occupational therapy professional programs
in this section
accelerated doctor of occupational therapy (drot) program
at university of the sciences when you declare occupational therapy as your major as a freshman, you can complete the coursework for a bshs and earn a doctor of occupational therapy (drot) in 6 years. you’ll advance from the pre-professional to professional phase of the occupational therapy program by meeting all academic criteria and completing program requirements.
in your first three years, you’ll gain a foundation in the sciences and humanities. upon entering the professional phase of the occupational therapy program, you’ll learn how to work effectively with clients as well as how disability and non-disability related needs can affect their lives. and you’ll actively participate in the classroom and out in the field as you begin to apply the skills you’ve learned.
hands-on experience is an integral part of our accelerated occupational therapy program
- fieldwork experiences occur every semester starting the first professional year
- two 12-week level ii fieldworks
- one 14-week, 560-hour experiential, which will complement your capstone
students are required to maintain an overall 3.00 gpa each semester with all grades above a c throughout the professional phase of the program.
courses in the drot program are delivered primarily onsite, with lab and fieldwork experiences required off-site in the community, and one course online (ot 697) which complements the capstone experience. students are required to complete two level ii fieldwork courses for a total of 24 full-time equivalent weeks off-site in the community. students are then required to participate in a 14-week, 560 hour experiential, during which they complete the capstone project.
traditionally courses in the ot program are onsite, with one class provided online. however, due to covid-19, classes will be delivered in a mixture of online and in-person formats for the fall 2020 semester. the in-person portion of laboratory courses will be focused on those skills requiring a hands-on approach.
it is required that students have internet access and satisfactory computer skills to complete course requirements. assignments may include on-line work, presentation formats, researching the literature, and sending files electronically. communication with instructors is done via email or internet meetings.
to assist with online learning throughout the program, all new incoming drot students are required to complete the specified orientation course to the university’s learning management system.
curriculum
the following is a typical curriculum for undergraduate students entering university of the sciences’ accelerated doctor of occupational therapy program in fall 2021 or fall 2022; other students should refer to their advisor for their curricula.
first year
general biology i, ii
general biology lab i, ii
seminar for health science
precalculus
physical education i, ii
introduction to psychology
writing and rhetoric i, ii
introduction to sociology
health sciences orientation ii
general education humanities or free elective
second year
introduction to communication
psychology of human development
biostatistics
abnormal psychology
survey of physics
multidisciplinary inquiry requirements i, ii
general education humanities or free electives
humanities free elective
free elective
*general chemistry i, and lab (are recommended)
third year
human structure and function i, ii
human structure and function lab i
overview of ot practice i, ii
writing for healthcare profession (or scientific writing)
ethics elective
medical terminology
elective courses
fourth year
summer
neuroscience
overview of occupational therapy practice (required only for transfer students)
fall
human development and performance (lab)
movement analysis (lab)
introduction to clinical skills (lab)
theories of occupational therapy
level i experiences seminar
human occupation: concepts and practice (lab)
ipe for health professionals
spring
doctoral seminar i
clinical medicine
evaluation and assessment in occupational therapy (lab)
fieldwork level i: clinical experience
therapeutic groups (lab)
introduction to applied research methods
clinical leadership, management, and supervision
past, present, and future ot
bshs in health science is awarded
fifth year
summer
doctoral seminar ii
occupational therapy interventions i: contextual approaches (lab)
fieldwork level i: community living client
applied research ii
fall
doctoral seminar iii
interventions ii: developmental issues (lab)
interventions iii: psychosocial issues (lab)
fieldwork level i: community service learning
applied research iii
spring
fieldwork level i: clinical fieldwork
interventions vi: cognitive issues(lab)
interventions v: rehabilitation approaches (lab)
interventions vi: assistive technology (lab)
evidence-based practice
fieldwork if: program development
sixth year
summer
fieldwork level iia
fall
fieldwork level iib
research independent study
spring
doctoral capstone project
doctoral experiential component
doctor of occupational therapy (drot) is awarded
for detailed course descriptions and other information about the doctor of occupational therapy program curriculum, see the university catalog.
contact:
admission office
address:
university of the sciences
600 south 43rd street
philadelphia, pa 19104-4495
phone:
888-996-8747 or 215-596-8810
email: