Program and Retention Requirements

Sapna Chakraborty, Department Head and Program Director
O'Reilly Clinical Health Sciences Center, Room 203B
Phone: 417-836-8749
SapnaChakraborty@missouristate.edu

Program Description

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy, Entry-Level curriculum prepares students to be reflective practitioners in traditional and emerging areas of practice. Occupational therapists work with persons, groups, and populations across the lifespan to promote and facilitate participation in all aspects of daily life through the therapeutic use of occupations (life activities). The entry-level doctoral program prepares graduates to practice in a variety of settings such as hospitals, homes, private practice, rehabilitation facilities, schools, community organizations, government or global agencies, industry, academia, and research centers. Doctoral students will complete an independent Capstone project of their choosing to demonstrate the ability to synthesize and apply in-depth knowledge of an area of occupational therapy.

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy, Postprofessional curriculum is for individuals who hold certification and licensure as occupational therapists. The OTD program will provide postprofessional graduate education opportunities to currently practicing occupational therapists with a bachelor or a master’s degree and are interested in advancing their professional careers within the following focus areas: clinical practice, research skills, administration, program and policy development, advocacy, education, and theory development. The postprofessional curriculum is online and can be completed on a part-time or full-time basis while maintaining employment.

Accreditation

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must be granted Candidacy Status, have a pre accreditation 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. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork as well as an individual 14-week capstone experience within 24 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as well as completion of preparatory activities defined in 2018 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3.

Entry Level Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program, a prospective student must apply to the MSU Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program via the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Services (OTCAS) (www.otcas.org).

Admission to the OTD Program is competitive; not all that apply will be admitted. Students who are not accepted into the program may apply for the next application deadline. Complete applications will be reviewed by the OTD Program Admissions Committee. A select number of applicants will be invited for a personal interview.

Selection for an interview and final admission decisions will be based on the following:

Submission of an application to the OTCAS that must include a personal statement (following OTCAS requirements); two letters of recommendation that include one letter from an academic source (advisor, instructor, etc.), and one letter from a licensed occupational therapist, documented evidence of a minimum of 20 hours of observation of occupational therapy. Observation in at least two different areas of practice is encouraged.
Attainment of a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of no less than 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
For international applicants, submission of proof of English proficiency. Refer to both Graduate College and International Services websites (https://graduate.missouristate.edu/ or https://international.missouristate.edu/services/).
Possession of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution prior to matriculation. The undergraduate degree may be in any field, but students must complete the following prerequisites (or their equivalents) listed below with a “C” or higher prior to entering the program:
English: 6 hrs (ENG 110 and ENG 210 (GEC 105)
College Algebra or higher: 3 hrs (MTH 134 or higher)
Statistics: 3 hrs (MTH 340, MTH 545, QBA 237, PSY 200, SOC 302, BIO 550)
Introductory Chemistry with lab: 4-5 hrs (CHM 116 and CHM 117 or CHM 160 and CHM 161)
Introductory Psychology: 3 hrs (PSY 121)
Abnormal Psychology: 3 hrs (PSY 304)
Human Development over the Lifespan: 3 hrs (CFD 155; may be met by completing sequence of courses covering development across the lifespan in Psychology – PSY 331, PSY 350, and PSY 441)
General Biology/Biomedical Sciences with lab: 4-5 hrs (BIO 121, or BMS 110 and BMS111)
Human Anatomy with lab: 4 hrs (BMS 307)**
Human Physiology with lab: 4 hrs (BMS 308)**
**If students take a combined course, it must be taken across two semesters for a total of at least 8 credit hours to meet admission criteria; a single combined anatomy and physiology course WILL NOT be accepted.
Introductory Sociology or Cultural Anthropology: 3 hrs (SOC 150, ANT 125)
Medical Terminology: 1-3 hrs (LLT 102)
U.S. Government or U.S. History: 3 hrs (PLS 101, HST 121, HST 122)

Postprofessional Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission to the postprofessional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program, a prospective student must apply to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program via the MSU’s main application, GradCAS (https://www.missouristate.edu/FutureStudents/graduate-application.htm).

