Pursue what inspires you:
Edgewood University Doctor of
Occupational Therapy Program

The OTD program uses a holistic admissions process that considers both academic achievement and personal attributes to ensure well-rounded and equitable admissions decisions. Academic factors include cumulative undergraduate GPA and performance in prerequisite coursework. Personal and professional qualities are assessed through applicants’ work and volunteer experiences, responses to written and video-recorded questions, and statements submitted through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application System (OTCAS).

These materials provide insight into an applicant’s strengths as a communicator, collaborator, health advocate, and future professional.Following an initial review, qualified candidates will be invited to participate in an interview. Interview invitations are extended on a rolling basis as applications are reviewed. Please note that only applications submitted through OTCAS will be considered.

Pre-Admissions Requirements

• Completion of baccalaureate degree in any discipline from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants are required to achieve a minimum of a 3.00 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.00 scale. Individuals with an undergraduate GPA lower than a minimum of a 3.00 will be considered if they achieve a 3.20 GPA or above in the last 60 hours of their undergraduate degree.
• Degree must be completed before the student begins the OTD program. Students must submit a final official transcript to the program indicating degree completion.

Prerequisites Courses

• Completion of all prerequisites courses taken at a regionally accredited institution. All prerequisites must be completed before the student begins the program. Applicants must achieve the minimum of a 3.00 GPA on a 4.00 scale, and all prerequisites course grades must be a “C” or higher.
• Students may receive credit for advanced placement toward prerequisites coursework only if the credit appears on an official undergraduate transcript and was awarded by the degree-granting institution. Credit awarded solely through Advanced Placement (AP) examinations may not be used to satisfy prerequisite requirements.
• Students must send the program a final official transcript demonstrating that all courses have been completed.
• Anatomy and Physiology courses should be taken within the last 5 years, unless the individual provides evidence of ongoing work experience keeping the knowledge current.

Observation Hours

• Completion of observation of occupational therapy exploration activities (in-person, virtual, or by alternative means to be determined by the program) is strongly recommended. Applicants should provide evidence of the completion of activities within their OTCAS application.

Application Procedures

• All applications are processed through OTCAS. The Edgewood University OTD program follows the timeline of OTCAS. Each year, OTCAS opens its applications in mid-July, and the cycle remains open until early June of the next year. Each year, the OTD program will post specific application cycle dates.
• Applicants are to complete an essay by following the instructions within the system. They are also required to provide three (3) professional references. These professional references can be from a volunteer or professional supervisor/manager, an occupational therapy practitioner, or an academic reference. The applicant will request references through OTCAS, and all references are to be submitted through OTCAS.
• Please note: OTCAS requires applicants to obtain official transcripts of all higher education institutions an individual has attended. Students are required to enter final grades from transcripts as part of the application process.
• Completion of an admission interview. Qualified students will be invited to participate in an online interview after holistic review of their application materials. Admission to the program is on a rolling basis.
• Demonstration of English language proficiency through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam. This is required for applicants for whom English is not their first language or those who have completed a degree and prerequisite courses outside of the United States.
• Demonstration of meeting the OTD program’s Technical Standards for admission.
• Applicants to the OTD program must adhere to all general requirements for admission as established by Edgewood University’s Graduate Admission Requirements, which can be found in our Academic Catalog.

Post-Admission Requirements

• Health requirements
  • Annual physical exam
  • Vaccinations (TB skin test, Tdap – once, current tetanus vaccine, MMR [2 doses or titer], Varicella [2 doses or lab results], Hepatitis B – 3 doses, COVID 19 vaccines and boosters, annual flu vaccination, additional requirements specified by clinical sites)
• CPR certification – All students are required to be certified or decertified in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for Health Providers by the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.
• Completion of an approved Drug Screening and Criminal Background Check. Students accepted into the program may require additional testing closer to beginning fieldwork experiences.

Additional Admissions Policies

• Advanced placement, transfer of credit, and credit for experiential learning or work experience toward completion of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree are not accepted due to the accelerated, hybrid structure of the OTD program.
• Prior work experience is not required for admission.
• The OTD program’s admissions process is in alignment with Edgewood University’s mission and vision, which reflects efforts to recruit and admit a diverse student population: Edgewood University Catalog.
• There are three types of graduate admission statuses at Edgewood University: regular, provisional and contingent.
  • Regular Status
    • The status of regular admission to the graduate programs at Edgewood University is awarded to applicants who meet the requirements for their classification.
  • Provisional Status
    • When applicants have a cumulative entering GPA, computed on the highest degree held at the time of admission, less than what is required by the program, they may be admitted with provisional status. If accorded provisional status, the student must attain a 3.00 GPA for the first nine credits in courses numbered 600 and above taken at Edgewood University, or the student will be dismissed from the school. Applicants must still meet the minimum GPA requirement of their selected program. Please refer to the specific program for minimum GPA and other program specific admission requirements.
  • Contingent Status
    • Contingent status is accorded to individuals who are admissible to Edgewood University based upon the admission requirements for his/her program of interest; except that one or more original pieces of admission information (or specific School or department requirements) are missing from the student file. This status is used only in cases where it is clear that the student will be admissible with regular or provisional status when the missing information has been received. Contingent status is applicable for one semester only. Students will not be allowed to register for a second semester while on contingent status.