Accreditation
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)
The USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy’s entry-level master’s degree program is fully accredited by the American Occupational Therapy Association’s Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE). USC Chan’s entry-level OTD degree program has been granted Candidacy Status by ACOTE, which indicates that the division’s resource allocation and plan for developing its proposed program appear to demonstrate the ability to meet ACOTE Standards.
ACOTE is recognized as the accrediting agency for occupational therapy education by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. ACOTE-accredited programs satisfy the states’ educational requirements in the US and its territories. ACOTE is also an active member of the Association of Specialized and Professional Accreditors.
Students graduating from an ACOTE accredited occupational therapy educational program are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy® (NBCOT) certification exam and apply for licensure in all states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico (please note: a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure).
Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education®
c/o Accreditation Department, American Occupational Therapy Association
6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200
North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929
acoteonline.org
(301) 652-6611 x2914
Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
USC is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), one of six regional accrediting organizations recognized by the US Department of Education. View student learning outcomes (PDF) for our academic programs.
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy® (NBCOT)
Certification Exam Data
The table below displays National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy® (NBCOT) certification examination results of USC students during the last three years of record. “New Graduates” are defined as anyone taking the exam within one year of graduation, regardless of how many times the exam is taken within the one-year period. For official NBCOT data results, please visit www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.
| Exam Period | No. of entry-MA graduates | No. of new entry-MA graduates who took the exam | No. of new entry-MA graduates who passed the exam | % of new entry-MA graduates who passed the exam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan. – Dec. 2020 | 139 | 134 | 133 | 99% |
| Jan. – Dec. 2021 | 137 | 124 | 120 | 97% |
| Jan. – Dec. 2022 | 139 | 134 | 132 | 99% |
| Total for 2020 – 2022 | 415 | 392 | 385 | 98% |
A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
USC Graduation and Retention Rates
The table below displays graduation and retention rates of USC students over the last five years of record.
| Entering term |
No. of entry-level OTD students entering / graduating | No. of entry-level master’s students entering / graduating | No. of bachelor’s-to-master’s students entering / graduating | Total no. of professional students entering / graduating | Total graduation rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S/F 2017 | N/A | 129/120 | 10/10 | 139/130 | 93.5% |
| S/F 2018 | N/A | 128/125 | 9/9 | 137/134 | 97.8% |
| S/F 2019 | N/A | 126/121 | 13/12 | 139/133 | 95.7% |
| S/F 2020 | N/A | 123/119 | 10/9 | 133/128 | 96.2% |
| S/F 2021 | N/A | 124/ * | 14/ * | 138/ * | * % |
| S/F 2022 | 144/ † | N/A ‡ | 13/ ** | 157/ † ** | † ** % |
* Graduation year 2023
** Graduation year 2024
† Graduation year 2025
‡ Entry-level master’s program no longer admitting new students
Subscribe | RSS