Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) Curriculum

Review the course catalog for our most up-to-date curriculum information.

You must complete 107 term hours for graduation.

In order to graduate and have the Occupational Therapy Doctorate conferred, you must meet the following criteria:

• Successfully complete all didactic coursework and fieldwork
• Pass the Department of Occupational Therapy competency exam
• Successfully complete all requirements of the individual doctoral experience and capstone project
• Pass the Rush University Interprofessional Patient Care Teams course (IPE 503)
• Complete a minimum of 16 contact hours of approved professional or community service
• Complete implicit bias training

Completion of all graduation requirements as documented in official transcripts from RUSH University is required. This makes you eligible to take the registration exam administered by the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapists.

You must complete all program requirements within 45 months from the time you begin the program.

You have 15 months to complete Level II fieldwork after the final day of the fifth semester of the curriculum.

And you have 12 months to complete the doctoral experience/project after the last day of your final Level II fieldwork.

Any student who expects to go beyond this timeframe must request an exception to the policy in writing to the program director.

Grades are assigned as either a letter grade of A, B, C, D, F or Pass (P)/No Pass (N) as indicated in the University Catalog. Any student who does not complete a course must take an incomplete (I) or withdraw (W) from the course.

The grade of I (incomplete) is given only when circumstances beyond the control of the student prevent completion of course requirements. Students receiving an I are responsible for finding out from the instructor the exact work required to satisfy the course requirements.

Incompletes must be resolved within one academic term (semester) unless an alternate agreement is made.

Only grades of A, B, C and P will fulfill degree requirements in all non-elective courses listed in the curriculum outline. Academic probation is assigned to any student who earns a semester GPA of 2.99 and below.

Students placed on probation must earn or maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above by the end of the next consecutive academic term.

Students who fail to meet minimum cumulative GPA requirements within the time frame specified above will be automatically dismissed from the program.

Students placed on probation for the first time must meet with their academic adviser and establish an Action Plan prior to the beginning of the next academic term.

If a student is placed on probation a second time, they must petition and meet with the Student Performance and Academic Review Committee (SPARC) and provide an Action Plan that is acceptable to SPARC in order to continue in the program.

The student will also be responsible to meet on a regular basis with their adviser to monitor the progress of the aforementioned Action Plan’s implementation.

A student placed on probation for a third time for didactic course work will automatically be dismissed from the program. A student receiving a grade D, F, or No Pass (N) in a required course must repeat the course at the next academic offering and earn at least a B (or Pass for Pass/No Pass courses) to remain in the program.

Only one D, F, or No Pass is allowed for the entire program.

In the event a student receives a second D, F, or No Pass (N) at any other time in the program they will be dismissed from the program.

A student may appeal a grade and/or disciplinary action by following the College of Health Sciences Student Academic Appeals and Grievance procedures found in the RUSH University Catalog.

Voluntary Withdrawal implies the permanent departure from the University without the immediate expectation of return.

No withdrawals are allowed during the last three weeks of the academic term or final examination period.

If a student submits a voluntary withdrawal form during this period, they will receive a grade for the courses they were enrolled in.

Refunds are made only during the time limits for refunds. A completed Petition for Withdrawal form is required.

Administrative Withdrawal refers to a permanent departure from the University that is University initiated and without expectation of the student’s return.

More information on tuition refunds