Occupational Therapy

OTD

Why study Occupational Therapy?

University of Cincinnati’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy provides students with the opportunity to earn the highest level of education for an entry-level occupational therapist. The program will allow you to sit for the board licensing exam, and once you pass the board exam, and meet additional requirements set forth by the state in which you seek licensure, you will be eligible to work as a licensed occupational therapist (OT). 

The mission of the program is to educate students to become occupation-based clinicians capable of competently and independently evaluating, treating and/or consulting with clients of diverse cultural backgrounds in a variety of settings. In addition, it is the mission of the program to offer flexibility to students by offering courses through a mix of online learning technologies and face-to-face instruction. The program strives for excellence in teaching, service, scholarly activity, and leadership while supporting the professional growth of students, instilling a commitment to lifelong learning, and responding to the needs of the region that it serves. 

This intensive program is designed to prepare students for all areas of OT practice including pediatrics, rehabilitation, gerontology, mental health, and more. UC’s OTD program has partnerships with over 150 fieldwork sites including Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, UC Health, Veterans Medical Center, TriHealth, and more. 

State Authorization

Federal regulations require the University of Cincinnati to publicly disclose whether completion of certain programs that lead or may lead to professional licensure or certification would meet a given state’s educational requirements for a specific professional license or certification required for employment in an occupation (regardless of whether the program is on-ground, online, or hybrid).   To learn whether a University program meets a given state’s educational requirements, please visit the University of Cincinnati State Authorization webpage. 

Admission Requirements

Please visit our Admission Requirements page for detailed information about the application process.

 

Early Admission Opportunities

The OTD program offers two early admission opportunities to qualified students. High school seniors entering the UC Bachelor of Health Sciences – Pre-Occupational Therapy program may apply to the High School Early Assurance Pathway. UC juniors may apply to the Junior Early Assurance Pathway. Students who maintain minimum requirements for these programs have a spot reserved in the OTD program when they graduate. 

Review pass rates on the NBCOT certification examination by state and program level.

The OTD program prepares graduates for a career as an OT. OT's provide preventative and rehabilitation services to individuals of all ages in areas related to successful and satisfying physical, sensory, psychological, social, cognitive, and behavioral performance in meaningful activities (occupations). 

Graduates find careers working with patients across the lifespan in a variety of locations: 

  • hospitals 

  • rehabilitation and long-term care facilities 

  • outpatient clinics 

  • nursing facilities 

  • community based programs 

  • mental health facilities 

It is projected that the number of job opportunities will be particularly higher in hospital, skilled nursing, and community settings as the number of elderly needing occupational therapy is expected to rise in proportion to the increase of the elderly population. 

Application Deadlines

Visit the How to Apply page to find information on application deadlines, how to send your materials, and more. 

 

The University of Cincinnati and all regional campuses are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

UC's OTD 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 www.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 in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination.

Contact Information

Occupational Therapy
Health Sciences Building
3225 Eden Avenue
Cincinnati, OH 45267
(513) 558-7477
occupationaltherapy@uc.edu

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Program Code: 35DOC-OT-OTD