Occupational Therapy, O.T.D.

Occupational therapy makes it possible for people to achieve independence and to enjoy life to its fullest. The Occupational Therapy Doctorate program at the University of Mary prepares students to be competent, caring, ethical, compassionate occupational therapy practitioners who are able to meet the diverse occupational needs of individuals, groups, and communities. Graduates of the doctorate program in occupational therapy will have the skills and training necessary to practice in a variety of professional roles and settings.

Upon successful completion of your doctorate degree in occupational therapy, you will be eligible to take the certification examination for the occupational therapist, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). The doctorate in Occupational Therapy is offered at the University of Mary’s main campus in Bismarck, ND, along with satellite locations in Billings, MT and Fargo, ND. The Bismarck and Fargo locations offer the program through live video conferencing or Polycom, with students on either campus, having lectures provided through Polycom and labs held separately. The Billings locations does not use interactive video conferencing.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the doctorate of occupational therapy degree at the University of Mary, the graduate will:

• Function autonomously in a variety of roles and practice settings using effective clinical reasoning based on best evidence
• Effectively communicate and work interprofessionally to provide valuable healthcare services
• Use servant leadership skills to make ethical decisions and effect change through skilled communication, therapeutic use of self, advocacy, and scholarship
• Meet the unique needs of individuals, communities, and populations through the application of knowledge in delivery models, policies, and systems in current and emerging practice settings

Admissions Requirements for the Occupational Therapy Doctoral Degree

See Discrimination & Harassment Policy Information here.

Policy: This policy gives core faculty and pre-occupational therapy students direction in the admissions process for the occupational therapy education program.  Included in this policy are the minimum criteria for admission, the application process and the interview process and the priority admissions program.

Procedures: The admissions committee consists of one faculty and the program chair appointed on a yearly basis to oversee the admissions process.

Application Process

All information about the application process, including admission requirements will be available at www.umary.edu under Occupational Therapy. Applications are scored based on cumulative GPA, cumulative pre-requisite GPA, completion of volunteer hours, 3 positive letters of reference, and a written personal statement.  In addition, University of Mary students will be allotted additional points per semester of attendance (up to 4 points maximum- ½ point per semester).  Based on scoring of application, select applicants are invited for the formal interview process.

• Traditional applicants (senior status [90 credits or more] or those who have completed a bachelor’s degree) are submitted through OTCAS at www.otcas.org.
• Priority admissions applications (junior status [60-89 credits]) apply through the University of Mary at www.umary.edu/apply.

Criteria for Admission for Seniors or Those Who Have Completed A Bachelor’s Degree (Traditional Admissions)

1. A bachelor’s degree or higher in any field completed prior to beginning the University of Mary Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program. Students at a senior status (minimum of 90 credits) are accepted for the application process.  Applications are submitted through www.otcas.org

2. Prerequisite Course Requirements

• Anatomy & Physiology I with lab
• Anatomy & Physiology II with lab
• General Chemistry with lab OR Physics with lab
• General Psychology
• Developmental or Lifespan psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Statistics (from math or psychology department)
  • (AP courses appropriate documented are accepted for pre-requisite courses)

3. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale and a minimum of a “C” in all pre-requisite coursework. Students may retake pre-requisite coursework one time. A cumulative GPA of 3.0 in pre-requisite coursework is required. Of the pre-requisite courses, a student may only retake a total of 3 of the 7 classes.

4. Three (3) satisfactory letters of reference addressing moral and ethical behavior, academic abilities, and work ethic.  One of these references must be completed by a previous or current work supervisor OR from the occupational therapist supervising the volunteer clinical hours. 

5. Twenty (20) volunteer hours with an occupational therapist. It is highly recommended that the hours occur in more than one area of practice. The clinical hours must have taken place within the last 2 years of the application deadline. Submit clinical hours to OTCAS as part of the application.  Additional volunteer hours with nonprofit organizations which provide services to people is highly recommended.

6. International candidates must submit official TOEFL scores to OTCAS by the application deadline. Applicants much achieve a minimum TOEFL score of 89 or 90 on the Internet-based test (iBT). The Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program also requires a minimum TOEFL iBT Speaking subscale of 26, TOEFL iBT Writing subscale score of 24, TOEFL iBT Reading subscale score of 21, and iBT Listening subscale score of 18.  All exams are valid for two years.

