Doctor of Occupational Therapy (Entry-Level)

GW's doctor of occupational therapy program is an entry-level professional program offered full-time over eight semesters in a hybrid format.

Students are required to meet for approximately five days across two different weeks per month for on-campus residency and experiential activities to develop the clinical competencies for practice. The small class size enables 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 program prepares graduates to deliver evidence-informed occupational therapy with a global reach. As leaders, they advocate for the profession and demonstrate 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. Graduates are prepared 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 clients’ occupational challenges.

The entry-level occupational therapy program is currently seeking accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, and it has been granted candidacy status. Candidacy status permits GW to enroll students in the program. The program will have a pre-accreditation review and complete an on-site accreditation evaluation prior to the final review and final accreditation status decision that will allow GW to graduate the first cohort of students in spring 2025. Graduates from an Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education accredited program are eligible to take the national certification examination for occupational therapists administered by the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy.

For further information about accreditation contact:

Supporting documents not submitted online should be mailed to:

Office of Admissions
Health Sciences Programs
The George Washington University
2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Suite 2000
Washington, DC 20006

For questions contact:

hsphora@gwu.edu
202-994-0384
9:00am to 5:00pm, Monday through Friday

The following requirements must be fulfilled: 107 credits, including 104 credits in required courses and 3 credits in elective courses.