Bachelor’s to Doctorate (BS to OTD) in Occupational Therapy
The Bachelor’s to Doctorate degree program enables you to earn a doctorate in occupational therapy with just two additional years instead of the traditional three years post-baccalaureate. Majoring in occupational therapy as an undergraduate student not only results in a substantial reduction to the overall cost of your education, but also prepares you sooner for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy® examination.
As an occupational therapy major, you will be on your way to becoming a professional who is involved in helping people live meaningful, healthy, and productive lives. You will gain practical knowledge about the key elements of healthy living to apply to your own life and your future patients’ lives. Knowing more about the way daily activities influence emotional, physical, and spiritual health enables you to help others lead healthier, richer, and more fulfilling lives.
Fieldwork experiences to observe and then gain hands-on experience with clients under the supervision of a registered/licensed occupational therapist or other healthcare professional
Becoming an Occupational Therapist
After you receive your Bachelor of Science degree, you must also acquire a graduate degree in occupational therapy to be eligible for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy® (NBCOT) examination. The accelerated BS-OTD program at USC allows you to earn your doctorate from USC in two additional years.
Once you pass the NBCOT examination you earn the Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR) designation and are then eligible for licensure and practice. More information about the NBCOT examination may be found at nbcot.org. Please note: a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
Fieldwork provides invaluable hands-on experiences in key practice areas of occupational therapy. Level I fieldwork is embedded in each of the four practice immersion courses with one fieldwork day a week for a 9-week period. You will participate in Level I fieldwork starting in spring of your senior year, which is the first year of the entry-level doctoral degree program. Level II fieldwork consists of one 12-week, full-time experience during the summer of your fifth year, and one 24-week, part-time experience across the fall and spring semesters of your sixth year. Your two Level II experiences will be in distinctly different practice areas.
As a distinct, signature element of USC’s entry-level OTD program, your second Level II experience will be in the same setting as your Doctoral Capstone Experience, allowing you to develop in-depth knowledge and skills through a combined, year-long immersion in one setting. Our team of academic fieldwork coordinators will work with you to find placements corresponding with your interests and desired geographic location.
See more information about Fieldwork at USC Chan, including the Fieldwork Team, and forms/documents for current USC Chan students.
Doctoral Capstone Experience
The DCE looks different for every student because it provides opportunities to create your own 14-week learning plan in order to specialize in clinical practice, research, policy and advocacy, administration or pedagogy. The DCE can be completed remotely, which allows opportunities to travel abroad or domestically throughout your entire third year. As described above, it is intended that your second Level II fieldwork site is where you will complete your DCE; if you wish to travel abroad, you will need to plan in advance and closely coordinate your plans with our fieldwork team. During your final summer of enrollment, you will submit a doctoral portfolio demonstrating competence in your chosen DCE concentration. The final portfolio will include documentation of both written and oral presentation skills, expertise as designated in your DCE plan and your envisioned future as a leader in the profession.
The following is an overview of the six years of study required for USC’s Bachelor’s to Doctorate in Occupational Therapy. Courses are subject to change.
Freshman through junior years, classes generally meet on USC’s University Park Campus (UPC) and follow the overall undergraduate course calendar. Starting senior year, classes generally meet from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Thursday (with either Tuesdays or Wednesdays free), on USC’s Health Sciences Campus (HSC).
BS Professional Course Sequence Junior and Senior years
USC Chan recognizes that the composition of occupational therapists nationwide is not sufficiently representative of the diversity of the healthcare consumers whom the profession serves. Consequently, we strive to recruit superior applicants for all of our academic programs from diverse populations, and to provide financial packages that will make it possible for promising students from underserved populations to attend USC Chan.
Furthermore, the themes of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) are woven throughout the curriculum. The JEDI theme prepares you to build your reflective capacity; recognize and counteract oppression; collaboratively partner with individuals, communities and organizations; and promote justice, equity and inclusion for diverse populations.
Due to its accelerated nature, we do not offer an option for undergraduates to transfer into our Bachelor’s to Doctorate (OTD) program in occupational therapy. We encourage you to attain your bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in a field of your choice, and plan to apply to our Entry-Level Doctorate (OTD) program. We will look forward to working with you and assisting you through that process. Also, feel free to sign up to attend an Admissions Information Session.
A Day in the Life of a Bachelor’s to Doctorate Degree Student
Megan, a student in the Bachelor’s to Master’s degree program, shares about daily life in the occupational therapy major at the University of Southern California. (Please note that the undergraduate in this video was filmed prior to the transition from Bachelor’s to Master’s degree program to Bachelor’s to Doctorate degree program.)
Please note
USC Chan is in the process of transitioning from an Entry-Level Master’s program to an Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®). This change impacts current students, beginning with the graduating bachelor’s class of 2023. In order to remain in the OT program at USC you will need to apply to and complete the OTD program following completion of your bachelor’s degree. Updates will be provided on our website throughout the accreditation process as they become available.
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