7. Foreign Transcripts: the University of Mary Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program only accepts prerequisite coursework taken at an accredited US institution. Coursework completed in Canada should be submitted to OTCAS for evaluation. 

Rolling Admissions

If the class number does not reach the desired class size, rolling admissions will go into effect. Students must meet all criteria previously outlined and participate in the formal interview process. Rolling admissions are considered until the first day of class in the fall. Applicants will be reviewed based on the time of submission of a completed application.

Academic Transcript Evaluation

Certified copies of all academic records are required at the time of application. Certified copies include transcripts or school certificates and subjects for which the applicant was enrolled or is presently enrolled. If the applicant has attended a university outside of the United States, the University of Mary requires the applicant to provide a course-by-course transcript evaluation.

The evaluation must include transcript authenticity, GPA calculation, U.S. degree equivalency, and is sent directly from the evaluation service. Transcript evaluation must be performed by the World Education Services (WES), Educational Credential Evaluators (ECE), or from an agency that is a current member of the National Associations of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

Official transcripts must be sent directly to:

Graduate Admissions
University of Mary
7500 University Drive
Bismarck, ND 58504

Criteria for Admissions for Juniors (Priority Admission Program)

1. Applicants must be in progress to complete a bachelor’s degree, with junior year status (60-89 credits). A bachelor’s degree or higher in any field must be completed prior to beginning the University of Mary Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program. Applications are submitted directly to the University of Mary at (identified website inserted here).

2. Applicants must have the following pre-requisite courses completed at the time of application to the Priority Admissions Program:    

• Anatomy & Physiology I with lab
• One of the psychology courses
• Any one of the following courses: Anatomy & Physiology II, Chemistry or Physics, Statistics

All remaining pre-requisite courses must be completed prior to beginning the OTD program.

• Anatomy & Physiology II with lab
• General Chemistry with lab OR Physics with lab
• General Psychology
• Developmental or Lifespan psychology
• Abnormal Psychology
• Statistics (from math or psychology department)

(AP courses appropriate documented are accepted for pre-requisite courses)

3. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale and a minimum of a “C” in all pre-requisite coursework. Students may retake pre-requisite coursework one time. A GPA of 3.0 in pre-requisite coursework is required. Of the pre-requisite courses, a student may only retake a total of 3 of the 7 classes.

4. Three (3) satisfactory letters of reference addressing moral and ethical behavior, academic abilities, and work ethic. One of these references must be completed by a previous or current work supervisor OR from the occupational therapist supervising the volunteer clinical hours. 

5. Ten (10) volunteer hours with an OT completed at time of application to the Priority Admissions Program with a total of twenty (20) volunteer hours completed prior to beginning the OTD program. It is highly recommended that the hours occur in more than one area of practice. The clinical hours must have taken place within the last 2 years of the application deadline. Clinical hours are submitted in the online application and need to include the name of the organization where hours were completed, number of hours and dates completed, and supervising OT, including contact information. Additional volunteer hours with nonprofit organizations which provide services to people is highly recommended.

6. International candidates must submit official TOEFL scores. Applicants much achieve a minimum TOEFL score of 89 or 90 on the Internet-based test (iBT). The Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program also requires a minimum TOEFL iBT Speaking subscale of 26, TOEFL iBT Writing subscale score of 24, TOEFL iBT Reading subscale score of 21, and iBT Listening subscale score of 18. All exams are valid for two years.

7. Foreign Transcripts: the University of Mary Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program only accepts prerequisite coursework taken at an accredited US institution. Coursework completed in Canada should be submitted for evaluation.

8. Students who are accepted to the Priority Admissions Program will defer the start of the OTD Program one year.

Early Assurance

A selected group of high school seniors may apply for early enrollment into the program. The number is determined on a yearly basis. Applicants for early enrollment must be outstanding in their own high school; having at least a composite score of 24 on the ACT or a GPA of 3.5. A member of the OT faculty interviews these students prior to their early acceptance. Students accepted for this program sign an agreement detailing specific requirements.

Accreditation

The Occupational Therapy Program at the University of Mary is accredited 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 phone number, C/O AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.