Choosing Courses
The starting point for a career in occupational therapy is your undergraduate preparation. You will need to earn a bachelor's degree and fulfil the necessary pre-requisite courses to earn your Master of Occupational Therapy or Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree.
Such courses will vary between programs, so be certain to determine the exact pre-requisite courses necessary to gain admission to the occupational therapy schools of your choice. In general, undergraduate preparation will require the following courses:
* Human or Lifespan Development (3 semester hours/ 4 quarter hours)
* Kinesiology or Biomechanics (3 semester hours/4 quarter hours)
* Human Anatomy/Physiology including at least one laboratory (8 semester hours/12 quarter hours)*
* Statistics (3 semester hours/4 quarter hours)
* Psychology (3 semester hours/4 quarter hours)
* Abnormal Psychology (3 semester hours/4 quarter hours)
* English Composition or Writing (3 semester hours/4 quarter hours)
* Medical Terminology (1 semester credit)
After completing your OTD or MOT, you are required to pass the National Board of Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination to be licensed to practice in the United States.
See also: Hanover College's OTD Program Admission Requirements
Beyond coursework, you should also note:
Technical Standards and Essential Functions of Occupational Therapy Students
Graduate Record Exam
Note: The GRE is not required to apply to Hanover's OTD program.
Applying to OT School
You may apply to multiple OTD schools via the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) (https://otcas.liaisoncas.com/applicant-ux/#/login)
Additional admissions factors: You will need solid letters of recommendation to prove your readiness for a career in occupational therapy. The two letters typically come from professionals who are not family, friends, clergy or politicians. If you are a serious candidate for admission, you will complete either a virtual or onsite interview with professionals from the school. Some programs may require a minimum of 30 hours observing occupational therapy practice with clients in a work setting.
Related Resources
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA): www.aota.org
Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service (OTCAS): https://portal.otcas.org
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT): www.nbcot.org
Hanover College Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program
The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program at Hanover College is a hybrid, accelerated program that prepares future leaders in occupational therapy. Its accelerated model allows hard-working students to graduate in just two years compared to most other 3-year in-person programs. Hanover OTD's rigorous, evidence-based curriculum is delivered through an innovative hybrid learning format, with both synchronous and asynchronous learning, which allows students to remain in their homes and communities while receiving an excellent occupational therapy education from Hanover College. To complement online coursework, students will participate in lab immersions held on Hanover College - South Campus, right across the Ohio River from Louisville, Kentucky.
Program Overview
Online Learning
Students will engage in online learning throughout the program. The skills and knowledge are taught in a logical, sequenced progression from foundational to clinical to evidence-based practice. Students learn knowledge and skills theoretically, before putting them into practice.
Lab Immersions
Onsite laboratory immersion sessions comprise 21 credits of the curriculum and reflect the importance of hands-on skill acquisition for the occupational therapy student. Throughout the program, lab time is consolidated into a series of on ground lab immersion sessions scheduled during each academic semester to facilitate student travel. These lab immersion sessions range in duration from three to 10 days.
Experiential Learning - Fieldwork & Capstone
The Hanover College OTD Program's Fieldwork Education provides students with the opportunity to develop knowledge, skills, and attitudes associated with the practice of occupational therapy and client care. Students participate in three Level I Fieldwork Experiential Labs (20 hours each) and two Level II Fieldwork experiences (12 weeks of supervised client care).
Early Admit Program
Early Admit at Hanover College in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program is an admissions pathway that allows Hanoverians who earn an undergraduate degree from Hanover College and who meet minimum criteria to be offered priority admissions into a future designated OTD class. Both students working toward their baccalaureate and alumni who have graduated from Hanover College with a baccalaureate are eligible for Hanover's OTD early admit pathway. Through the Early Admit Program, Hanover College students can bypass some of the traditional requirements of graduate school admissions, like applying and interviewing at multiple schools.
Learn more about the Early Admit program here
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 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE's telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. 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). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order 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.
Learn more about Hanover College's Doctor of Occupational Therapy program.