Occupational therapists help people be as independent as possible in everyday life (their daily occupations).
At Utah Tech, the occupational therapy curriculum provides learners with an eclectic, dynamic and responsive set of client-centered skills to meet the diverse needs of individuals and communities.
The entry-level nature of the program means that the program prepares students to enter the workforce. Occupational therapy is an evidence-based health care profession deeply rooted in science that helps people across the lifespan adapt to injury, illness, or disability. Occupational therapy helps people function in all of their environments (e.g., home, work, school, and community) and addresses the physical, psychological, and cognitive aspects of their well-being through engagement in occupation (everyday activities). Thus, the program seeks to produce a graduate who has acquired the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for entry into the profession of occupational therapy.
The program is full-time with classes held at various times throughout the day.
The occupational therapy curriculum was developed with the University’s mission, mission-aligned core instructional methods (Active Learning, Applied Learning, Authentic Learning, Inclusive Pedagogy/Andragogy, and Student-centered) and Institutional Learning Outcomes (Skills, Knowledge, Innovation, Responsibility, and G.R.I.T. or growth mindset, relationship building, intentional learning, tenacity) as integral parts that are central to the educational process. The profile of the occupational therapy graduate as envisioned by the program is depicted below.
The curricular content is grounded in the history, theories, and science of occupation; it is this crucial foundational content that is addressed in the initial phase of the curriculum sequence. Its early placement establishes students’ perspectives as occupational therapists, and “occupation” as the encompassing context in which all other content is perceived and integrated. Occupation is reiterated, applied, and expanded within each later course, with increasing complexity and elaboration. The initial phase of the curriculum sequence also includes advanced studies of the science of the human body and the conditions that affect it.
Content related to applied science/conditions (e.g., mental and physical conditions) are integrated throughout the curriculum to provoke learning of client-specific occupational therapy issues. This organization requires that students relate information across areas of practice and diagnostic groups, and integrate learning from earlier courses into successively more complex treatment planning situations, ultimately preparing them to address the complex situations facing occupational therapists in practice and research.
During the final phases of the curriculum sequence, students complete two 12-week clinical fieldwork in practice settings, some of which may be rural areas, and an in-depth doctoral experiential component or Capstone. The Capstone Experience, requires the student to apply the knowledge and skills developed in courses and clinical fieldwork rotations to the design and implementation of an applied and innovative capstone project in response to an identified need in the field.
During the final phases of the curriculum sequence, students complete two 12-week clinical fieldwork in practice settings, some of which may be rural areas. Our goal is to provide local fieldwork opportunities as available; however, you may be required to relocate for fieldwork experiences. All students must be prepared for this possibility or have travel time of one hour or more to their site. Costs may include transportation to and from fieldwork site, travel, parking, housing, and meals.
The mission of Utah Tech’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) Program is to prepare competent, inclusive, and resilient occupational therapists who pursue lifelong learning for personal and professional growth as creators, innovators, and evidence-based caring practitioners that enhance the health and well-being of local and global communities.
To rise as a preeminent leader in occupational therapy education by offering a program of study that puts students first and enables exceptional student learning through reflection, discovery, and innovation.
Admission requirements
For admission into the OTD Program at Utah Tech, you must meet the following requirements:
Hold a B.A. or B.S. degree from a regionally accredited institution or the equivalent for international students with the following prerequisites (with grade of C or higher and an overall GPA of at least 3.0).
Prerequisite coursework must be completed at a regionally accredited institution within the past 10 years (with a required GPA at least 3.0 and no single grade lower than a C) View prerequisite courses
20 Observation Hours or the Introduction to Occupational Therapy course must be completed. Further details
All bachelor’s degree and prerequisite coursework must be completed prior to the first day of class in the Occupational Therapy curriculum.
GRE scores are not required for admission to our program.
To be competitive, please be sure to state any pertinent volunteer hours and work experience on OTCAS.
Technical standards form (will be made available upon acceptance).
Criminal background check**
* Please note that in addition to fees incurred from OTCAS, there is a $50 graduate application fee required by Utah Tech University. ** Can be completed between acceptance and program start.
The OTCAS application requires several written statements:
A personal statement (this statement is shared with all programs that you apply to through OTCAS)
Three supplemental statements (Required by Utah Tech University)
Three letters of recommendation are required by Utah Tech University. One of which must be from a healthcare professional; preferably from an occupational therapist.
A minimum of 20 hours of observation or an Intro to Occupational Therapy Course
Official transcripts from all institutions attended post high school.
International Students
Applicants with a degree from an international institution must hold the equivalent of an U.S. bachelor’s degree and submit a course-by-course evaluation to OTCAS conducted by World Education Services (WES). Only WES evaluations submitted to OTCAS will be reviewed.
Language Requirements:
Applicants whose native language is not English or whose academic study was done exclusively at non-English speaking institutions must prove English proficiency by providing either official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). TOEFL results must be entered in OTCAS.
With a total of 108 credits required to complete the program, resident students can expect to pay $75,600 in tuition, while non-resident students will pay $113,400.
In addition to tuition, there are student fees of $404 per semester ($33.67 per credit hour). As the program spans 8 semesters, these fees amount to $3,097.2 for both resident and non-resident students.
Utah Tech University Graduate Studies Application Fee – $50
This fee is collected after acceptance into the Utah Tech OTD Program.
Current Cost
OTD Program Fall 2024
OTD Program Spring 2025
OTD Program Summer 2025
Total Cost of Program
(3-yr program
2024-2027)
Tuition Resident/Non-Resident
$11,250/$15,750
$11,250/$15,750
$7,500/$10,500
$81,000/$115,744.20
Student Fees
$404
$404
$336.60
$3,097.2
Books and Supplies
$300
$300
$300
$2,400
Distance Ed Fees
$0
$0
$0
$0
Total Cost
$11,954
$11,954
$8,136.60
$86,497.20/$121,241.4
*Tuition and fees are subject to change upon curriculum and semester credit hour changes and yearly review. Total Cost of attendance based on an estimated 3% annual increase, actual amounts could be higher or lower.*
NBCOT Program Statistics
The Utah Tech Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program does not yet have a graduating class or NBCOT statistics.
6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
The program must be granted Candidacy Status, 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.