Doctor of Occupational Therapy
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Occupational therapists help people overcome difficulties, gain independence, and live healthier, fuller lives by engaging in meaningful home and community activities. Our Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program is designed to prepare you for occupational therapy practice and leadership. Across your courses, you will explore how to design and implement occupation-based and culturally responsive interventions that support the well-being of your patients and the larger community. You’ll gain familiarity with working in and with various settings and client demographics.
The Doctor of Occupational Therapy program requires successful completion of 30 courses for 135 quarter credit hours. Students admitted to the program can complete the degree in 2 years of full-time study. The curriculum combines online learning, immersive on-campus lab experiences in Atlanta or Knoxville, and occupational therapy fieldwork in approved sites. The program capstone is a research project that students align with their interests and goals.
Develop Essential Skills In
- Patient screening and evaluation best practices
- Evidence-based care for patients across the lifespan
- Research methods, design, and analysis
- Professional leadership and advocacy
- Community-based practice and health promotion
See all Occupational Therapy Programs
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Tuition and Fees
Available Locations
Examples of Scholarships and Grants That May Be Available (Check with Your Campus Financial Aid Office For More Information)
Concentrations in this Program
Ready For Your Next Step?
You May Enjoy This Line of Study If…
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Want to help people develop or master everyday skills for independent, satisfying lives -
Are fascinated with how the human body moves, recovers, and functions -
Like coming up with plans and programs to benefit individuals and communities -
Can be professional, empathetic, and ethical in all situations -
Feel driven to provide holistic quality patient care and support
Additional Information
Mission
The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program mission is to cultivate diverse doctor of occupational therapy practitioners who understand, apply, and model with confidence the distinct values of the occupational therapy profession. This includes, but is not limited to, demonstrating professionalism, critical reasoning, best-practice skills, empathy, mindfulness, and evidence in the design, development, and implementation of occupation-based and culturally responsive interventions, and to improve occupational performance, health, and well-being of individuals and populations in traditional and emerging practice areas.
Student Learning Outcomes
The Doctor of Occupational Therapy program is designed to prepare you to:
- Engage in therapeutic practice that reflects the distinct value of the Occupational Therapy profession across the lifespan, for individuals, groups, and populations and contexts.
- Employ systems thinking to select appropriate interventions in settings where occupational therapy is currently practiced and where it is emerging as a service.
- Apply evidence-based assessments and interventions to improve occupational performance and provide client-centered care within contexts.
- Demonstrate the requisite skills to function effectively as a collaborative member of intra and interprofessional healthcare teams.
- Demonstrate transformational leadership and advocacy while engaging with individuals, groups, organizations, and populations.
- Perform as reflective practitioners who are committed to lifelong learning and scholarship.
OTD Level II Fieldwork and Capstone Requirement
The following statement from the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) provides guidance on completion timeline requirements for the fieldwork and capstone components of the OTD educational program:
Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork and an individual 14-week capstone experience within 12 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework, Level II fieldwork, and preparatory activities as defined in 2023 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.H3o.
Admission Requirements
In order to be considered for admission to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at South College, the following criteria must be met:
- Complete a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to classes beginning. Admission may be granted pending completion of the degree.
- Complete all required prerequisite courses.
- Pre-requisite grade point average (GPA) must be 3.00 GPA or greater on a 4.00 scale.
- Grades below “C” (2.0) in prerequisite courses will not be accepted.
- If a prerequisite course is repeated, the credit hours assigned to the course may be counted only once in fulfilling the required number of hours. The prerequisite GPA will be determined using the highest course grade achieved; however, both grades will be calculated into the cumulative GPA.
- Evidence a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.00 or greater on a 4.00 scale.
- If cumulative GPA is less than 3.00 on a 4.00 scale, an applicant may still be eligible for admission if a GPA of 3.00 or greater is demonstrated for the last 60 credits and life experience(s)/non-academic factors demonstrated during or following undergraduate education that support growth and success within an accelerated, hybrid OTD program as determined by the South College OTD Admissions Department.
- Application may be submitted, and a conditional acceptance may be awarded, during enrollment in an undergraduate degree program or completion of prerequisite course work as long as courses are successfully completed by enrollment.
- Submit a minimum of two (2) references from the following (references cannot include family, friends, clergy, or politicians):
- licensed occupational therapist (at least one letter required).
- academic advisor/professor.
- supervisor/employer.
- Evidence of at least 40 hours of OT observation in two different practice areas completed by a certain date provided by the program.
- Evidence successful completion of OTCAS essay consistent with technical standards.
- For all applicants for whom English is not their first language or those who have completed a degree and prerequisite courses in a foreign country, demonstration of English language proficiency is required through completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).
- Successful completion of an admission interview. Applicants are selected for interviews based on a holistic evaluation of their application and supporting documents.
- Evidence of ability to fulfill the Technical Standards for admission outlined in the OTD program information in the South College Catalog.
- Completion and receipt of an acceptable Criminal Background Check (CBC) prior to matriculation.
Due to the way that the South College OTD program is classified according to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, our students are not eligible for educational visas. Accordingly, we are only able to admit applicants who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents.
