Occupational Therapy

OTD curriculum

We are in the process of making some minor revisions to our existing OTD curriculum to best reflect contemporary practice and meet ACOTE accreditation standards. We are doing a gradual phase-in of these curricular changes for cohorts already enrolled in the OTD program. Therefore, each cohort has a slightly different curriculum plan:

1st Year Summer Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5010Professional Development3 credits
Oc Thr 5020Foundations & Theory in OT3 credits
Oc Thr 5030Human Development and Occupation3 credits
Total Semester Credits9 credits

1st Year Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc The 5110Intro to Evidence Based Practice2 credits
Oc Thr 5120Principles of Assessment3 credits
Oc Thr 5130Conditions in OT2 credits
Oc Thr 5140Human Motion & Occupation4 credits
Oc Thr 5150Concepts of Neuroscience3 credits
Oc Thr 5160Psychosocial Aspects of OT*3 credits
Total Semester Credits17 credits

*Includes fieldwork I A – Virtual throughout semester

1st Year Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5210Adult Practice4 credits
Oc Thr 5220Pediatric Practice4 credits
Oc Thr 5230Application of Evidence Based Practice2 credits
Oc Thr 5240Prof. Reasoning & Documentation2 credits
Oc Thr 5260OT Practicum I2 credits
Oc Thr 5270Assistive Technology in OT2 credits
Oc Thr 5100Intro to Interprofessional Practice1 credit
Total Semester Credits17 credits

2nd Year Summer Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5310Advanced Practice Strategies4 credits
Oc Thr 5320Performance, Participation, & Well-Being2 credits
Oc Thr 5330Functional Cognition2 credits
Oc Thr 5350Proposal Development2 credits
Total Semester Credits10 credits

2nd Year Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5410Case Based Learning4 credits
Oc Thr 5420Populations & Communities3 credits
Oc Thr 5445Health Data Literacy in OT2 credits
Oc Thr 5440Contemporary Topics in OT**3 credits
Oc Thr 5450OT Practicum II2 credits
Oc Thr 5470Evidence Based Practice Seminar2 credits
Oc Thr 5480Capstone I2 credits
Total Semester Credits18 credits

**Includes Fieldwork I B – 1 week in early August

2nd Year Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5510Fieldwork II A (12 weeks)6 credits
Oc Thr 5520Fieldwork II B (12 weeks)6 credits
Oc Thr 5530Capstone II (online)1 credit
Total Semester Credits13 credits

3rd Year Fall Semester – ONLINE

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 6010Advanced Occupation Based Practice3 credits
Oc Thr 6015Complex Adaptive Leadership3 credits
Oc Thr 6035Management, Policy, & Advocacy3 credits
Oc Thr 6050Capstone III2 credits
Oc Thr 6051Capstone III – Mentor Hour1 credit
Total Semester Credits12 credits

3rd Year Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 6200Professional Seminar (online)2 credits
Oc Thr 6210Capstone IV – Doctoral Capstone Experience7 credits
Total Semester Credits9 credits

1st Year Summer Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5010Professional Development3 credits
Oc Thr 5020Foundations & Theory in OT3 credits
Oc Thr 5030Human Development and Occupation3 credits
Total Semester Credits9 credits

1st Year Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc The 5110Intro to Evidence Based Practice2 credits
Oc Thr 5120Principles of Assessment3 credits
Oc Thr 5130Conditions in OT2 credits
Oc Thr 5140Human Motion & Occupation4 credits
Oc Thr 5150Concepts of Neuroscience3 credits
Oc Thr 5160Psychosocial Aspects of OT*3 credits
Total Semester Credits17 credits

1st Year Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5210Adult Practice4 credits
Oc Thr 5220Pediatric Practice4 credits
Oc Thr 5230Application of Evidence Based Practice2 credits
Oc Thr 5240Prof. Reasoning & Documentation2 credits
Oc Thr 5260OT Practicum I2 credits
Oc Thr 5270Assistive Technology in OT2 credits
Total Semester Credits16 credits

*Includes Fieldwork I A – Virtual

2nd Year Summer Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5310Advanced Practice Strategies4 credits
Oc Thr 5320Performance, Participation, & Well-Being2 credits
Oc Thr 5330Functional Cognition2 credits
Oc Thr 5350Proposal Development2 credits
Total Semester Credits10 credits

2nd Year Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5410Case Based Learning4 credits
Oc Thr 5420Populations & Communities3 credits
Oc Thr 5445Health Data Literacy in OT2 credits
Oc Thr 5440Contemporary Topics in OT**3 credits
Oc Thr 5450OT Practicum II2 credits
Oc Thr 5470Evidence Based Practice Seminar2 credits
Oc Thr 5480Capstone I2 credits
Total Semester Credits18 credits

