More About Us
Entry-Level Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
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.
Information Sessions
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 21
Program Application Deadline: OTCAS Deadline November 1
Class Start: Summer Term (June)
Request more information: occtherapy@utrgv.edu
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation 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 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).
Program Outcomes
Following the graduation of the first OTD class, outcomes of the program graduates and graduation rates will be reported.