What to Expect
Thinking about joining our program? Find out what you can expect as a student at UIC
Our entry-level occupational therapy doctorate is a full-time (8 continuous semesters, 110 credits total), 2 year and 9-month program consisting of in-person classes, community-based and clinical fieldwork, and a capstone project and experience. No electives are required.
Accreditation
The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) has granted UIC’s entry-level OTD program Preaccreditation Status and conducted an initial on-site evaluation in September 2024. UIC’s E-OTD program must be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). UIC will learn ACOTE’s decision regarding accreditation of the entry-level-OTD program in December 2024, in advance of the graduation of the first entry-level OTD cohort in May 2025. ACOTE is located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. Its telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-2682 and its web site is www.acoteonline.org.
Certification
Following graduation and successful completion of the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam, each graduate 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.
Here’s where it all starts.
Check out our full list of course descriptions here.
Check out our detailed curriculum roadmap with contact hours here.
UIC’s Disability Resource Center (DRC) ensures the rights of college students with disabilities to have full and equal access to their college experience. DRC staff members do so by working one-on-one with students to identify barriers in the campus environment and to create a plan of reasonable accommodations that removes those barriers. Any student with a documented disability can register with the DRC. DRC services are completely free and do not require U.S. citizenship or a Social Security Number.
All prospective students are asked to review the Technical Standards provided via the link below. The Technical Standards describe the performance abilities and characteristics that are necessary to successfully complete the requirements of the E-OTD curriculum and provide effective and safe health care. Students matriculating into the E-OTD program and seeking reasonable accommodations due to a disability or wanting to explore the accommodation options at UIC are asked to contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) in advance of the Fall 1 semester. To set up or explore accommodations, complete the steps described on the DRC website: https://drc.uic.edu/students-2/new-to-drc/. The steps involve completing the online Student Registration Form and calling the DRC at (312) 413-2183 to schedule an intake appointment.
Each course utilizes the Blackboard Learning Management System to support course delivery. Please refer to the Before You Apply page under the “Required Technological Competencies” section to learn more about the required competencies for the distance education components of the entry-level OTD program.
Our curriculum includes 28 courses, 12 of which are taught in a block format. The block courses offered in a given semester are delivered sequentially, meaning that students take one block course at a time. Block courses typically meet for 12 hours per week for two to eight weeks.
Links Heading link
Year 1 Heading link
Explore the each semester schedule — including courses, activities, and opportunities — by clicking through the tabs below.
Fall semester
| Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| OT 600 | Introductory Occupational Therapy Knowledge and Skills | 3 credits |
| OT 601 | Communication and Therapeutic Relationships | 2 credits |
| OT 602 | Client-Centered Practice Using Occupation-Focused Models | 2 credits |
| OT 603 | Occupational Development Across the Lifespan | 4 credits |
| OT 604 | Fieldwork Level I-A | 1 credit |
| OT 605 | Professional Development and Leadership 1 | 2 credits |
| OT 607 | Research Foundations for Evidence-based Practice 1: Examining Client Factors and Interventions | 2 credits |
Fall semester
Opportunities
Student participation and attendance at national and local conferences and professional events is encouraged. All graduate and professional students in the department including entry-level OTD, Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy, and PhD students are eligible to apply for a Student Travel Award. To be eligible for a travel award, students must be registered in any of the above OT academic programs when they apply and must complete an application. More details will be provided at the start of the semester.
- Get involved! Maximize your UIC experience by getting involved in our various leadership opportunities.
- Join the Illinois Occupational Therapy Association (ILOTA) and register to participate in the ILOTA conference.
- Join the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). AOTA conference occurs in the spring.
- Participate in AOTA Hill Day and advocate for your profession!
