The entry-level OTD program at KU Medical Center has been designed to provide students with the skills necessary to work as occupational therapists in a range of healthcare, educational and community-based settings. The OTDE program is a three year full-time on-site commitment at the University of Kansas Medical Center campus, where lectures and labs are delivered. Upon completion of didactic coursework and fieldwork, students complete a doctoral capstone experience that may be situated in the Kansas City metropolitan area, the state of Kansas, and/or across the country.

This OTD program was granted full Accreditation Status in 2021 for a 7-year period by the  Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) for the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). This allows its graduates to be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that 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, 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

Applications for this program are accepted online and require two parts to be completed separately. Like many entry-level programs across the country, KU uses the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) as the first part of the application process. In the second part, supplemental materials are submitted to KU using an online application portal.

Detailed instructions on how to apply are posted on the Department of Occupational Therapy Education website. Application materials are accepted July 21-October 1 for the class entering the program in August of the following fall. All application materials must be received by October 1 for an application to be complete and qualified for review.

Kansas residents only: Early admission application materials are accepted July 21-August 31 for the class entering the program in August of the following fall. All application materials must be received by August 31 for an application to be complete and qualified for review to be considered for early admission. If materials are submitted after August 31 the application will be reviewed with all applications between July 21-October 1. Minimum criteria for early admissions applications:

1. GPA 3.80 or higher
2. Resident of Kansas

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

• A bachelor's degree in any field from a regionally accredited institution is required and must be documented by submission of an official transcript indicating the degree has been conferred before entering the program. Official transcripts from all coursework taken at any institution also are required. Although an application may be submitted while coursework still is in progress, the student's plan for completion prior to entering the program must be articulated as part of the application.  Students with degrees from institutions outside the U.S. may be subject to transcript evaluation to verify the degree is equivalent to a U.S. degree and the student meets the minimum cumulative grade-point average requirement.
• Applicants must possess a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least a 3.2 on a 4.0 scale for his or her bachelor's degree program and specifically a 3.2 GPA on the specific prerequisite courses. Information documented on student transcripts will be used to calculate all grade point averages. Consistent with University of Kansas policy, the admissions committee will replace grades of classes that have been repeated.
• The following prerequisite courses are required: abnormal psychology, lifespan development/developmental psychology, statistics, ethics, human physiology, human anatomy with a lab, a social science course, and medical terminology.
  Specific requirements for prerequisite courses are as follows:
  • Each course (except labs and medical terminology) must be a minimum of three credit hours. Medical terminology may be one credit hour.
  • Students must complete prerequisite coursework before beginning the program.
  • A passing grade of "C" or higher is required in all prerequisite courses and an overall 3.0 (4.0 scale) GPA for prerequisite courses. A grade of “D” is not considered a passing grade.
  • It's suggested human anatomy and physiology courses are completed prior to applying; however, this requirement is evaluated on an individual basis and alternatives may be taken into consideration.
• Applicants who are not native speakers of English, whether domestic or international, must demonstrate they meet the minimum English proficiency requirement.
• As part of the online application, applicants will submit a personal statement describing why occupational therapy is their chosen career, and how a degree in OT will support the applicant's personal and professional goals. This statement should include an explanation of how personal, professional, and educational background and experience have prepared the applicant for this career decision and a future in occupational therapy.
• Applicants will also submit a 500-word (or less) statement of interest in which he or she provides information about the reasons why the program at the University of Kansas is of interest. Unlike the personal/professional statement submitted to OTCAS about occupational therapy as a profession, this Interest statement should be specifically about the entry-level doctor of occupational therapy program at KUMC.
• Three separate references are required and should be written by a professional, advisor, instructor, supervisor, coach, or other adult contacts who can attest to the applicant’s potential success in the program and future contributions to the occupational therapy profession. 
• A background check is required during the admission process; it may affect the student's eligibility to enter the program. This one-time fee must be paid directly to the company performing the background investigation. A drug screening may also be required. More information: School of Health Professions background check and drug screening policy.
• Applicants who have been convicted of a felony should be aware of the fact that application for licensure, certification, or registration will be subject to review and additional information may be requested. Based on the review process, denial of licensure, certification, and/or registration may occur and subsequent opportunities for employment may be compromised.
• All accepted students must submit copies of current, valid CPR and First Aid certifications prior to the program start date and maintain certification while in the program. Students need to complete the Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers training through the American Heart Association.

