Occupational Therapy OTD
Admissions, Occupational Therapy OTD
Degree: OTD
Location(s): Rhode Island
Start Date: June
Length: 36 months
Credits: 120-122
Admissions
How to Apply
Applicants for the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) Program must apply through the Centralized Application Service for Occupational Therapy Programs (OTCAS). By submitting an OTCAS application, the applicant certifies to Johnson & Wales University (JWU) that all information on their application and supporting documentation is true, correct and complete. Note that JWU does not retain all application materials submitted by the applicant.
Timeline
- Our OTCAS cycle begins in mid-July each year, with a deadline of April 9 the following year.
- JWU will notify you via email when we receive your verified application.
- OTCAS verified applications are reviewed by the OTD Program Admissions Committee to evaluate applicants’ overall qualifications.
- Interviews for qualified candidates will begin in September and continue on a monthly basis until the class fills or April, whichever occurs first. The purpose of the interview is to assess interpersonal and communication skills, as well as overall commitment to the field of occupational therapy.
- Qualified candidates will be offered acceptance into the program. Candidates that are not offered admission after the interview may be placed on a waitlist.
- Deferring entrance is not allowed.
Admission Requirements
- Completed bachelor’s degree (or in the process of completion)
- Exception: students enrolling in one of the bachelor’s/OTD combined programs
- A cumulative GPA of at least 2.8 from an accredited U.S. institution, as calculated by the OTCAS system
- Personal statement
- Three letters of recommendation
- GRE is not required
Prerequisites
Applicants must complete required prerequisite classes listed below with a grade of “C” or better. Applicants who plan to complete these classes prior to OTD enrollment will still be considered. JWU’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate program does not accept Advanced Placement (AP) credits to fulfill prerequisite courses. The program also does not accept experiential learning credits or transfer credit.
After your application has been verified by OTCAS, the OTD Admissions Committee may request a course syllabus to determine if a class fulfills a prerequisite.
- Anatomy and Physiology: A complete year course sequence in anatomy (one semester) and physiology (one semester) is required. Students may take a combined anatomy/physiology sequence, but they must take both semesters in order to fulfill the requirement. Labs are required. (8 credit hours)
- Developmental Psychology: A one-semester psychology course in child and adolescent development, adult development and aging, or lifespan development. (3 credit hours)
- Abnormal Psychology: A one-semester course in abnormal psychology is required. (3 credit hours)
- Statistics: A one-semester course in general statistics is required. Business statistics, psychological statistics or biological science statistics courses are accepted. (3 credit hours)
- Coursework in medical terminology and physics, kinesiology or biomechanics are recommended but not required.
There is no minimum requirement for shadowing or experience in the field.
Matriculation Requirements
Applicants must:
- Obtain a physical exam and provide documented proof of program and university required immunizations as listed in our Graduate Catalog. Program immunization requirements are based on current Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommendations for health professionals. Students may also be required to meet the physical examination requirements of fieldwork sites which may have specific requirements in addition to JWU’s requirements.
- Anticipate a complete background check.
Students entering the OTD program must have a laptop computer with reliable wireless internet access. Both the program and the university use email as the primary method of communication. Students must also be able to access ulearn, the university’s online course management system, for class materials, grades and assignments. Students will be required to log into EXXAT, a cloud-based platform that will help them organize fieldwork and capstone-related materials.
- Hardware:
- Windows-based computers: Intel i3, i5 or i7 generation 8 or higher (for Win11 compatibility)
- Apple-based computers: MacBook Air early 2015 or higher, MacBook Early 2016 or higher (for Monterey OS support)
- Operating System:
- Microsoft Windows 10 or higher
- MacOS 13.0 or higher
- RAM: Minimum of 4GB; Recommended 8GB or higher
- Hard drive: Minimum of 256GB of free hard drive space
Students must have access to and be able to use software that allows them to prepare PowerPoint presentations and Word documents, along with up-to-date virus/malware protection. These are available for free through Office 365 from the university.
Additional information on software available to students and support for its use can be found via JWU IT Support.
Articulation Agreements
JWU’s OTD Program maintains articulation agreements with the following institutions. Interested students should contact the pre-health advisor at their institution.
- Albertus Magnus College
- Assumption University
- Bridgewater State University
- Dean College
- Providence College
- Roger Williams University
- Stonehill College
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Yes, we offer rolling admissions from July until the class fills.
Interviews for qualified candidates will begin in September, and continue on a monthly basis until the class fills or April, whichever occurs first.
Yes, a bachelor’s degree in any field is required prior to matriculation. Our Combined Degrees: Health Science B.S./Occupational Therapy OTD is an exception. This program allows qualified JWU students to earn, in a continuous plan of study, both a B.S. degree in Health Science and an OTD in as little as six years.
Yes, you may still have prerequisite courses in progress when you apply, but all courses must be completed prior to the program start in June.
After your application has been verified by OTCAS, the OTD Admissions Committee may request a course syllabus to determine if a class fulfills a prerequisite.
GRE scores are no longer required for admission.
Yes, community college and online course credit from an accredited institution are acceptable.
The minimum GPA for acceptance into the program is a 2.8, as calculated by the OTCAS system.
You can find tuition costs above. Contact your JWU Financial Planner for assistance.
We do not accept transfer students or transfer credits into the program.
JWU utilizes student fees to cover many components of the program, including student malpractice insurance, criminal investigation checks, lab items, and a NBCOT Certification preparation course (subject to change). Students should anticipate paying for textbooks (online and paper), housing, travel and health insurance, which is required for fieldwork placement.
Students must comply with all program requirements as outlined in the student manual. Some facility requirements exceed what is listed, and students will be responsible for meeting these criteria. These may include additional COVID-19 vaccinations, repeat Criminal Background Checks or other nationwide checks and drug testing.
Questions about admissions?
JWU Graduate Admissions
401-598-1015
gradpvd@admissions.jwu.edu
Nancy Dooley, Ph.D., OTR/L, CDP, FAOTA
Program Director
College of Health & Wellness
401-598-4798
nancy.dooley@jwu.edu