Doctor of Occupational Therapy Admissions

Completed applications for the Entry-Level Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree program are reviewed holistically on a multitude of factors including, but not limited to: academic history, letters of recommendation and service and leadership in the community.

OTCAS Application Deadlines

  • Application opens: July 21, 2023
  • Priority application deadline: Aug. 31, 2023
  • Application closes: June 7, 2024

Admissions Requirements

  • Bachelor’s Degree - Applicants must complete a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university. 
  • Academic Excellence - The recommended minimum GPA is a 3.0 overall GPA and a 2.9 prerequisite GPA. Applicants must earn a C or higher in prerequisite courses.
  • Strong References - Three letters of recommendation, with at least one letter from a licensed occupational therapist or healthcare professional are required.
  • Observation Hours - At least 50 hours of observation with an occupational therapist or an occupational therapist assistant are recommended. Up to 20 observation hours may be completed using clinedweb.com (fees apply).
  • Admissions Interview and Writing Sample - Following a holistic review of candidates, the Admissions Committee will invite those deemed most competitive to an admissions interview. During the interviews, applicants will have the opportunity to meet administrators, faculty and staff. Candidates will also complete a writing sample as part of their interview day.

Prerequisite science courses must be designated for science majors, pre-medical or pre-health majors. Undergraduate science courses that are designated as courses for non-majors are not accepted as prerequisites for entry into the UIW OTD program.

Applicants must earn a C or higher in the following prerequisite courses

OTD Prerequisite Courses
Course Semester(s)
Human Anatomy with Lab (4 hours) 1
Human Physiology with Lab (4 hours) or 1
Combined Human Anatomy Physiology I and II with Lab (4 hours each) 2
College-level Science with Lab (General Biology, Chemistry, or Physics) (4 hours) 1
Medical Terminology 1
Introduction to Psychology (3 hours) 1
Abnormal Psychology (3 hours) 1
Social Science- (Sociology, Anthropology, Psychology) (3 hours) 1
Statistics or Research Class (3 hours) 1

University of the Incarnate Word contracts a qualified provider to deliver a six-week online non-credit Medical Terminology course. 

The University of the Incarnate Word admission policies are written to assure that prior education lays a solid foundation for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program.

OTD Transfer of Credit: A student in good standing in another Doctor of Occupational Therapy program can transfer a maximum of 12 semester credits toward completion of the UIW OTD program given that the courses were not used to confer another degree. The OTD Program Director will review course syllabi and applicant performance to assure content aligns with the UIW OTD curriculum design and course sequence for consideration. This evaluation is done on an individual basis by the OTD Program Director, OTD Admission team, and the UIW Registrar.

OTD Credit for Experience: OTD students are not eligible to replace prior work experience for graduate credits in the UIW OTD program.

Advanced Placement Credit: Advanced placement credit/coursework is acceptable for completion of prerequisites for the OTD program with a minimum score of 4 out of 5 is obtained and the course was completed within 7 years of matriculation into the OTD program. Undergraduate coursework must also include 3 years or more for completion.

UIW's Doctor of Occupational Therapy Preview Day is designed to be an opportunity for prospective students to learn more about our OTD program, meet faculty and tour our facility. 

 Anyone interested in pursuing a career in OT is welcome to attend, including high school students, current undergraduate students, and those who have already obtained a bachelor's degree. Parents and friends are welcome to join as well.

  • Sept. 29, 2023
  • Oct. 13, 2023
  • Nov. 17, 2023
  • Jan. 26, 2024
  • Feb. 16, 2024
  • April 12, 2024
  • June 21, 2024

Sign up to attend one of our Preview Days

Location:

9160 Guilbeau Road
San Antonio, TX 78250

Interviews are by invitation only.

OTD Candidates with applications in the process will be invited to participate in a formal interview with a faculty member. Additionally, qualified OTD candidates will complete the onsite essay, which includes reading a short article about occupational therapy and providing short written responses to questions.

Virtual interviews and individual tours must be arranged separately with the Admissions office at otdadmissions@uiwtx.edu.

The University of the Incarnate Word provides reasonable accommodation with adequate notice. To request disability accommodation for interviews, visit the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) website or contact otdadmissions@uiwtx.edu for assistance.

Accepted students will have two to three weeks to accept or decline their admissions into the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program. Those who accept must submit their Acknowledgment of Acceptance and Confirmation Form along with a $500 deposit to secure their place in the incoming class. The deposit is non-refundable; $400 will be applied toward the first semester’s tuition. Additionally, admitted students will be responsible for sending official original transcripts from each college or university attended directly to the School of Physical Therapy prior to the start of class. Transcripts must be in a sealed envelope from the school to be considered official.

Pay Matriculation Fee Here

Laptop with one of the following operating systems:

  • Windows - CPU Processor: Quad-Core Intel i3 processor or equivalent. ARM-based chips are NOT supported at this time. Minimum 8 GB RAM. Minimum 128GB storage. Running ‘Windows 10/Education/Home/Pro’ - NOT ‘Windows RT’, ‘Windows 10.'
  • Apple - MacOS - Any Mac (2016 or newer) running MacOS X Catalina (10.15) or later. M1 Macs are fully supported.
  • Microsoft Surface device (2017 or newer excluding the Surface Pro X line)
  • Surface Pro X devices have ARM-based chips and are NOT supported by Examsoft at this time.
  • iPads are not permitted as primary testing devices.

Additional Requirements and Information

  • If device doesn't have an HDMI port, an HDMI adapter will be needed.
  • Devices must also have access to a microphone.
  • UIW provides Microsoft Office Suite of Applications or MS365 (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Teams)
  • Chromebooks are not recommended.

Accreditation Information

Candidacy Status: The University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas, Entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

ACOTE logo

The program must have a pre-accreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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 individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

The UIW OTD program requires the student to complete all graduation, fieldwork, and doctoral capstone requirements. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork, as well as, an individual 14-week capstone experience within 24 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program.

The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork, as well as, completion of preparatory activities defined in 2018 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3.

Read More Accreditation Information