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7.5 TERMS | 2 YEARS AND 5 1/2 MONTHS, FULL-TIME
SPRING: JANUARY 9TH, 2023
Graduates of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program (pending WSCUC and ACOTE approval1) will be agents of excellence who thrive in a student-centered curriculum with an emphasis on wellness promotion, health equity, inter-professional collaboration, lifelong learning, and evidence-based care in occupation-centered practice. The OTD at SCU offers a unique blend of primarily remote learning with on-campus experiences over 7 1/2 terms (approximately 2 ½ years) of classroom and experiential learning.
SCU’s unique curriculum structure combines 80% online interactive lectures and 20% on-campus experiential learning.
Students engage in clinical activities to improve practice quality and advance evidence-based care at SCU’s University Health Center and other Fieldwork sites. SCU Health provides a wide variety of care to over 45,000 patients per year. All Fieldwork sites are in California, so there is no need to travel out of state.
Interact with students from other programs while in interprofessional coursework so you can learn and excel side-by-side.
Students with at least 90 credits from a U.S. Department of Education (USDE) recognized institution can be accepted into the program.
The curriculum includes modalities courses for adult and pediatric populations. These courses help train students in physical agent modalities and may be used as educational hours towards the California PAM certificate upon approval.
The clinical driving simulator allows students to retrain and test the critical skills needed for clients to get back behind the wheel. The hours of safe and virtually stress-less driving simulator practice can help clients regain their confidence.
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). The curriculum embeds exam prep questions throughout core courses and after successful completion of this exam and all requirements of the didactic experiential component of the program, the student can take the NBCOT exam necessary for becoming an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR®).
Expected growth between 2018 and 20282
U.S. News & World Report Best Health Care Jobs4
Median annual wage for occupational therapists in the Los Angeles area3
The American Occupational Therapy Association has produced an informative video titled “What Can Occupational Therapy Do For You?”. If you are interested in learning more about this career please visit the link attached above.
1 DOCTORAL-DEGREE-LEVEL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAM (Applicant Program). 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.
2 Based on O*Net 2018-2028
3 Based on O*Net 2020 wage data
4 https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/occupational-therapist
Accreditation confirms that SCU programs, faculty, resources, and partnerships are meeting or exceeding national standards for education. Southern California University of Health Sciences is accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 1001 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 402, Alameda, CA 94501. Phone: (510) 748-9001.
DOCTORAL-DEGREE-LEVEL OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAM (Applicant Program). 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.
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 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.
Applications must be submitted through the OTCAS portal.
Applications may be submitted with pending requirements; however, applications will not be reviewed until all requirements are met. Eligible applications with all the completed prerequisite coursework including transcripts for undergraduate credit hours will be reviewed upon submission.
The OTD program does not offer advanced placement. Transfer students are not accepted.
Email OccupationalTherapy@scuhs.edu with any questions.
U.S. bachelor’s degree or higher from a regionally accredited college or university. A regionally accredited college or university is an institution that holds active accreditation recognized by the Department of Education.
In addition to the other prerequisites listed below, you may apply for the OTD program if you have completed a minimum of 90 undergraduate credit hours with a combination of science and liberal arts coursework from an accredited institution and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 and above.
SCU’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program is currently not enrolling international students.
All prerequisite courses must be completed at a regionally accredited college or university. Official transcripts verifying successful course completion must be uploaded by OTCAS by December 15, 2022. Applications may be submitted with pending prerequisite courses, however, the application will not be reviewed until the official transcript for each pending course is uploaded by OTCAS.
Pass/fail grades will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, however, please note that pass/fail grades are not calculated into the OTCAS GPA.
Core science courses must be completed with a minimum 3.0 grade or above. Each course used to satisfy the requirements below must include a lab and have been completed no earlier than 7 years from the current admissions cycle. Introductory level courses are accepted, but upper-level courses are preferred. Online courses and labs are accepted.
*A combination human anatomy & physiology course will be accepted, however, you cannot use the same course to fulfill both the anatomy and physiology prerequisites. If not titled “Human”, a course description must demonstrate a human focus.
Online courses and labs are accepted.
*Any course not titled “English Composition” must be a writing-intensive course that includes instruction on comprehension, investigation, evaluation, explanation, and refutation.
*The core science prerequisite GPA includes human anatomy and human physiology.
Applicants are expected to demonstrate professionalism in their interactions with the program and our faculty and staff. Applicants who demonstrate unprofessional behavior at any time will not be considered for admission.
The following guidelines are recommended for letters of reference. It is imperative the persons providing references are able to provide specific examples of strengths and accomplishments. One reference should be from a person who can address intellectual and academic abilities. One reference should be from a supervisor in a professional or other work capacity who can address work performance, service commitment, or other areas of background that may be pertinent.
Academic or licensure infractions, misdemeanors, and/or felonies may prohibit participation in required supervised clinical practice, eligibility to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Exam and/or eligibility for state licensure. Due to this, all academic or licensure infractions, misdemeanors, and/or felonies must be disclosed on OTCAS and will be assessed by the Admissions Committee on a case-by-case basis. Failure to disclose the above will result in applicant denial and recension of an enrollment offer, if applicable. Additionally, programs are required to report an applicant’s failure to disclose this information to the American Occupational Therapy Association.
All admissions decisions are made in accordance with our program mission, vision, and goals. Additionally, preference is given to applicants with evidence of the following:
*SCU does not refund OTCAS application fees under any circumstance, including loss of accreditation during the application cycle.
Once the class is fully seated, information about additional requirements will be provided. These may include the following requirements which must be completed prior to matriculation.
*Any student that has resided or is currently residing in New York may be subject to additional fees for the criminal background check retrieval per state law of New York.
$110,090* tuition to complete the program.
SCU’s Fixed Rate Tuition Guarantee for degree programs allows you to plan your educational investment.
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*Tuition rate reflected above represents the fixed rate for a student entering during the 2022-2023 academic year. Tuition rates are subject to change and may not be reflected on this website or other SCU materials. Please contact us for the most updated information.
**Some limitations apply. View the Fixed Rate Tuition Guarantee page for more information.
You wouldn’t be looking at this program if you weren’t interested in helping people find their healthiest life. Your dedication and enthusiasm for the growing movement toward whole-person wellness are what makes you the perfect fit for SCU. Now, begin to discover why we’re the perfect fit for you.
Our approach to Interprofessional Education is unique in California and across the country. Here, modern medicine unites with ancient and traditional healing arts to create an environment of engagement. SCU’s groundbreaking IPE model combines curriculum, clinic, community, and clubs to help you develop a broader base of knowledge and gain a deeper appreciation for different perspectives on care which leads to a seamless transition from student to practitioner.
We bring together aspiring students from different disciplines so you can learn and excel side-by-side. The depth and breadth of this dynamic experience will prepare you to one day take the lead in a collaborative, interprofessional practice.
View our application requirements above or fill out a request for information to start speaking with an enrollment advisor today.
If you have 90 credit hours or more and meet other admission standards, you are eligible for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program.
Students at SCU have many financial assistance opportunities available to them in order to cover their educational expenses. It is the policy of the Financial Aid Office to assist our students as much as possible to afford their education. Talk with a financial counselor by calling (562) 947-8755 ext 766 or click here to learn more
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