Requirements for Entry into Our Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program
Prerequisite Courses *Incoming class of 2026 and later
Four out of the seven 'core' prerequisite courses must be completed at the time of application submission, including two of the following three courses:
- Human Anatomy
- Human Physiology
- Statistics
ALL pre-requisites must be completed by August 1 before the program begins.
See table below:
| Prerequisite | Required | Recommendations |
|---|---|---|
| Human Anatomy* | (3 cr.) | Lab not required |
| Human Physiology* | (3 cr.) | Lab not required |
| Statistics* | (3 cr.) | Descriptive and inferential statistics. Courses that focus on Research Methods are not sufficient to fulfill this requirement. |
Factors of Contemporary Society to meet Human Needs*: | (3 cr.)
| **Course content must apply, analyze, and evaluate the role of sociocultural, socioeconomic, diversity factors, and lifestyle choices in contemporary society to meet the needs of persons, groups, and populations. **Please reach out to [email protected] for questions on your coursework. |
| General Psychology* | (3 cr.) | Fundamental principles of biological, sociological, cognitive, and personality impacts on normal and abnormal psychology. |
| Psychopathology/ Abnormal Psychology* | (3 cr.) | Diagnosis, classification, etiologies of behavioral disorders. |
| Human Development across the Life Span* | (3 cr.) | Verification that the content of the course(s) you took covered the entire life span (infant through old age). You may need to take a series of courses to complete this prerequisite. |
| Medical Terminology | (0-1 cr.) | Introduction and definition of medical terminology related to body structure, disease, diagnosis, and treatment. Or the equivalent of a 1 credit Medical Terminology course. |
*indicates a core prerequisite.
Institutional Planning Guides
Please see below for UM System campuses, Minnesota community colleges and Minnesota private colleges. These guides are meant to be used as tools only and are subject to change at any time.
For all other questions on coursework, please reference Transferology.com and/or email [email protected]
University of Minnesota campus planning guides
MN Community college planning guides
Non-Academic Requirements for Entry
The Occupational Therapy Program (OT) requires students to engage in diverse, complex and specific experiences essential to occupational therapy and that also assure patient safety. Unique combinations of cognitive, affective, psychomotor, physical, and social abilities are required to practice Occupational Therapy in timely and safe ways. The Occupational Therapy Program’s Minimum Technical Standards outline these abilities and requirements. Prospective students should review these standards prior to applying for admission. Current students must maintain their ability to meet the standards with or without accommodations.
Read the complete policy on Program in Occupational Therapy Minimum Technical Standards
It is recommended that an incoming student with a disability contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at [email protected] or (612) 626-1333 and identify as an applicant, prior to enrollment in Fall semester. Contact with DRC is confidential. This enables the OT program to provide the best educational experience possible.
Criminal Background Check
The State of Minnesota Department of Health requires criminal background studies on all students admitted to the Program in Occupational Therapy. Students must pass the background study to participate in community or fieldwork experiences. A felony conviction may affect a graduate's ability to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification examination or attain state licensure. Information on national certification is available from:
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
800 S. Frederick Avenue, Suite 200
Gaithersburg, MD 20877-4150
(301) 990-7979
www.nbcot.org
Admitted students are provided detailed instructions for how to request a criminal background study soon after beginning the program. If admitted students have questions regarding the background study, they are encouraged to speak with our student services academic advisor.
Read the complete policy on Program in Occupational Therapy Minimum Technical Standards
It is recommended that an incoming student with a disability contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at [email protected] or (612) 626-1333 and identify as an applicant, prior to enrollment in Fall semester. Contact with DRC is confidential. This enables the OT program to provide the best educational experience possible.