Only applicants accepted into the OTD program will be required to apply to the MSU Graduate College. The OTD program admissions committee will review complete applications. A select number of students will be invited for video-conference interviews.

Selection for an interview and final admission decisions will be based on the following:

Possession of a license in occupational therapy with the equivalent of one year of clinical practice.
Possession of a bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy or a master’s degree in Occupational Therapy and a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of no less than 3.00 on a 4.00 scale.
Submission of a transcript from the institution where the highest degree in Occupational Therapy was conferred.
Submission of a copy of the current state occupational therapy license or international equivalent.
Submission of a copy of current NBCOT certification or international equivalent (Graduation from the World Federation of Occupational Therapy program).
Submission of a current curricular vitae.
Submission of two letters of recommendation from professional colleagues who can speak to the applicant's intellectual ability, professional competence, and leadership ability. At least one letter must be from an occupational therapist.
Submission of a personal statement.
For international applicants, submission of proof of English proficiency. Refer to both Graduate College and International Services websites: https://graduate.missouristate.edu/ and https://international.missouristate.edu/Services/requirements-for-graduate- admissions.htm.

OTD Transfer of Credit Policy

On a case-by-case basis, the OTD Admissions Committee may accept graduate credit earned at a regionally accredited entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy program. Acceptance of transfer credits on a graduate degree program occurs through recommendation of the student's major advisor at the institution of program of study, the OTD Admissions Committee, and approval of the MSU Graduate College. Transfer hours may count for up to 30% of the Program of Study. Transfer credits must have been earned within five-years of the time of admission to the OTD program. Grades on transfer courses accepted in the degree program are included in the overall graduate grade point average.

A student requesting transfer credit is responsible for providing an official course syllabus from the school from which the student received the academic credit. The syllabus will be reviewed in terms of the doctoral level standards assigned to the MSU course. If the objectives are directly aligned with the MSU OTD objectives for the course and the student earned a B or higher, transfer credit may be granted for an MSU OTD course.

OTD Experiential Learning/Work Experience Related Policy

Work experience will not be awarded credits required to graduate from the OTD program. The OTD admission committee and the program director will determine if previous work experience may be counted as the observation or volunteer hours needed for admission to the program.

OTD Advance Placement Policy

Advanced (accelerated) course placement in the entry-level OTD Program is not offered. This does not refer to high school advanced placement (AP) credits, which may or may not be applied toward OTD Program prerequisites: https://www.missouristate.edu/admissions/advancedplacement.htm

OTD Additional Requirements

Once accepted to the OTD program, all students must provide the following:

A non-refundable confirmation deposit of $500 to the OTD program to reserve a seat in the incoming class. Upon admission into the OTD program, this fee will be applied to the fall session tuition.
Current CPR and AED certification.
Evidence of current physical examination indicating good physical health, a TB skin test or chest X-ray, and up-to-date immunizations (MMR, tetanus, and a complete Hepatitis B Series).
A Signed acknowledgment of the capacity to meet the technical standards and tasks required of an occupational therapist.
Ongoing security checks and annual drug screening required by clinical agencies. Students must submit drug screening test and criminal record check and receive a response that the student has not been convicted of any crime according to Section 660.317 RSMO or other disqualifications that would prohibit licensure as a Registered Occupational Therapist.
Students who fail these checks or procedures will be subject to further review by the OTD program admissions committee. This may result in dismissal from the OTD program.
Evidence of professional association memberships, liability insurance, and health insurance.
Signed acknowledgment of The American Occupational Therapy Association’s Occupational Therapy Code of Ethics and Ethics Standards to which all OTD students will adhere.

OTD Retention Requirements

After admission into the OTD Program, a student must achieve the following for retention in the program:

Maintain a GPA of 3.00, with no more than 9 semester hours of graduate work below a grade of "B", and no hours of graduate work below a "C".
Demonstrate acceptable levels of maturity and integrity, as well as behaviors and attitudes normally expected of healthcare professionals.
Demonstrate acceptable professional progression in application of skills and knowledge.
Maintain current health and liability insurance.
Maintain current CPR and AED certification.
Must complete Doctoral Capstone Experience and Project requirements.
Must complete the program within seven years of the start of the program.
Approval of the plan of study by the Program Director.

