at Murphy Deming College of Health Science
Interested in a career path that helps improve quality of life for people and communities? Earn your Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree with Mary Baldwin University. In as few as 33 months, you can develop the knowledge and client-centered care skills you need to help others engage in meaningful occupations and activities at home, at school, in the workplace, or in the community.
Our immersive on-campus program prepares you for entry-level licensure as an occupational therapist, blending didactic classes and hands-on labs with supervised fieldwork experience in a variety of settings.
After graduation, you’ll be eligible to take the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination. New graduates from our program have a 100% pass rate on the NBCOT exam.
The MBU OTD program blends evidence-based course content, extensive fieldwork, and a supportive learning community to equip you for a future helping others live their best lives. Benefits include:
The OTD program equips you for entry-level licensure as an occupational therapist. Course topics include:
• Functional Anatomy and Human Movement
• Occupational Patterns in Life and Cultures
• Technology and Environmental Adaptation
You will also take a series of courses in research and critical inquiry, a series of interprofessional seminar courses, and practice-based courses focused on mental health, health promotion, musculoskeletal issues, neurological issues, and pediatric practice.
Occupational therapists work in a wide variety of inpatient, outpatient, and residential healthcare settings, which can include:
Students apply to the MBU OTD program via the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS). Admission requirements include the following:
A preferred overall GPA of 3.0.
GRE scores are not required for admission. However, if you would like to submit your GRE scores, you are welcome to do so. The OTCAS GRE Code for Mary Baldwin University is 1992.
Two references are required. At least one reference must be from an occupational therapist. The online application will provide a form to send to each of your references.
Applicants must complete 40 hours of observation of occupational therapy practice in at least two different settings. Guidance regarding the submission of this information can be found on the OTCAS application form.
The OTCAS application form requires a brief personal essay describing why OT was selected as a career and how an occupational therapy degree relates to your immediate and long-term professional goals.
Your official transcripts from your degree-granting institution must be sent to Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS). If you are still taking prerequisite courses during the application cycle, please indicate these planned courses in your OTCAS application. Please note, however, that you will not be able to enroll in our program until your official transcript has been received verifying completion of these courses, and that you have received a “C” or better.
Additional requirements may apply. Please visit our main graduate admissions page for more information.
If you have questions, reach out to discuss your goals and explore how our OTD program aligns with them. Our admissions team is dedicated to supporting you every step of the way – from selecting your degree and completing your application to preparing for your first day of class.
We’re excited about the opportunity to help you take the next step in your academic journey.
*The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone, 301-652-AOTA; and website, www.acoteonline.org.
The OT program accreditation is dependent on the continued accreditation of the institution by SACSCOC
Those interested in the MHA program may also have an interest in the online Master of Health Administration/Master of Business Administration (MHA/MBA) dual degree program that offers graduate students the chance to earn both an MHA and MBA in two years.
