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Welcome!
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652- AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program 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 to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
The entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is a professional clinical doctorate degree program that is grounded in the belief that humans are complex beings and that, through active engagement with the internal and external environments, individuals evolve, change, and adapt.
The OTD curriculum provides students with hands-on learning supported by theory and evidence-based practice, so they are ready to excel in any practice setting they choose upon graduation. Graduates will be grounded in the core values of occupational therapy, evidence-based practice, and active learning.
Some strengths of the OTD program include its affordable tuition, small class size, and the diversity of the students and faculty. The unique geography and culture of the Rio Grande Valley afford the OTD program expanded research opportunities, clinical intervention development, population and community interaction, and educational events with a Hispanic population.
Virtual Information Session
You are invited to a virtual information session to explore the UTRGV OTD degree program. Please register in advance to receive the Zoom link.
- Application Opens
- OTCAS July 18
- Program Application Deadline
- OTCAS deadline November 1
- Class Start
- Summer term (June)
Session Dates
- April 23, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Register for the April 23, 2025 session
Meeting ID: 876 233 3930 - May 14, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Register for the May 14, 2025 session
Meeting ID: 876 233 3930 - June 11, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Register for the June 11, 2025 session
Meeting ID: 876 233 3930 - July 16, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Register for the July 16, 2025 session
Meeting ID: 876 233 3930 - August 13, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Register for the August 13, 2025 session
Meeting ID: 876 233 3930 - September 17, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Register for the September 17, 2025 session
Meeting ID: 876 233 3930 - October 15, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Register for the October 15, 2025 session
Meeting ID: 876 233 3930 - November 12, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Register for the November 12, 2025 session
Meeting ID: 876 233 3930
Graduation Rates
The total number of graduates from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Entry-Level Doctorate in Occupational Therapy program during the 1-year period for 2025 (most current) was 20, with an overall graduation rate of 90%.
Graduation Data by Year
2024
- Students entering: 14
- Students who withdrew for non-academic reasons: 1
- Students graduating: 13
- Graduation rate: 100%
2025
- Students entering: 20
- Students who withdrew for non-academic reasons: 0
- Students graduating: 18
- Graduation rate: 90%
Total
- Total students entering: 34
- Total students who withdrew for non-academic reasons: 1
- Total students graduating: 31
- Overall graduation rate: 94%
Note: Graduation rate does not include students who withdrew for reasons other than academic performance.
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) Program Data Results
UTRGV’s tuition and fees are the lowest in the UT System and the second lowest among all Texas public universities.
Texas Resident
OTD Year One
- Tuition and mandatory fees: $15,295
- Room and board: $10,464
- Books and supplies: $1,290
- Transportation: $2,984
- Miscellaneous: $3,396
- Total: $33,429
OTD Year Two
- Tuition and mandatory fees: $16,680
- Room and board: $10,464
- Books and supplies: $1,290
- Transportation: $2,984
- Miscellaneous: $3,396
- Total: $34,814
OTD Year Three
- Tuition and mandatory fees: $9,655
- Room and board: $10,464
- Books and supplies: $1,290
- Transportation: $2,984
- Miscellaneous: $3,396
- Total: $27,789
OTD Year Four
- Tuition and mandatory fees: $7,010
- Room and board: $10,464
- Books and supplies: $1,290
- Transportation: $2,984
- Miscellaneous: $3,396
- Total: $25,144
Total Cost of Program (3.5-year program)
- Tuition and mandatory fees: $48,640
- Room and board: $41,856
- Books and supplies: $5,160
- Transportation: $11,936
- Miscellaneous: $13,584
- Total program cost: $121,176
Non-Texas Resident
OTD Year One
- Tuition and mandatory fees: $27,850
- Room and board: $10,464
- Books and supplies: $1,290
- Transportation: $2,984
- Miscellaneous: $3,396
- Total: $45,984
OTD Year Two
- Tuition and mandatory fees: $30,450
- Room and board: $10,464
- Books and supplies: $1,290
- Transportation: $2,984
- Miscellaneous: $3,396
- Total: $48,584
OTD Year Three
- Tuition and mandatory fees: $19,058
- Room and board: $10,464
- Books and supplies: $1,290
- Transportation: $2,984
- Miscellaneous: $3,396
- Total: $37,192
OTD Year Four
- Tuition and mandatory fees: $12,681
- Room and board: $10,464
- Books and supplies: $1,290
- Transportation: $2,984
- Miscellaneous: $3,396
- Total: $30,815
Total Cost of Program (3.5-year program)
- Tuition and mandatory fees: $90,039
- Room and board: $41,856
- Books and supplies: $5,160
- Transportation: $11,936
- Miscellaneous: $13,584
- Total program cost: $162,575
Distance education fee note: There are no additional fees associated with distance education for Texas or non-Texas residents.
Note: For graduate students, tuition and mandatory fees are guaranteed for four years for traditional programs and two years for accelerated online programs. The amounts for books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses are averages and will vary widely depending on each student’s circumstances and needs, such as place of residence, miles driven throughout the academic year, personal expenses, and whether the student eats in a campus residence hall or cooks independently.
All costs are subject to change and may increase annually.
More Tuition and Fee Information
Academic Programs
Doctorate
Doctoral Degree
Occupational Therapy (OTD)
Doctor of Occupational Therapy
Program Modality: Campus
The Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy prepares students to become highly qualified entry-entry level, occupational therapists. The holistic curriculum integrates didactic and experiential learning in a variety of settings, providing students with entry-level skills in clinical practice, administration, clinical research, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education, and theory development. Didactic and experiential learning creates reflective and holistic practitioners who understand the complexity of occupational engagement and systems across a variety of settings, populations, and geography. Partnerships with local health care systems, clinics, and non-profit organizations further give students clinical and critical thinking skills to assume leadership roles in the community as ethical and capable practitioners.