Additionally, entry-level OTD students must complete Level II Fieldwork and experiential requirements within 24 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.

Students who fail to meet the retention criteria may:

Be placed on academic, professional, or clinical probation in the OTD program.
Be dismissed from the program, based on the judgment of the Program Director, and OT Faculty Retention Committee.

Students who fail to meet the probationary criteria or are dismissed from the program are not eligible for readmission into the OTD Program. Students have the right to follow the University's appeal process on any disciplinary sanction received. Students should refer to the Missouri State University Occupational Therapy Student Handbook for additional policies and procedures.

Doctoral Capstone Experience and Project (7 hours)

Student must complete doctoral capstone experience and project to graduate from the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program.

Entry-Level (99 hours)

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
OTE 610	Foundations and Theory in Occupational Therapy	4 hrs
OTE 612	Occupational Developmemt Through the Lifespan	3 hrs
OTE 615	Professional Communication and Documentation	2 hrs
OTE 620	Psychosocial Perspectives in Occuptational Therpay Practice	3 hrs
OTE 640	Evidence-Based Practice	2 hrs
OTE 645	Clinical Gross Anatomy	5 hrs
OTE 646	Neuroscience	4 hrs
OTE 650	Clincial Beomechanics in Human Performance	3 hrs
OTE 720	Cognition and Occupations Through the Life Span	3 hrs
OTE 725	Environment Adaptations and Assistive Technology	2 hrs
OTE 730	Enablers and Barriers: Adult Occupations	4 hrs
OTE 731	Essentials of Research Methods	2 hrs
OTE 732	Applied Research Methods in Healthcare	1 hr
OTE 745	Therapeutic Skills I: Adult Practice	4 hrs
OTE 746	Management and Policy in Occupational Therapy Practice	3 hrs
OTE 749	Enablers and Barriers: Pediatric Occupations	4 hrs
OTE 750	Therapeutic Sills II: Pediatric Practice	4 hrs
OTE 760	Specialty Topics	4 hrs
OTE 761	Level I Fieldwork Seminar	6 hrs
OTE 765	Community and Health Practice in Occupational Therapy	3 hrs
OTE 780	Fieldwork Level II- Part I	6 hrs
OTE 790	Fieldwork Level II - Part 2	6 hrs
OTE 798	Research Project	3 hrs
OTE 861	Occupational Therapist as an Educator	2 hrs
OTE 880	Doctoral Capstone I: Project Planning	2 hrs
OTE 881	Doctoral Capstone II: Project Proposal	1 hr
OTE 901	Advanced Ethics and Advocacy	3 hrs
OTE 921	Cultural and Contextual Influences	3 hrs
OTE 980	Doctoral Capstone III: Experience and Project	7 hrs

Postprofessional (55 hrs)

Foundation Courses (17 hours)

Foundation courses may be taken from the department’s master’s degree program (courses listed below). Students who hold a master’s degree in occupational therapy can be admitted with advanced standing and may not be required to complete additional foundation courses.

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
OTE 610	Foundations and Theory in Occupational Therapy	4 hrs
OTE 646	Neuroscience	4 hrs
OTE 731	Essentials of Research Methods	2 hrs
OTE 720	Cognition and Occupations through the Lifespan	3 hrs
OTE 732	Applied Research Methods in Healthcare	1 hr
OTE 765	Community and Health Practice in Occupational Therapy	3 hrs

Core courses (38 hours)

Course Code	Course Title	Credit Hours
OTE 640	Evidence-Based Practice	2 hrs
OTE 760	Specialty Topics	3 hrs
OTE 860	Advanced Clinical Practice	3 hrs
OTE 861	Occupational Therapist as an Educator	2 hrs
OTE 880	Doctoral Capstone I: Project Planning	2 hrs
OTE 881	Doctoral Capstone II: Project Proposal	1 hr
OTE 921	Cultural and Contextual Influences	3 hrs
OTE 965	Health Disparities and Social Determinants of Health	3 hrs
OTE 980	Doctoral Capstone III: Experience and Project	7 hrs
	Additional Hours in Focus Areas (Graduate Certificate)	12 hrs

Two paths for completion

Doctor of Occupational Therapy