Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD)/ PhD Dual Degree Program

(149 credits – 109 Graded credits, 40 Pass-Fail (P/F) credits)
5 - 6 Year Proposed Sequence

The VCU Bulletin is the official source for academic course and program information.

Summer 1 (7 credits)

Course Course Name Credits
OCCT 589 Advanced Functional Anatomy 5
OCCT 580 Introduction to the Profession of Occupational Therapy 2

Fall 1 (16 credits)

Course Course Name Credits
OCCT 590 Functional Movement Analysis in Occupational Therapy 3
OCCT 591 Neuroscience Applications to Occupational Therapy 4
OCCT 592 Introduction to Injury, Illness, and Disability 3
OCCT 593 Analysis of Human Occupation 1
OCCT 594 Theoretical Foundations of Occupational Therapy 4
IPEC 501 Interprofessional Education 1 (P/F)

Spring 1 (17 credits)

Course Course Name Credits
OCCT 613 Adult Occupational Performance I 3
OCCT 614 Pediatric Occupational Performance I 4
OCCT 615 Level I Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy 1 (P/F)
OCCT 616 Research Process in Occupational Therapy* 3
OCCT 617 Therapeutic Process in Occupational Therapy 3
OCCT 689 Occupational Therapy Assessment and Evaluation 3

*Would serve as graduate level statistics course needed to enter PhD Program - Must earn B or higher

Students would apply for PhD program after mid-term of spring semester.

Summer 2 (5 credits)

Course Course Name Credits
OCCT 693 Occupational Synthesis and Adaptations 2
OCCT 780 Leadership Seminar 3

Fall 2 (18 credits)

Course Course Name Credits
OCCT 713 Adult Occupational Performance II 4
OCCT 714 Pediatric Occupational Therapy II 4
OCCT 715 Level I Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy 1 (P/F)
OCCT 716 Evidence Based Practice in Occupational Therapy 3
OCCT 781 Program Development and Evaluation 3
ALHP 712 Curriculum and Communication Design for Health Care Professionals 3

Spring 2 (18 credits)

Course Course Name Credits
OCCT 692 Assistive Technologies for Occupational Engagement 2
OCCT 717 Level I Fieldwork in Psychosocial Occupational Therapy 3
OCCT 720 Policy, Advocacy, and Management for OT Practice
(substitute for ALHP 781 Doctoral Seminar)		 3
OCCT 721 Clinical Reasoning in Occupational Therapy 3
OCCT 759  Fieldwork Education Seminar 2
OCCT 782 Professional Development Portfolio 2
ALHP 702 Finance and Economic Theory for Health Care  3

Summer 3 (9 credits)

Course Course Name Credits
OCCT 760 Level II Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy 9 (P/F)

Students would be finishing up econ coursework during the first month of this fieldwork rotation.

Fall 3 (12 credits)

Course Course Name Credits
OCCT 761 Level II Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy 9 (P/F)
ALHP 760 Biostatistical Methods for Health Related Sciences 3

Spring 3 (17 credits)

Course Course Name Credits
OCCT 783 Doctoral Capstone-Research Track
(Substitute 6 credits for ALHP 792 and ALHP 793 - Independent Study and Research Practicum)		 10 (P/F)
OCCT 784 Capstone Evaluation and Dissemination 1
ALHP 761 Health Related Sciences Research Design 3
ALHP 762 Multivariate Statistical Methods in HRS Research 3

Students graduate in May with OTD degree.

Summer 4

Take NBCOT Exam.

Fall 4 (6 credits)

Course Course Name Credits
ALHP 701 Health Services Delivery Systems 3
ALHP 718 Health Informatics 3
ALHP 763 Clinical Outcomes Evaluation for HRS 3

Take Methods Comps.

Spring 4 (19 credits)

Course Course Name Credits
ALHP 708 Ethics and Health Care 3
ALHP 716 Grant Writing and Project Management in HRS 3
ALHP 890 Dissertation Seminar 3

Core Comps.

Fall 5 (1-6 credits)

Course Course Name
ALHP 899 Dissertation Research

Spring 5 (1-6 credits)

Course Course Name
ALHP 899 Dissertation Research

Fall 6 (1-6 credits)

Course Course Name
ALHP 899 Dissertation Research

Spring 6 (1-6 credits)

Course Course Name
ALHP 899 Dissertation Research