Doctor of Occupational Therapy (Entry-Level)

OT student works with adult patient on cookie cutter project

Occupational therapists help people of all ages adapt, thrive, and fully engage in the activities that matter most to them. Blending art, science, and compassion, this rewarding profession transforms everyday challenges into opportunities for independence and well-being.

The entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree educates professional occupational therapists by providing them with a strong foundation of knowledge, encouraging active learning and critical reflection, and fostering integrity and compassion. Our program is an in-person learning environment and will prepare you to:

  1. Enter the field ready to practice with confidence, creativity and caring.
  2. Continue on a path of scholarly inquiry as you practice the art and science of occupational therapy.
  3. Practice according to ethical principles that benefit clients individually as well as society as a whole.
  4. Provide leadership within the profession of occupational therapy.
  5. Contribute to health care and social policies of the state, the nation and the world.

Accreditation and Student Outcomes

Our accredited program has a history of graduating excellent Occupational Therapist.  

The entry level Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at Texas Woman’s University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE).  located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-6611 and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program will 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 graduate will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR).  In addition, all states require licensure to practice, however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination.  A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT Certification Examination or attain state licensure. 

The Entry level OTD program was granted accreditation through December 31, 2030, by the Commission for Accreditation in Occupational Therapy (ACOTE), following an exemplary review in 2022.

Program Graduates

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Year Students Began in the OTD Program Number of Students Who Began the OTD Program Number of On-Time Graduates On-Time Graduation Rate
2020 144 130 90%
2021 140 119 85%
2023 139 122 88%
Totals 423 371 88%

Note: These data represent the Texas Woman's University OTD program's 3 campuses (Dallas, Denton, and Houston). The available seats are equal across all three campuses and our curriculum is 36 months long.

NBCOT

five Occupational Therapy students stand around a desk while a patient sits behind a computer

Texas Woman’s University’s OTD program graduates are eligible to sit for the national board exam. Find out how our graduates have performed as reported by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) 

Our Faculty

a faculty member sits at a table with four students sitting around the table

The faculty for the School of Occupational Therapy are recognized as leaders in the OT profession. 

Program requirements

The entry-level OTD degree requires 90 credit hours over 9 semesters in 3 years to complete. The program begins once a year in the summer session, and applications are accepted the preceding year.

See full program requirements in the Graduate Catalog.

Tuition and Annual Cost Estimates

The following information is an estimate of cost for the 2022-23 school year and should only be used as a guideline. Tuition and fees are subject to change.
View OTD tuition and annual cost estimates

Admission requirements

Admission to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (entry-level)

Program Contact

Karen York - OT Admissions Coordinator
940-898-2801
ot@twu.edu

Admissions Overview

Thank you for your interest in our Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program! We are excited to share that we will not be having interviews as part of the admission process this year. For your convenience, we are offering online virtual Information Meetings and onsite Open Houses. Both of these options offer opportunities for you to learn more about our OTD program, facilities, staff, faculty and students. We invite you to register for either of these options at your campus of preference-Denton, Dallas or Houston. Please click on this link to register.

Feel free to contact Karen York, our Admissions Coordinator at 940-898-2801 or ot@twu.edu for all of your questions.

Admission Requirements (review frequently as these are subject to change annually)

  • Baccalaureate degree completed before classes start in June; we accept all accredited undergraduate degrees.
  • Minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 calculated on the approximate last 60 credit hours of your bachelor's degree, or minimum overall GPA of 3.0 on 12 or more graduate credit hours.
  • GRE test scores are not required.
  • We require a prerequisite course GPA of 3.0 or higher and no grade below C (C minus not accepted).  If you have prerequisite retakes, you can use the higher grade to calculate the prerequisite gpa.   We do not accept Advanced Placement credit/tests. Students can apply with incomplete fall 2025 prerequisite courses; however, their admission offer will be conditional until we receive their official final grade. If an incomplete prerequisite course is below a C or brings them below our 3.0 minimum prerequisite gpa then they are no longer eligible for admission.  If you plan to take a spring 2026 prerequisite course, we don't offer conditional admissions, if you qualify, we can offer a spot on our waitlist.  Medical terminology is not part of the prerequisite gpa. Official transcripts must be submitted to TWU admissions.
  • For prerequisite equivalency approvals, email ot@twu.edu with the course title, university attended, and course description.
  • Prerequisite Courses:
    • Elementary Statistics- Frequency distributions; graphical representation, measures of central tendency, and dispersion; normal curve; hypothesis testing confidence intervals. (TCCN MATH 1342) Requires a minimum of 3 credit hours.
    • Anatomy and Physiology I & II Lecture / Lab- Principles of the structure and functions of the human body. (TCCN BIOL 2401 & BIOL 2402) You can take separate Anatomy and Physiology courses with labs but you cannot mix an A&P part I or ll course and then add a separate Anatomy or Physiology course.  Requires a minimum of 8 credit hours total for both lectures and labs.
    • Lifespan Developmental Psychology- Development of Personality and learning capacities across the life-span from birth to death; emphasis on interactions of heredity, environment, and maturational processes. (TCCN PSYC 2314) Requires a minimum of 3 credit hours.
    • Abnormal Psychology- A study of psychopathology covering the major classification systems including mood disorders and psychotic behavior, defenses, anxiety, methods of psychotherapy, and mental health principles; examination of abnormality in relationship to normal behavior. (TCCN PSYC 2320) Requires a minimum of 3 credit hours. 
  • Competency in Medical Terminology demonstrated by a passing grade in a medical terminology course (college credit or continuing education certificate). This may be submitted after acceptance, prior to OTD program entry.  This course is not a part of your prerequisite GPA.
  • Complete a minimum of 20 contact hours with an Occupational Therapy Practitioner (OTP; OTR or COTA) You will enter those hours into OTCAS, a separate log is not necessary.
  • A minimum of three evaluator/references.  One reference must be from the OTP that you observed for 20 hours. The other two evaluators should be academic and/or professional references.  Applicants should select evaluators that will show their breadth of experience from different sites or institutions.
  • All students in the TWU OTD Program must comply with background checks, random drug screening, and immunization requirements in order to progress through experiential learning and fieldwork.

Application Process - Two-part process

Part I: Apply to TWU - opens July 1st

1.  Complete the application at TWU Online Graduate Application Portal. 

2. Pay the application fee.  The $50 fee, ($75 fee for international applicants), which applies to all new and returning applicants, can be paid by:

3.  You must submit your transcripts from all schools attended or your application may be delayed. 

4.   International and Permanent Resident Applicants are required to submit a form of English language proficiency; visit the website for your options. 

Complete the OTCAS Application Process - opens July 19th

  1. Apply to The TWU School of Occupational Therapy through OTCAS. If you experience technical difficulty completing the OTCAS application, visit the OTCAS help page.
    • Use a permanent email address when applying to OTCAS and check it regularly.
    • Notify your evaluators/references to let them know they will receive a reference request from OTCAS. Applicants are encouraged to follow-up with evaluators to ensure the references are received prior to the deadline.
    • Make certain that the application becomes complete and verified by October 1st.
  2.  When you have completed the two-part admission process, you should get an email from the School of OT saying that it has been sent to the admission committee for further consideration.
  3. If you are an international student, please review the additional requirements. Submit TOEFL and TSE/Test A (if applicable). 

Technology Requirements for the Program 

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Page last updated 1:54 PM, June 13, 2025