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OTD Curriculum

USI Graduate Studies Graduation Requirements:

Candidates for graduation must file with the Registrar's Office a Formal Application for Graduation and a Diploma Form. If degree requirements will be completed in a spring or summer term, the forms should be submitted no later than October 1 of the preceding fall term. If degree requirements will be completed in the fall term, the forms should be submitted no later than March 1 of the preceding spring term. The Application for Graduation may be obtained at the office of the student's graduate program director. Timely submission of the Formal Application for Graduation help ensure that degree candidates receive commencement mailings, appear in the printed commencement program, and will have a diploma ordered.

USI OTD Program Graduation Requirements

  • Maintain a B (3.0) average or better in all graduate work
  • Achieve at least a B on required competency-based skills checkoffs
  • Demonstrate acceptable levels of maturity and integrity, as well as behaviors and attitudes normally expected of healthcare professionals
  • Complete all coursework degree requirements identified in the Plan of Study 
    • All students are admitted to the OTD program on a full-time basis. Completion of all degree requirements on a full-time basis will take a minimum of three years including two summers.  In exceptional cases, part-time status may be granted by the Department Chair. Part-time students must complete all degree requirements within a period defined by the Department Chair.   The time period must not exceed four years from the date of initial acceptance into the OTD program. Students must complete all Level II Fieldwork and the Doctoral Capstone within 18 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.
  • Progression in Relation to Fieldwork
    • If a student earns a letter grade of C or C+ in OT 796: Level II FW A or OT 797: Level II FW B, the student will be required to retake the course.  Progression in the OTD Program will depend upon successful completion of the second attempt of the fieldwork course.
  • Progression in Relation to Capstone
    • If a student earns a letter grade of C or C+ in OT 811, OT 821, or OT 831, the student will be required to retake one or more of the courses to be eligible for graduation. Fulfillment of the ACOTE D standards and OTD program policy of earning a B or higher is required for OTD program completion and eligibility for graduation.

Full Time Plan of Study

First Year – Fall Semester

OT 701 Doctoral Orientation Camp 1 credit hour
OT 713 Fundamentals of OT Practice 3 credit hours
OT 724 Psychosocial & Cognitive Strategies 3 credit hours
OT 731 OT Theory & Clinical Reasoning 4 credit hours
OT 752 Applied Neuroscience 3 credit hours
OT 765 Systems & Disease 3 credit hours
Total 17 credit hours

First Year – Spring Semester

OT 711 Human Occupations 3 credit hours
OT 741 Evidence-Based Practice 4 credit hours
OT 753 Kinesiology in Rehabilitation 3 credit hours
OT 757 Specialized Evaluation 4 credit hours
OT 761 Pharmacology 2 credit hours
Total 16 credit hours

First Year – Summer Semester

OT 767 Biomechanics of Occupation 3 credit hours
OT 775 Children & Adolescents 4 credit hours
OT 785 Aging 4 credit hours
Total 11 credit hours

Second Year – Fall Semester

OT 743 ADL/Work 3 credit hours
OT 762 Therapeutic Media 2 credit hours
OT 763 Orthopedics in OT 3 credit hours
OT 791 OT Research 3 credit hours
OT 795 Professional Practicum 3 credit hours
OT 801 Doctoral Capstone Development 1 credit hour
Total 15 credit hours

Second Year – Spring Semester

OT 786 Ethics in Rehabilitation 2 credit hours
OT 796 Level II Fieldwork A 6 credit hours
Total 8 credit hours

Second Year – Summer Semester

OT 723 Social Determinates of Health 2 credit hours
OT 797 Level II Fieldwork B 6 credit hours
Total 8 credit hours

Third Year – Fall Semester

OT 751 Professional Trends / Emerging Practice 3 credit hours
OT 771 OT Leadership 3 credit hours
OT 773 Program Evaluation 3 credit hours
OT 781 OT Education 3 credit hours
OT 793 Advanced OT Research 3 credit hours
Total 15 credit hours

Third Year – Spring Semester

OT 811 Doctoral Capstone Experience 6 credit hours
OT 821 Doctoral Capstone Project 3 credit hours
OT 831 Doctoral Capstone Dissemination 1 credit hour
Total 10 credit hours
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Occupational Therapy

Jessica Mason, OTD, OTR/L
Jessica Mason, OTD, OTR/L