Applicants will be assessed based on these requirements.  Admission requirements are subject to change. 

Entry-level OTD curriculum - This subplan allows students who possess the appropriate prerequisite course work and an undergraduate degree to pursue a 3-year clinical doctorate degree that includes academic, practicum, and fieldwork preparation for professional practice in a variety of OT settings. Capstone and fieldwork experiences are offered throughout the Kansas City community, the state of Kansas and, in some cases, in states other than Kansas. Upon completion, students are eligible for the OT certification examination administered by NBCOT. Only students who have successfully completed the entire three-year program are eligible for this certification exam, which is required for legal employment as a practicing OT.

Degree requirements:

• All students are enrolled as full-time students, and degree requirements are normally completed within 3 years of admission to the program. All academic preparation, fieldwork, and capstone in the professional program must be completed within 4.5 years of the first date of matriculation into the program.
• Cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of at least a 3.0 for all graduate coursework.
• Successful completion of all courses with the grade of “C” or higher.
• Successful completion of required Level II fieldwork experiences with the grade of “B” or higher. A part-time optional Level II fieldwork experience will not count toward satisfying this requirement.
• Successful completion of a minimum of 112 credit hours, including academic course work and fieldwork experiences.
• Enrollment in a minimum of one (1) credit hour the semester the student will graduate.
• Successful completion of the following courses:

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
OTDE 700	Foundations in Occupational Therapy	2
OTDE 705	Functional Anatomy and Kinesiology to Support Occupational Performance	3
OTDE 710	Professionalism in Context - I: Interpersonal and Interprofessional	2
OTDE 711	Professionalism in Context II	3
OTDE 715	Scholarly Practice I: Becoming an Evidence-Based Practitioner	2
OTDE 716	Scholarly Practice II: Professional Writing	2
OTDE 720	Theory to Practice in Occupational Therapy	2
OTDE 725	Analysis & Adaptation I	3
OTDE 726	Analysis & Adaptation II	4
OTDE 730	Population Health & Wellness	3
OTDE 740	Neuroscience Foundations to Support Occupational Performance	3
OTDE 754	Occupational Performance and Participation Across the Lifespan - I	3
OTDE 755	Occupational Performance and Participation Across the Lifespan - II	3
OTDE 756	Occupational Performance and Participation Across the Lifespan - III	5
OTDE 760	Policy and Advocacy for Occupational Therapy - I	2
OTDE 761	Policy and Advocacy for Occupational Therapy - II	2
OTDE 795	Scholarly Practice III: Understanding Research Methodology	3
OTDE 815	Supporting Occupational Performance Across the Mental Health Continuum	4
OTDE 845	Scholarly Practice IV: Interpreting, Integrating, and Translating Evidence	4
OTDE 850	Professionalism in Education	2
OTDE 860	Professionalism in Practice I	3
OTDE 861	Professionalism in Practice II	3
OTDE 870	Contemporary Community Engagement	2
OTDE 900	Occupational Therapy Level II Fieldwork - Part I	12
OTDE 901	Occupational Therapy Level II Fieldwork - Part II	12
OTDE 915	Professionalism in Leadership and Administration	3
OTDE 950	Capstone Project Planning	3
OTDE 980	Capstone Dissemination	3
OTDE 990	Capstone Experience	14
Total Hours		112

Specific elective courses may be selected to complement the student's program in consultation with the student's academic advisor.

Degree requirements and course descriptions are subject to change. Any courses taken as an equivalent must be approved by the Graduate Director and the Office of Graduate Studies. In most cases, use the catalog of the year student entered the program.  Other years’ catalogs».

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (OTDE) program at the University of Kansas Medical Center is a three year, full-time course of study at the graduate level and includes academic, fieldwork, and doctoral capstone preparation.

