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Shenandoah University's Occupational Therapy graduate programs prepare you professionally for diverse clinical positions.
Occupational therapists help people of all ages regain their quality of life through the therapeutic use of everyday activities. They help children with disabilities to participate fully in school and social situations, help individuals recovering from injury to regain skills, and provide support for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes. Shenandoah's graduate programs in occupational therapy prepare you to help clients reach their greatest level of quality of life and independence by serving as a caring and effective occupational therapist. The GRE is not required.
Occupational Therapy Doctorate- Traditional
Shenandoah University's 107-credit Occupational Therapy Doctorate is delivered in a flexible, hybrid format, with much of the content delivered online.
Our OTD program prepares you to become a skilled and compassionate occupational therapist, serving a diverse range of patient populations in a variety of health care and community-based settings. The GRE is not required.
Shenandoah University's Division of Occupational Therapy (SUDOT), offers both an entry-level OTD program, and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy. The entry-level doctorate has been granted candidacy status by the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). Our next full accreditation review is in 2020-2021. Please note, a prior felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT Certification Exam or attain state licensure. Please also be aware that fieldwork placements may be limited or unattainable in out of state locations due to varying state restrictions.
We recommend that all potential students attend an Open House
Students who can apply to the OTD at the Winchester Campus:
SU undergraduate juniors who are guaranteed accepted to OTD as a freshman
Applicants who hold a Bachelor's Degree or higher
Program Specifics PDF
SUDOT requires potential students to go through OTCAS for the application process. This is an online centralized application service located at www.otcas.org which has a thorough and accurate list of all required documents and prerequisites for the program. For a list of the prerequisites, please go to Shenandoah University that can be found on the list of participating programs located on OTCAS. The application process is:
PROGRAM START TERM APPLICATION OPENS APPLICATION DEADLINE
Priority: November 15, 2021
Applications will be accepted after
the priority deadline until the
2022 cohort is filled. Space is not
guaranteed after this date.
The SUDOT Master's Program is currently accredited by the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). The entry-level doctorate has been granted candidacy status by the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). ACOTE is recognized as the accrediting agency for occupational therapy education by both the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. SUDOT's next full accreditation review will be in 2020-2021.
Due to the ever-changing academic environment impacted by COVID-19, we will be making individual considerations for each applicant impacted during the pandemic:
Applicants must complete a minimum of 40 shadowing hours under a licensed occupational therapist and these must be completed at the time of application. If applicants are unable to achieve this requirement due to COVID-19, this will not impact your application as each case will be considered on an individual basis. Resources will be available on the SU Occupational Therapy Department webpage to help ensure an understanding of occupational therapy in a variety of settings.
Applicants are required to have two different letters of recommendation from the following: an employer, a licensed Occupational Therapist that the applicant shadowed, or an academic professor. If applicants are unable to achieve this requirement due to COVID-19, their case will be reviewed individually to identify an alternative entity to provide a letter of recommendation.
** Prerequisite courses taken during the COVID-19 outbreak (Spring, Summer, Fall 2020) with a P/NC or P/F grade of "P" will be accepted for credit. In situations where candidates were awarded P/F grades, the grade point average (GPA) for those grades is not impacted in the calculation of GPA. SUOT will only consider the GPAs calculated by OTCAS. Virtual lab experiences taken during 2020 and Spring 2021 will satisfy lab course prerequisite requirements.
The GPA requirements for program admission will not change. Applicants must still have the following academic requirements to be admitted:
A Minimum 3.0 overall grade point average (GPA)
A Minimum 3.0 prerequisite grade point average (GPA) with 3.2 preferred
Shenandoah University's 75-credit Master of Science in Occupational Therapy is delivered in a flexible, hybrid format, with much of the content delivered online.
Our program prepares you to become a skilled and compassionate occupational therapist, serving a diverse range of patient populations in a variety of health care and community-based settings. The GRE is not required.
Shenandoah University's Division of Occupational Therapy (SUDOT), offers a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy and an entry-level doctorate program. The MSOT is in compliance with the Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapist from the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). Our next full accreditation review is in 2020-2021. Please note, a prior felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the NBCOT Certification Exam or attain state licensure. Please also be aware that fieldwork placements may be limited or unattainable in out of state locations due to varying state restrictions.
Students who can apply to the MSOT at the Scholar Plaza Campus in Leesburg, VA or to the weekends-only program at the Winchester campus:
COTA's (Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants)
M.S. in Occupational Therapy
Shenandoah's Occupational Therapy Program is accredited through AOTA
ACOTE
c/o Accreditation Department
American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200
North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929
(301) 652-2682 or 301-652-AOTA
http://www.acoteonline.org/
Nat'l Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc.
12 S. Summit Ave., Suite 100
Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150
Phone (301)990-7979 Fax (301)869-8492
Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate
The Post-Professional OTD program is designed for practicing, registered occupational therapists who have obtained a master's degree and want to advance in leadership and develop as evidence-based scholars. Applicants can choose Track I to pursue the program in one year, or Track II to complete the degree in two years.
Learn more about the Post-Professional OTD program by visiting the program website.
Applicants to this program must have a master's degree and current National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification. The master's degree can be an areas of study in a related field if the applicant also received a bachelor's degree in Occupational Therapy. If you recently graduated or are about to graduate from your MSOT program and are unable to receive your NBCOT certification due to the pause in testing during the coronavirus pandemic, you are eligible to apply but must pass the test before completing the program. Please contact graduate admissions at SUGradAdmissions@su.edu to have that requirement waived.
All applicants must submit a completed application, transcripts, current NBCOT certification, and a resume. Unofficial transcripts, resume, and certification can be uploaded directly to the application form for initial admission. If admitted, official transcripts will be required before enrolling in the program. All non-U.S. educated occupational therapists will need to submit an academic credential evaluation with transcripts. English language proficiency must be met. Please see our International Student Admission Page for more details.
Post-Professional OTD applicants must have a completed application, including all required documents, by the application deadlines listed below:
Deadline Dates
Post-Professional OTD
Summer 2022 (May)
Virtual & Visit Options
View the Graduate Programs in Occupational Therapy Information Booklet: