online occupational therapy (OT) shadowing experience course, if applicable.)
   4. Essay
      
      

5. A personal interview (based on GPA) is required for admission.

6. All application materials should be submitted to the OTCAS website at www.OTCAS.org. Applicants seeking assistance with the application process should be made to otcasinfo@otcas.org.

7. For accepted students, proof of the following is required prior to August start date:

   1. Ability to meet published technical standards of the College of Health Professions and the Occupational Therapy Doctorate degree program
   2. Background check
   3. Health insurance
   4. Transcripts showing completion of bachelor’s degree and all prerequisites with a “C” or better grade
   5. A signed copy of the UTHSC Honor Code
   6. A complete Eligibility of Entitlement Act form
      
      
8. Applicants to the UTHSC OTD program and those currently enrolled in the program will not receive course credit for previous work experience or from coursework completed in another occupational therapy program for admissions and/or for graduation from the UTHSC OTD program.

Note:

If prospective students are concerned about any prior issues which might prevent them from securing a cleared background check, they may choose to undergo a character review prior to applying for the OTD Program. This is done by requesting the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy to complete an Early Determination Review. For further information about the process and fees please click on the following link: https://www.nbcot.org/Students/Services#character

Minimum Computer Requirements

For questions or additional information, please contact: 

The UTHSC OTD Program
uthscot@uthsc.edu
901.448.8393