Pre-requisite courses:
- Human Anatomy & Physiology Lecture and Lab I (6 quarter hours/4 semester hours)
- Human Anatomy & Physiology Lecture and Lab II (6 quarter hours/4 semester hours)
- Statistics (4.5 quarter hours/3 semester hours)
- Two (2) English (9 quarter hours/6 semester hours)
- Communications (4.5 quarter hours/3 semester hours)
- General Psychology (4.5 quarter hours/3 semester hours)
- Human Growth & Development/Lifespan Development/Developmental Psychology (4.5 quarter hours/3 semester hours)
- Abnormal Psychology (4.5 quarter hours/3 semester hours)
- Medical Terminology (3 quarter hours/2 semester hours)
- Sociology or Social/Behavioral Science (4.5 quarter hours/3 semester hours)
Applicant ranking rubric is utilized for cohort admission.
Graduation Requirements
Graduation requirements for the program are as follows:
For a student to graduate from the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program, the student must be in good academic and professional standing, have had satisfactory progress in all quarters of the academic program, and satisfactorily complete the following:
- Satisfactorily complete all courses with a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0.
- On approval of faculty, successfully complete the Capstone Project and Experience.
- Complete and pass all Level-II Fieldwork Experiences.
- Abide by all college rules and regulations and settle any financial obligations to the college prior to graduation.
- Complete the Graduate Exit Survey.
Matriculation and attendance at South College are privileges granted to the student in consideration of performance of specified assignments and the maintenance of established standards of personal and professional conduct. The College reserves the right, and the student by the act of matriculation concedes to the College the right, to require withdrawal at any time the College deems it necessary to safeguard the standards of scholarship, conduct, and compliance with regulations, or for such other reasons deemed appropriate by the College as set forth in the program manual and/or the South College Catalog.
Occupational Therapist Licensure
All 50 states in the United States plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam require occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants to be licensed to provide occupational therapy services. A license grants you the legal privilege to practice occupational therapy in the state in which you are licensed.
Your occupational therapy license is not the same as the certification that you earn by passing the exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).
Some states have unique licensure requirements. For example, a jurisprudence exam is required in some states to test the graduate’s knowledge of state laws, rules, and practice acts that govern occupational therapy practice. Some require satisfactory background checks. These unique requirements are not associated with preparation in the South College program.
The following link provides information regarding licensing:
Learn the steps to occupational therapy state licensure. | AOTA
The core aspects of licensure include:
- Graduate from an ACOTE-accredited educational program
- Complete fieldwork requirements
- Pass the NBCOT Certification Exam
- Complete all state specific licensing requirements and pay a fee
Accreditation
South College Atlanta and Knoxville Campus are seeking accreditation of a new occupational therapist education program from Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy (ACOTE). South College’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program is currently in applicant status to submit a candidacy application by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. Upon review of that Application, ACOTE grants, defers action on, or denies Candidacy Status. Although the designation “Candidacy Status” is not a guarantee of accreditation, it does indicate that the resource allocation and plan for development of the proposed program appears to demonstrate the ability to meet the applicable ACOTE Standards if fully implemented as planned. Candidacy Status must be granted before students may be admitted or notified of admission to the program and is required in order for the program to proceed.Upon receiving full accreditation, this program’s graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT), Inc. An individual will be considered an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR) following successful completion of the above-mentioned exam. Though most states require licensure to practice, the state licenses are usually contingent on successful passage of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination as well as eligibility to obtain state licensure. For further questions, one may reach ACOTE by phone c/o AOTA, at (301) 652-6611 x1184.
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Yes! South College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award degrees at the doctorate, educational specialist, master's, baccalaureate, and associate levels, as well as certificates. With over 100 programs and concentrations and campuses on multiple states the state authorizations have been obtained. Visit the link to see the full listing. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the appropriate licensing board to confirm whether a South College program will meet the requirements for professional licensure in that state. South College will assist with this information for fully online programs. For onground/hybrid programs, the institution ensures that the program meets requirements for the state in which the campus is located.
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Since its founding 140 years ago, South College‘s mission has been to serve students who want a hands-on, professional focused education. Today this means offering traditional classroom experiences along with accelerated, hybrid, and online learning options. It means small class sizes, modern labs, and campuses that are convenient to large numbers of students. Most of all, it means experienced instructors who provide real world experiences in their classes and lead in-depth discussions on the concepts taught. South College also offers non-traditional distance-learning programs, allowing students to earn a college degree online providing more flexibility with the same level of quality education and experience from all academic programs offered. This option is great for potential students who are working a full-time job or are not in travel distance to one of the learning sites. Online vs. campus? You decide. Get the student experience you desire in the program that fits your style best on your road to success!
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As an institution of higher education, South College recognizes its responsibility to society and supports both institutional and individual commitments to service. South College encourages its administration, faculty, and staff to invest their knowledge, experience, and expertise in community, professional, and institutional service. South College’s core values of excellence, responsibility, and integrity serve as the foundation for assessing the quality of institutional, school/departmental, and individual performance in achieving this mission. South College is grateful for the service and sacrifice of our military and their families. We are happy to provide the South College Military Grant to support our military – past and present – in the pursuit of their education and skill development. The South College Application Fee is waived for all active-duty military members, veterans, their spouses, and their dependent children who receive this Grant.
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