Spring semester
| Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| OT 610 | Integrating Conceptual Practice Models with the OT Process | 2 credits |
| OT 611 | Occupational Performance and Participation: Evaluation | 4 credits |
| OT 612 | Occupational Performance & Participation: Outcomes and Interventions 1 | 6 credits |
| OT 615 | Professional Development and Leadership 2 | 2 credits |
| OT 617 | Research Foundations for Evidence-Based Practice 2: Evaluating and Understanding Clients in Context | 2 credits |
Spring semester
Opportunities
Student participation and attendance at national and local conferences and professional events is encouraged. All graduate and professional students in the department including entry-level OTD, Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy, and PhD students are eligible to apply for a Student Travel Award. To be eligible for a travel award, students must be registered in any of the above OT academic programs when they apply and must complete an application. More details will be provided at the start of the semester.
- Get involved! Maximize your UIC experience by getting involved in our various leadership opportunities.
- Join the Illinois Occupational Therapy Association (ILOTA) and register to participate in the ILOTA conference.
- Join the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). AOTA conference occurs in the spring.
- Participate in AOTA Hill Day and advocate for your profession!
Summer
| Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| OT 624 | Policy, Payment, Advocacy and Access to Occupational Therapy | 3 credits |
| OT 626 | Population Health and Community Participation | 2 credits |
| OT 628 | Group Theory and Process | 1 credit |
| OT 629 | Fieldwork Level I-B | 1 credit |
Year 2 Heading link
Explore the each semester schedule — including courses, activities, and opportunities — by clicking through the tabs below.
Fall semester
| Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| OT 630 | Occupational Therapy Process: Application 1 | 3 credits |
| OT 631 | Occupational Performance and Participation: Outcomes and Interventions 2 | 4 credits |
| OT 632 | Occupational Performance and Participation: Outcomes and Interventions 3 | 4 credits |
| OT 635 | Professional Development and Leadership 3 | 1 credit |
| OT 636 | Research Foundations for Evidence-based Practice 3: Knowledge Synthesis for Clinical Practice | 2 credits |
| OT 637 | Research Foundations for Evidence-based Practice 4: Assessing Community Needs and Evaluating Programs | 1 credit |
Fall semester
Opportunities
- Participate in the ILOTA conference
- Participate in AOTA Hill Day and advocate for your profession!
Spring semester
| Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| OT 647 | Fieldwork Level I-C | 1 credit |
| OT 648 | Fieldwork Level I-D | 1 credit |
| OT 640 | OT Process: Application 2 | 3 credits |
| OT 641 | Occupational Performance & Participation: Outcomes and Interventions 4 | 2 credits |
| OT 645 | Professional Development and Leadership 4 | 1 credit |
| OT 646 | Research Foundations for Evidence-based Practice 5: Knowledge Translation and Health Communications | 1 credit |
| OT 649 | Fieldwork Level II-A: Part 1 | 6 credits |
| OT 695 | Scholarship of Practice Proseminar | 1 credit |
Fall semester
Opportunities
- Participate in the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Conference
- Participate in the ILOTA Student Conclave in Chicago
Summer
| Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| OT 650 | Fieldwork Level II-A: Part 2 | 6 credits |
| OT 654 | Best Practices in Management and Program Development | 3 credits |
| OT 655 | Professional Development and Leadership 5 | 1 credit |
Year 3 Heading link
Explore the each semester schedule — including courses, activities, and opportunities — by clicking through the tabs below.
Fall semester
| Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| OT 690 | Capstone Seminar | 1 credit |
| OT 668 | Capstone Project 1 | 1 credit |
| OT 669 | Fieldwork Level II-B | 12 credits |
Fall semester
Opportunities
- Participate in the ILOTA conference
- Participate in AOTA Hill Day and advocate for your profession!
Spring semester
| Courses | ||
|---|---|---|
| OT 678 | Capstone Project 2 | 2 credits |
| OT 679 | Capstone Experience | 14 credits |
Spring semester
Opportunities
- Participate in the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Conference
- Participate in the ILOTA Student Conclave in Chicago