Overview

Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Student in Pediatrics lab with child

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program prepares students to become occupational therapists. The program is designed to develop the next generation of doctorally trained occupational therapists who will be able to rigorously implement evidence-based practice, understand care delivery models, and meet the future occupational needs of society. Students will develop the skills needed to assume leadership roles within health, education, and wellness systems. The OTD curriculum includes course content and learning activities that prepare students beyond the generalist level of an occupational therapist in practice skills, research skills, administration, professional development, leadership, advocacy and theory.

OT Ranking

Pitt's OT program is currently ranked 4th in the nation based on the most recent surveys of Best Graduate Schools by U.S. News & World Report.

Students learning to use assistive devices

Why Choose Pitt OT?

Aside from being highly ranked, here are some other reasons to study Occupational Therapy at Pitt!

Students check the fit of a custom fabricated orthotic device during their splinting class

About

Learn more about the structure of Pitt's three-year OTD program.

Admission

Students must have a Bachelor's degree to apply to the OTD program. View a list of OTD admission requirements, application instructions and information about the review process.

Upcoming OTD Information Sessions

Please join us for us for one of our Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Information Sessions. View the complete list of upcoming sessions.

OT Student watches patient complete dexterity test

Curriculum

Review the OTD three-year program curriculum and plan of study - an integration of didactic and fieldwork experience.

OT student and faculty help patient reach items safely on a shelf using assistive device

Fieldwork

View detailed information on the OTD fieldwork requirements where students gain valuable hands-on experiences.

OT Faculty, students, and alum at Hill Day

Program Outcomes

The Pitt OT Department has a long tradition of producing excellent program outcomes.

Accreditation

The OTD Program is accredited 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. Graduates of the OTD Program are 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.

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) program results can be found online at NBCOT. To locate University of Pittsburgh program results, search for Pennsylvania, then OT Masters-Level Programs and choose a year. Note: NBCOT results for the OTD Program will be available upon graduation of the first class of students in 2020.