Empowering Independence:The entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program is designed for students who have a baccalaureate degree and are ready to apply for the entry-level graduate program in occupational therapy.
The OTD Program does not have a preference as to the major for the bachelor’s degree as long as the required prerequisites courses are completed. The best undergraduate major is one in an area in which the student would enjoy working after obtaining the undergraduate degree and should be selected based on the student’s interests.
Location of Program: Stone Family Center For Health Sciences, 515 Bob Jones Way, Evansville, Indiana, 47708
Length of Program: Three years, including summers.
Structure of the Program: The academic and fieldwork portions of the curriculum are designed as full-time experiences.
Because the USI Occupational Therapy Program is transitioning to the doctoral level, new admissions to the Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) Program are no longer being accepted. The last USI MSOT cohort has been selected and will graduate in 2026.
Applications for the doctoral program opened October 1, 2025, for a Fall 2026 start date. This application cycle will remain open through February 15, 2026, and classes will begin in August 2026.
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) 652-6611 and its web address is 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 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.
Department Chair
Vision: To be a leading force in occupational therapy education recognized for excellence in research and community engagement producing influential scholars who transform healthcare and champion the power of occupation to improve lives globally.
Mission: Empowering future healthcare leaders in occupational therapy through innovative education and evidence-based practice, while promoting engagement in meaningful occupations to enhance the quality of life for individuals and communities.
Graduates of the USI OTD Program must successfully complete the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam prior to obtaining state licensure and entering OT practice.
Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online. Visit the NBCOT web page.
For more information about tuition, fees and other costs, visit USI's Cost of Attendance page.
For current estimated tuition and fees, as well as the total cost of attending and completing the USI OTD Program, view the OTD Program Cost Analysis 2025 2026.
USI’s OTD program prepares graduates to pass the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam, which is required for state licensure and entering OT practice. The length of the OTD program is three years and includes a variety of fieldwork experiences.
The field of occupational therapy offers diverse options of career tracts in:
Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 12 percent from 2022 to 2032, much faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
About 9,600 openings for occupational therapists are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