Year 1
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer	Hours
OTDE 700	2	OTDE 711	3	OTDE 755	3
OTDE 705	3	OTDE 716	2	OTDE 795	3
OTDE 710	2	OTDE 726	4
OTDE 715	2	OTDE 740	3
OTDE 720	2	OTDE 754	3
OTDE 725	3	OTDE 760	2
OTDE 730	3
	17		17		6
Year 2
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer	Hours
OTDE 756	5	OTDE 860	3	OTDE 870	2
OTDE 761	2	OTDE 900	12	OTDE 915	3
OTDE 815	4			OTDE 950	3
OTDE 845	4
OTDE 850	2
	17		15		8
Year 3
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
OTDE 861	3	OTDE 980	3
OTDE 901	12	OTDE 990	14
	15		17
Total Hours 112

TECHNICAL STANDARDS

Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Degree (OTDE) Program
Because an entry-level Occupational Therapy Degree signifies that the holder is eligible to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy exam and signifies that the holder is prepared for entry into the profession of occupational therapy, it follows that graduates must have the knowledge and skills to function in a broad variety of clinical, community, or school-based situations and to render a wide spectrum of occupational therapy services. 

The following technical standards, in conjunction with the academic standards, are requirements for admission, promotion, and graduation. The term “candidate” refers to candidates for admission to the program as well as current students who are candidates for retention, promotion, or graduation. KU School of Health Professions maintains a strong commitment to equal educational opportunities for qualified students with disabilities who apply for admission to the program or who are already enrolled.  The technical standards are not intended to deter any candidate for whom reasonable accommodation will allow the fulfillment of the complete curriculum.  Candidates with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Academic Accommodations Office at (913) 945-7035 or cukoko@kumc.edu early in the application process to begin a confidential conversation about what accommodations they may need to meet these standards. This process is informed by the knowledge that students with varied types of disabilities have the ability to become successful health professionals.

Essential Motor Skills: The candidate must:

• have gross motor skills to move safely about the Medical Center and fieldwork sites. 
• be able to perform moderately taxing physical work, often requiring prolonged sitting. 
• have strength, balance, and equilibrium necessary to do such things as move clients from bed to wheelchair or to manipulate parts of, or whole bodies of, simulated and real people of all ages. 

• have fine motor skills essential to perform such tasks as writing, typing, and manipulation of objects (such as wheelchair features and adaptive equipment), splint making, material development, or maneuvering equipment.

Essential Sensory Skills:  The candidate must:

• accurately perceive objects in the environment.
• accurately observe human performance.  For example, the candidate must be able to discern between a safe and an unsafe environment and between therapeutic and non-therapeutic behavior and contexts. 

Essential Communication Skills:  The candidate must:

• assimilate information from written sources (texts, journals, medical or school records, etc).
• attain, comprehend, retain, and use new information presented in written formats.
• independently complete assignments, tests, and professional documentation appropriately, in a timely manner, and in appropriate format. 
• impart information so that it can be understood by others. 
• elicit information from instructors, peers, persons receiving services, family members, and supervisors.
• follow verbal or written instruction in order to complete assignments. 
• note and respond to factual information provided by others as well as to the more subtle cues of mood, temperament, and social responses. 
• communicate with others accurately, sensitively, effectively, and succinctly.
• communicate in a timely manner and in a way that is appropriate to the situation. 

Essential Cognitive Skills:  The candidate must:

A). Clinical Reasoning:  

• make correct observations and have the skills of comprehension, measurement, calculation, reasoning, integration, analysis, and synthesis.  For example, the candidate must have the skills to conduct assessments accurately, compute test scores, analyze results and determine the impact of this information on intervention, while synthesizing a variety of input.
• recognize, label, and categorize information to draw conclusions.  Then the candidate must be able to question, analyze, and judge the results of their conclusion.

B). Judgment:

• demonstrate judgment in classroom, laboratory, and fieldwork settings which shows an ability to make mature, sensitive, and effective decisions in appropriate situations.
• relate appropriately to instructors, peers, supervisors, and persons being served.  For example, when provided with constructive feedback from an instructor or supervisor, the candidate will adapt behavior accordingly.
• demonstrate professional behaviors, such as timeliness and regular attendance.

