FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Click on a specific question or scroll down to see all questions and answers.
What is the difference between the entry-level OTD and the post-professional OTD?
What is the difference between an entry-level master’s and entry-level OTD degree?
I have a bachelor’s degree in OT. Can I apply to your entry-level OTD program?
What is the difference in cost to attend your new OTD program vs. your previous MOT program?
What are the estimated cost of the OTD program?
How do I apply to the OTD Program?
How many students are accepted into the CSU OTD Program? How many apply?
How do I know if a course I took at another university is equivalent to a CSU prerequisite course?
What if I haven’t taken all of the prerequisites by the time applications are due on October 1?
Are volunteer or shadowing hours required?
Where can I find out about financial aid?
Who should I contact if I have more questions?
Q: What do the letters OTD mean?
A: OTD stands for Occupational Therapy Doctorate degree. It is a CLINICAL doctorate degree, not a RESEARCH doctorate degree (like PhD), so although there is a strong research component, there is a stronger focus on clinical practice.
Q: What is the difference between the entry-level OTD and the post-professional OTD?
A: The entry-level degree is for students who are interested in becoming OTs and do not already hold an OT degree of any kind (bachelor’s or master’s). The post-professional degree is for practicing OTs (bachelor’s, master’s, or entry-level OTD) who have completed an entry-level OT program, are already registered and licensed, and are interested in advanced skills and knowledge in the field of OT.
Q: What is the difference between an entry-level master’s and entry-level OTD degree?
A: Currently, the profession has two entry points. Graduates of both entry-level master’s and doctoral programs are eligible to sit for the NBCOT registration exam and subsequently apply for state licensure. OTD programs are typically longer by 1-2 semesters and incorporate an independent Capstone Project. See chart below for more details
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The CSU MOT Program..... |
The CSU OTD Program..... |
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is 7 semesters long |
is 8 semesters long |
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is 79-81 credit hours |
is 103 credit hours |
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Part-time option was available |
Part-time option is available |
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Prepares students for entry-level practice |
Prepares students for entry-level practice |
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Explores OT practice in the area of population health (promotion, prevention, and intervention) |
Emphasizes OT practice in the area of population health (promotion, prevention, and intervention) |
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Provides students with high quality experiences in the community |
Provides students with high quality experiences in the community |
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Requires completion of 1 Service Learning and 3 Level I fieldwork experiences |
Requires completion of 1 Service Learning and 2 Level I fieldwork experiences |
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Requires completion of 2 Level II 12-week full-time clinical rotations |
Requires completion of 2 Level II 12-week full-time clinical rotations |
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Requires completion of 2 electives |
Requires completion of 2 electives that help to build in-depth knowledge relevant to the doctoral capstone |
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Occupation-based practice and evidence based practice are interwoven throughout the curriculum |
Provides enhanced focus on leadership, advocacy, policy, occupation-based practice, and evidence-based practice |
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Assignments require critical thinking and many assignments are group projects |
Assignments require more critical analysis and independent work |
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Requires completion of a group research project |
Requires completion of a small group research project |
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Requires completion of an independent doctoral capstone experience and project |
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After completion of the program, students are eligible to take the national certification exam (NBCOT). |
After completion of the program, students are eligible to take the national certification exam (NBCOT). |
Q: I have a bachelor’s degree in OT. Can I apply to your entry-level OTD program?
A: No, if you are interested in furthering your education, you would need to look at the available post-professional programs. You can find a list here: scroll down to the Postprofessional OT Programs heading.
Q: What is the difference in cost to attend your new OTD program vs. your previous MOT program?
A: Although the OTD program has more credits (103 vs. ~80 MOT), students will only be paying for one extra semester (tuition-only cost is $7680). We took the graduate tuition credit band into account (same cost for any amount of credits per semester when at or above 13) when we designed the curriculum so students get the most for their tuition dollars.
Q: What are the estimated total costs of the OTD Program?
Q: How do I apply to the OTD Program?
A: Applications are available through OTCAS at OTCAS on or about July 18th and remain open until the October 1 deadline. Refer to our Admission and Advising Process at OTD Admission and Advising for full details.
Q: How many students are accepted into the CSU OTD Program? How many apply?
A: The OT Program receives approximately 200 applications annually. Each OT cohort class has 45 students.
Q: How do I know if a course I took at another university is equivalent to a CSU prerequisite course?
A: Students may take approved prerequisites at CSU or receive approval for courses at other universities. Courses from many universities in Ohio and outside the state are listed on the Equivalency Charts on this page. Scroll down to Prerequisite Course Requirements section to access the charts. If a student is taking prerequisite classes but is not receiving a degree from CSU, the prerequisite courses should be taken as non-degree undergraduate.
Q: What if I haven’t taken all of the prerequisites by the time applications are due on October 1?
Students are eligible to apply to the CSU OTD Program even if all prerequisite courses are not complete at the time of application. A bare minimum of four of the eight prerequisite courses, including 2 of the natural sciences must be completed with a prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher by the time of application submission. All 8 prerequisite courses must be completed BEFORE the fall start of the OTD Program
Q: Are volunteer or shadowing hours required?
A: Although not required, spending time in a variety of OT settings is strongly recommended for the applicant’s understanding of the profession and the role of the occupational therapist.
Q: Where can I find out about financial aid?
A: Students interested in Financial Aid should refer to the CSU Financial Aid Office website.
Q: Who should I contact if I have more questions?
A: Schedule an appointment with an OT advisor at this link: OTD Admission and Advising
Scroll down to the big, blue button. It is strongly recommended that interested students view the Advising Power Point presentation on this page. Scroll down to section titled “Online Advising Presentation” to access it.