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University of Southern California
University of Southern California
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
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Education
Education

Entry-Level Doctorate (OTD)
of Occupational Therapy

Admissions update
The USC Chan Division has revised the following Entry-Level OTD application requirements for Fall 2023, effective immediately:

  1. Applications received after the December 1 deadline will continue to be reviewed, and applicants will be admitted to the program on a rolling basis;
  2. Prerequisite courses can be in progress during Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 (see Transcripts section on the Admissions page for details);
  3. Phase II (personal video statement) has been eliminated for this application cycle to increase access, given that we are shifting to rolling admissions;
  4. Online anatomy courses that include one of the following qualifications will be accepted: Virtual 3D interactive dissection software/prosection; Animal dissection; At-home cadaveric dissection.

The USC Chan Entry-Level OTD program is built upon the nation’s No. 1 occupational therapy graduate program as ranked by U.S. News and World Report. This program is designed for students with bachelor’s degrees in fields other than occupational therapy. If you are already a certified or board-eligible occupational therapist, please see information about our Post-Professional OTD degree program.

Our curriculum has been designed to prepare you to become:

  • An expert in occupation who understands the power of occupation and its impact on health and well-being, its therapeutic uses, and the study of occupational science
  • A reflective, responsive, and engaged professional prepared to provide compassionate and culturally-responsive care
  • A practice scholar with clinical reasoning skills who employs evidence-based practice
  • A global citizen equipped to participate in addressing needs of increasingly global communities, locally and abroad
  • A visionary shaping change who is able to navigate complex systems and innovate through new concepts, protocols, frameworks, and technologies

Curriculum and Requirements

Fieldwork / Doctoral Capstone

Course Sequence

Diversity, Access, and Equity

Please note
The USC Chan Division has initiated the process to transition the Entry-Level Master’s degree program to an accredited Entry-Level Doctoral (OTD) program. The Entry-Level OTD degree program has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education® (ACOTE®) and we are accepting applicants for the next application cycle. Please review the frequently asked questions for additional information.