Essential Behavioral/Social Skills:  The candidate must:

• exhibit professional behaviors and attitudes during their participation in the classroom and in clinical situations.  This includes, but is not limited to, appropriate language, flexibility toward change, and acceptance of responsibility for one’s own conduct. 
• exhibit a positive attitude toward persons being served, family members, peers, and supervisors.
• be flexible and creative to adapt to professional and technical change.
• demonstrate professional attitudes and behaviors while experiencing heavy workloads (e.g., large number of tasks to complete in a limited amount of time), task-related uncertainties (e.g. changes of schedule on short notice), and/or distracting environments. 
• support and promote the activities of peers and health care professionals by sharing knowledge, eliciting input, and acting with empathy toward others.
• be honest, compassionate, ethical, and responsible. 
• be forthright about errors or uncertainty.
• critically evaluate the candidate’s own performance, accept constructive criticism, and look for ways to improve. 
• evaluate the performance of fellow students, instructors, and clients and to offer constructive comments tactfully.

TECHNICAL STANDARDS ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I have reviewed and understand the requirements set forth in the Technical Standards for admission to, continuation in, and graduation from the KU School of Health Profession’s OTDE Program.  To my knowledge, I can meet the requirements set forth in the Technical Standards with or without accommodation.  I understand that it is the responsibility of candidates needing accommodation to register with and provide documentation of their disability and specific functional limitations to the Academic Accommodations Office, (913) 945-7035 or cukoko@kumc.edu.  Candidates are encouraged to engage in this process now, in advance of new student orientation and the start of classes.  Candidates are also encouraged to review The Students with Disabilities Policies and Procedures Manual, which contains additional information related to academic accommodations and is available at: https://kumc-publicpoliciesandprocedures.policystat.com/policy/6321369/latest/.  

You can earn a dual degree in occupational therapy and business at the University of Kansas.

Designed to advance one's individual professional goals and development, the dual degree is beneficial for occupational therapists who will be engaging with corporate executives, starting a private practice or moving into a management position.

Overview
1. Your first step is to apply to KU's entry-level doctorate program in occupational therapy (OTD)
2. You can apply to the master's degree program in business administration (MBA) in the summer between years two and three.
3. Starting the next fall semester, complete two semesters of business coursework on the KU-Lawrence campus.
4. Return to KU Medical Center in the summer of year three for the capstone project planning course.
5. Finish with two semesters of occupational therapy courses during your fourth year at KU Medical Center.

The dual-degree program is a partnership between the School of Health Professions at KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, and the School of Business in Lawrence, Kansas.

Program Schedule
After successfully completing the first two years in the doctoral program in occupational therapy, completion of the business administration portion takes one academic year. The two-semester master's degree in business administration prepares the occupational therapist with health care finance and management information and experiences across 32 credit hours of business coursework that can be completed during the fall and spring semesters.

This a full-time, on-campus, in-person program. During year three, you'll work in small cohorts with other full-time business degree students on KU's Lawrence campus. Classes are typically held Monday through Thursday.

The occupational therapy program requirements for graduation remain the same for those who choose to complete this dual-degree program.

Review the sequence of courses (PDF)
See the details of the master's degree in business administration.

Eigibility and Requirements

To participate, you must meet the admission requirements to be accepted into the doctoral program in occupational therapy before entering the dual-degree OTD/MBA program. All students must remain in good academic standing during study in the occupational therapy program to be eligible to enroll in the MBA component (maintaining a minimum 3.0 grade point average).

Applications for the MBA program are accepted in the summer prior to the fall start of the program. The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is not required for this dual degree.

Once your doctorate in occupational therapy is earned, following the four-year course of study, the master's degree in business administration will officially be added to your transcript.

Note: If the occupational therapy degree is not successfully completed, you will have to complete 16 credit hours of MBA coursework (waived by virtue of being in the dual program) in order to earn the MBA degree separately.