USAHS HAS AN OT PROGRAM TO FIT YOUR LIFE AND YOUR SCHEDULE.
USAHS knows that students have unique goals and require different modes of study. That's why we offer the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) and Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) programs in three formats: Residential, Flex and Hybrid Immersion (MOT only).*
We also offer an OTA-entry to our MOT program with all three formats.
Online coursework plus hands-on labs and fieldwork experiences
Five campus locations in Florida, California and Texas
Three starts per year: September, January and May1
1 Three start dates are available for most programs. Start dates differ by program and campus combination.
Pursue a career that matters
At USAHS, you’ll learn to be an exceptional occupational therapist prepared to transform lives and communities as well as a leader in the OT profession. You’ll be immersed in the largest community of OT’s in the US, study with expert faculty using the latest technology and gain hands-on experience using the most effective techniques, all in service of helping others live their lives more fully.
OT IS GROWING FAST
12% growth rate predicted from 2022 to 2032, with 16,100 new jobs added
Median annual pay: $93,180 in 2022
Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Occupational Therapists," Occupational Outlook Handbook, last modified Dec. 2023: www.bls.gov/ooh/
DOCTOR of
Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Program Description
Our Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program is designed for students interested in going beyond clinical work. The OTD curriculum combines coursework from our MOT program with an additional two terms focused on leadership, advocacy and policymaking along with a capstone project on your own area of interest within the field of OT. A bachelor's degree, not a master's, is needed for entry.
Who Should Pursue Their OTD
The OTD prepares you to practice in school and clinical settings. If you are interested in further career advancement opportunities, you should pursue your OTD. Our OTD program offers the same classes as the MOT, plus a capstone project and just two extra trimesters. With an OTD you work in expanded roles in:
- Leadership
- Administration
- Research
- Advocacy and policy development
- OT education
- Theory development
LEARNING EXPERIENCE
The USAHS Doctor of Occupational Therapy program is available in two formats: Residential at all five campus locations and Flex only at our Dallas, Texas, campus. Both blend digital learning components with traditional on-campus, hands-on practice. As a result, you’ll interact with faculty and fellow classmates in a more meaningful, significant and effective way.
Residential OTD2
Online Coursework + Weekday Hands-on Labs
8 Trimesters
2.7 Years4
Flex OTD3
Online Coursework + Weekend Hands-on Labs
11 Trimesters
3.7 Years4
2Our Residential OTD program is available at all five of our campus locations. 3Our Flex OTD program is currently offered in Dallas, TX only.
4Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress, credits transferred, and other factors.
MASTER of
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY (MOT)
With over 3,000 MOT alumni, USAHS has the largest community of Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) graduates in the US.**
Program Description
If your main goal is to engage in clinical practice—helping people expand their capabilities to their fullest potential—the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) may be the best choice for you. Our MOT puts you in a position to launch your career and start making a difference sooner.
If you are a COTA, we now offer an OTA to OT Bridge program.
Who Should Pursue an MOT
If your main goal is to practice as an occupational therapy clinician, the MOT degree is the fastest path to licensure. As a practicing OT, you can specialize in areas such as children and youth, rehabilitation, disability, mental health and more. You may have the opportunity to be employed in a variety of locations including:
- Schools
- Clinics
- Hospitals
- Government agencies
- Home healthcare
- Nursing homes
LEARNING EXPERIENCE
The USAHS Master of Occupational Therapy program is available in three formats: Residential and Flex at our San Marcos, California, St. Augustine and Miami, Florida, and Austin, Texas campuses, and Hybrid Immersion* at our San Marcos, California, Dallas, Texas, and St. Augustine and Miami, Florida campuses. All three blend digital learning components with on-campus, hands-on practice but have structural differences. As a result, you’ll interact with faculty and fellow classmates in more meaningful, significant and effective ways and can choose the format that best fits your lifestyle.
Residential MOT
Blended Coursework + Weekday Labs
6 Trimesters
2 Years5
Hybrid Immersion MOT*
Online Coursework + Two 3-5 Day Labs Per Trimester
6 Trimesters
2 Years5
Flex MOT
Online Coursework + Weekend
Labs 9 Trimesters
3 Years5
5 Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress, credits transferred and other factors.
The University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is institutionally accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500, Alameda, CA 94501, (510) 748-9001, www.wscuc.org, and maintains programmatic accreditation with the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) and Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) on a campus-by-campus basis.
*The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree (MOT) programs at the San Marcos, California; St. Augustine and Miami, Florida; and Austin, Texas, campuses are 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 programs will be 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. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.
*The entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree program at the Dallas, Texas, campus has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status 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. The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be 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. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.
**Based on total MOT degrees conferred as reported by the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) (data is captured through interrelated surveys conducted annually by the Department of Education’s National Center for Educational Statistics [NCES), and from USAHS’ internal graduation data.
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