**Includes Fieldwork I B – 1 week in early August

2nd Year Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5510Fieldwork II A (12 weeks)6 credits
Oc Thr 5520Fieldwork II B (12 weeks)6 credits
Oc Thr 5530Capstone II (online)1 credit
Total Semester Credits13 credits

3rd Year Fall Semester – ONLINE

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 6000Professional Seminar I1 credit
Oc Thr 6010Advanced Occupation Based Practice3 credits
Oc Thr 6015Complex Adaptive Leadership3 credits
Oc Thr 6035Management, Policy, & Advocacy3 credits
Oc Thr 6050Capstone III2 credits
Oc Thr 6051Capstone III – Mentor Hour1 credit
Total Semester Credits13 credits

3rd Year Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 6200Professional Seminar (online)2 credits
Oc Thr 6210Capstone IV – Doctoral Capstone Experience7 credits
Total Semester Credits9 credits

1st Year Summer Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5010Professional Development3 credits
Oc Thr 5020Foundations & Theory in OT3 credits
Oc Thr 5030Human Development and Occupation3 credits
Total Semester Credits9 credits

1st Year Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc The 5110Intro to Evidence Based Practice2 credits
Oc Thr 5120Principles of Assessment3 credits
Oc Thr 5130Conditions in OT2 credits
Oc Thr 5140Human Motion & Occupation4 credits
Oc Thr 5150Concepts of Neuroscience3 credits
Oc Thr 5160Psychosocial Aspects of OT*3 credits
Total Semester Credits17 credits

*Includes Fieldwork I A – Virtual

1st Year Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5210Adult Practice4 credits
Oc Thr 5220Pediatric Practice4 credits
Oc Thr 5230Application of Evidence Based Practice2 credits
Oc Thr 5240Prof. Reasoning & Documentation2 credits
Oc Thr 5260OT Practicum I2 credits
Oc Thr 5270Assistive Technology in OT2 credits
Total Semester Credits16 credits

2nd Year Summer Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5310Advanced Practice Strategies4 credits
Oc Thr 5320Performance, Participation, & Well-Being2 credits
Oc Thr 5330Functional Cognition2 credits
Oc Thr 5350Proposal Development2 credits
Total Semester Credits10 credits

2nd Year Fall Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5405The Therapeutic Connection2 credits
Oc Thr 5410Case Based Learning5 credits
Oc Thr 5420Populations & Communities3 credits
Oc Thr 5465Fieldwork Fundamentals**2 credits
Oc Thr 5450OT Practicum II2 credits
Oc Thr 5470Evidence Based Practice Seminar2 credits
Oc Thr 5480Capstone I2 credits
Total Semester Credits18 credits

2nd Year Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 5510Fieldwork II A (12 weeks)6 credits
Oc Thr 5520Fieldwork II B (12 weeks)6 credits
Oc Thr 5530Capstone II (online)1 credit
Total Semester Credits13 credits

**Includes Fieldwork I B – 1 week in early August

3rd Year Fall Semester – ONLINE

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 6000Professional Seminar I1 credit
Oc Thr 6010Advanced Occupation Based Practice3 credits
Oc Thr 6015Complex Adaptive Leadership3 credits
Oc Thr 6035Management, Policy, & Advocacy3 credits
Oc Thr 6050Capstone III2 credits
Oc Thr 6051Capstone III – Mentor Hour1 credit
Total Semester Credits13 credits

3rd Year Spring Semester

Course NumberCourse NameCredits
Oc Thr 6200Professional Seminar (online)2 credits
Oc Thr 6210Capstone IV – Doctoral Capstone Experience7 credits
Total Semester Credits9 credits

Students must successfully complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork and a 14-week doctoral capstone experience within 24 months of completion of all didactic coursework to graduate with the entry-level OTD degree and be eligible to sit for the National Board Certification in Occupational Therapy Exam. View additional information regarding certification and credentialing requirements.

Additional requirements regarding program progression, retention, and graduation requirements are located in the MU OT Student Handbook. 

Delivery model

Most didactic coursework in Year 1 and Year 2 of the entry-level OTD program takes place in-person in classrooms and labs in Lewis & Clark Halls. Occasionally classes are scheduled in other University of Missouri campus buildings.

Some courses in Year 1 and Year 2 may be taught in blended or online format. Fall semester coursework in Year 3 is taught entirely online.

Fieldwork placements during Year 1 and Year 2 and most 14-week Doctoral Capstone Experiences in Year 3 take place at off-campus sites which have a written agreement with the Department of Occupational Therapy.

All campus buildings are accessible and equipped with Wi-Fi access for online and hybrid learning needs.