Doctor of Occupational Therapy (Entry-Level)

The George Washington University’s doctor of occupational therapy (OTD) program is an eight-semester full-time entry-level professional program that prepares graduates to deliver evidence informed occupational therapy with a global reach, who advocate for the profession and whose leadership demonstrates a commitment to ensuring occupational justice and inclusive engagement in society.

The program is committed to the development of generalist practitioners prepared to evaluate the contextual factors, current policy issues, and socioeconomic, political, geographic, and demographic factors influencing the delivery of occupational therapy services; to apply therapeutic uses of occupational therapy to a diverse population of individuals, practitioners, communities, and cultures; and to synthesize comprehensive knowledge in the field to provide therapeutic solutions to client’s occupational challenges.

The OTD program is a hybrid online program with one week per month of on-campus experiential activities to develop the clinical competencies for practice. Small classes enable students to engage in critical thinking activities that facilitate effective clinical decision making and problem solving. Faculty members use innovative teaching strategies and integrate clinical experiences to facilitate learning and retention throughout the curriculum.

The GW entry-level OTD program is currently seeking to become accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). The program must receive Candidacy Status to release letters for admission. Then the program must have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on-site accreditation evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status prior to graduating the first group of students in Spring 2025. Graduates from an ACOTE accredited program are eligible to take the national certification examination for occupational therapists administered by the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

Adminssion Requirements

Article	Requirement
Admission deadlines:	Fall – February 15
	The application and all supporting documentation (fees, statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, transcripts, test scores) must be received by the deadline for the application to be reviewed.
	The Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program uses the online application system OTCAS (Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service). Please go to the OTCAS Web site to begin the application process. The fee for using OTCAS is based on the number of programs the applicant designates. A limited number of application fee waivers are available. Meeting OTCAS’ eligibility criterion for a fee waiver does not guarantee a waiver will be granted for supplemental application fees.
	In addition to the OTCAS application, all applicants must submit a GW Supplemental Application to the Health Sciences Office of Admissions.
Recommendations required:	Two (2) recommendations must be submitted with your OTCAS application.
Prior academic records:	Official transcripts from every college and university attended must be submitted directly to OTCAS. All transcripts must be submitted, whether or not a degree was earned.
	All non-U.S. transcripts (including those in English) must be evaluated by World Education Services and submitted directly to OTCAS.
Statement of purpose:	In an essay of 250 to 500 words, please answer the following two questions:
	1) What has prepared you for study in GW OT’s distinct program and curriculum philosophy, mission, and vision?
	2) What has prepared you for study in a hybrid online/on-campus curricular experience?
Additional requirements:	Eligible students must have a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA from a regionally accredited institution. There are no preferred undergraduate majors for occupational therapy if the admission pre-requisite courses are satisfied. Diverse backgrounds and perspectives are welcome at GW and in the profession.
	recommended that pre-requisite courses be taken within the last 5 years. Pre-requisite courses taken over 5 years and professional experiences will be individually assessed. Students must have a minimum B- grade in the following pre-requisite courses:
	Human Anatomy with lab (3 lecture & 1 lab credit) Physiology (3 credits) (Two semesters of a combined Anatomy & Physiology course in lieu of individual Anatomy and Physiology courses)
	Introduction to Psychology (3 credits) (Psychology major in lieu of Intro to Psych; non-Psychology majors cannot use an upper-level Psychology course in lieu of Intro to Psychology requirement; Psychology and non-Psychology majors must have a specific Psychopathology course).
	Psychopathology (3 credits) (Psychology and non-psychology majors must have a specific psychopathology course).
	Lifespan Human Development (3 credits) (One course across the lifespan or two courses across different life phases. Human Development courses are often taken within Psychology or Education courses).
	Introduction to Sociology or Cultural Anthropology (3 credits) (Sociology or Anthropology major in lieu of Intro to Sociology or Cultural Anthropology)
	Statistics (3 credits) (Statistics, Biostatistics, or Basic Research Methodology course may satisfy this requirement).
	Before applying, all applicants are required to review the Technical Standards/Essential Functions for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program (https://occupationaltherapy.smhs.gwu.edu/eotd-technical-standards-essential-functions) and the Criminal Background Check and Drug Screening Policy (https://smhs.gwu.edu/academics/health-sciences/academics/admissions/background-checks-and-drug-screenings).
International applicants only:	Please review International Applicant Information (https://graduate.admissions.gwu.edu/international-student-application-requirements) carefully for details on required documents and English language requirements.
	PLEASE NOTE that the Health Sciences programs require the following minimum English language test scores for admission:
	• Academic IETLS: an overall band score of 7.0 with no individual band score below 6.0; or
	• TOEFL: 600 on paper-based or 100 on Internet-based; or
	PTE Academic: 68

Supporting Documents not Submitted Online should be Mailed to:
Office of Admissions
Health Sciences Programs
The George Washington University
2600 Virginia Avenue
Suite 104
Washington, DC 20037

Alternatively, official electronic transcripts can be sent to hsphora@gwu.edu

Contact for Questions:
hsphora@gwu.edu ~  202-994-0384 (phone) ~ 202-994-0870 (fax)
9:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday

The following requirements must be fulfilled:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Curricular Sequence
Semester 1 (fall)
OT 8000	Neuroscience for Rehabilitation
OT 8010	Human Conditions
OT 8101	Human Occupation I
OT 8110	Group Dynamics
OT 8111	Social and Population Conditions
Semester 2 (spring)
OT 8001	Movement Science
OT 8002	Human Development and Behavior
OT 8102	Human Occupation II
OT 8501	Research in Occupational Therapy Practice I
OT 8401	Occupational Therapy Fieldwork I
Semester 3 (summer session)
OT 8201	Occupational Therapy for Mental Health
OT 8231	Case Analysis I
OT 8310	Advocacy and Systems of Occupational Therapy Care
OT 8402	Occupational Therapy Fieldwork II
OT 8502	Research in Occupational Practice II
Semester 4 (fall)
OT 8202	Occupational Therapy for Children and Youth
OT 8232	Case Analysis II
OT 8311	Leadership and Management
OT 8403	Occupational Therapy Fieldwork III
OT 8503	Research in OT Practice III
Semester 5 (spring)
OT 8203	Occupational Therapy for Adult Rehabilitation
OT 8204	Occupational Therapy and Technology
OT 8233	Case Analysis III
OT 8404	Occupational Therapy Fieldwork IV
OT 8601	Doctoral Experience I
Semester 6 (summer session)
OT 8234	Case Analysis IV
OT 8405	Fieldwork Experience I
OT 8602	Doctoral Experience II
Semester 7 (fall)
OT 8312	Reflective Practitioner
OT 8406	Fieldwork Experience II
OT 8603	Doctoral Experience III
Semester 8 (spring)
OT 8604	Doctoral Experience IV
OT 8313	Professional Development