Department Chairperson: Barbara Brockevelt, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA

Department of Occupational Therapy
Lee Med, Room 302
Phone: 605-658-5999
Fax: 605-677-6745
ot@usd.edu
www.usd.edu/ot
 
Click on any of the following programs for information:

• Doctor of Occupational Therapy
• Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy

FACULTY

Professors:

Barbara Brockevelt, Ph.D., M.A., OTR/L, FAOTA, Chairperson, Nova Southeastern University. Specialization: Human Development, Pediatric Practice, and Child Well-being.
Moses Ikiugu, Ph.D., OTR/L, Texas Women’s University. Specialization: Psychosocial Rehabilitation, Occupational Therapy Theory, and Application of Theory to Practice.

Assistant Professors:

Shana Cerny, O.T.D., M.S., OTR/L, Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. Specialization: Human Development, Pediatric Rehabilitation, and Infant and Child Mental Health.
Diana Feldhacker, O.T.D., OTR/L, Creighton University. Specialization: Sensory Integration, Interprofessional Learning, Feeding Therapy Interventions, and Neurorehabilitation.
Ranelle Nissen, M.S., OTR/L, University of South Dakota. Specialization: Rural Practice, Geriatrics, and Student Fieldwork Education.

Instructors:

Robert J. Brockevelt, PT, M.P.A., University of South Dakota. Specialization: Rural Practice, Management.
Jessica McHugh, Ph.D., M.S., OTR/L, Texas Woman’s University. Specialization: Pediatric Practice, Autism, Private Practice.
Whitney Lucas Molitor, O.T.D., M.S., OTR/L, University of South Dakota. Specialization: Productive Aging, Health Promotion, Low Vision, and Cultural Implications on Occupational Performance.

DEGREE

Occupational Therapy (O.T.D.)  
Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy  

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (O.T.D.)

Program Description

Occupational therapy is a science-driven, evidence-based profession that enables people of all ages to live life to its fullest. Occupational therapists assist people in achieving their goals, maintaining or rebuilding their independence, and participating in the everyday activities that they need to do or that simply make life worth living.

The Occupational Therapy Doctorate program at the University of South Dakota is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association. ACOTE is located at 4720 Montgomery Lane, Suite 200, Bethesda, MD 20814-3449. The telephone number is 301-652-2682, and the web address is www.acoteonline.org.
Admission requirements
Degree Requirements for Doctor Occupational Therapy  

Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (O.T.D.)

Program Description

The post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy at the University of South Dakota is designed for licensed occupational therapists who graduated with a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy and wish to advance their careers through the development and application of new knowledge and skills. The Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree is conferred upon completion of a four or five semester, 24-credit-hour online curriculum, which is uniquely tailored to the professional aspirations of each practitioner.

Program Eligibility

To be eligible for the post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (O.T.D.), applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Possess a current U.S. license to practice occupational therapy
• Hold a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy (M.S., M.S.O.T) or Master of Occupational Therapy (M.O.T)

Admission requirements
Degree Requirements for Post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy   

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS (O.T.D. - entry level only)

Specific prerequisite courses are required. These include:

• Cumulative, prerequisite, and science prerequisite GPAs of 3.0 (as calculated by OTCAS) or better based on a 4.0 scale are required.
  • Grades below a C will not be accepted.
  • When calculating prerequisite and science prerequisite GPAs: if a course has been taken twice, the highest grade will be applied to the student’s GPA; if taken more than twice, the average will be calculated and applied to the student’s GPA.
• A minimum of 7 of the 9 prerequisite courses must be completed prior to application.
• The GRE is required. GRE scores may not be more than 5 years old.
• Three letters of recommendation and completion of a personal statement are required as part of the OTCAS application (see below).
• A personal interview with the Occupational Therapy faculty by invitation.
• Applicants must successfully complete a criminal background check upon acceptance.
• Additional requirements exist for international students and applicants with degrees from other countries.

Application Deadline

Applications for admission are available through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS), a service of the American Occupational Therapy Association. OTCAS allows applicants to use a single Web-based application and one set of materials to apply to multiple occupational therapy education programs and to monitor their application status online. Please visit www.otcas.org for application instructions. Early Admission deadline is the first working day in October and General Admission deadline is the first working day in January in the year prior to the fall entrance. Please contact the Department of Occupational Therapy for verification of current requirements.

• Completion of the Graduate School application found at and https://apps.usd.edu/academic/gradapp/login.cfm and a non-refundable application fee of $35.

• Regular Admission
  Applications are accepted until the first working day in January for enrollment the following fall semester. Invitations to interview will be offered to select applicants based on review of the written application materials. Admission interview dates are posted on the website.

• Early Admission
  To be considered for the early interview day, applicants must meet the following requirements:

1. A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.5 (as calculated by OTCAS);
2. A minimum science prerequisite GPA of 3.2 (as calculated by OTCAS);
3. A minimum prerequisite GPA of 3.5 (as calculated by OTCAS);
4. No grade below B- in prerequisite coursework;
5. 6 of 9 prerequisite courses completed;
6. 2 of the following 3 criteria must also be met:
   1. Minimum of 40th percentile rank for Verbal GRE score
   2. Minimum of 45th percentile rank for Quantitative GRE score
   3. Minimum of 4.0 GRE score for Analytical Writing
7. GRE scores may not be more than 5 year old; and
8. Complete application must be received by the first working day in October.

• Occupational Therapy Scholar Program
  This program allows the undergraduate student, beginning in his or her sophomore year, to apply for acceptance into the Occupational Therapy program while completing his or her undergraduate degree. Students accepted into this program are guaranteed a seat in the OT program the fall semester after they complete their undergraduate degree. Applicants for the Occupational Therapy Scholar Program must meet the following criteria:

1. A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 (as calculated by OTCAS);
2. A minimum science prerequisite GPA of 3.2 (as calculated by OTCAS);
3. No grade below B- in prerequisite courses;
4. A minimum score at the 40th percentile rank for Verbal Reasoning and at the 45th percentile rank for Quantitative Reasoning on the GRE revised General Test; and
5. A minimum GRE Analytical Writing score of 4.0

If an applicant is accepted under the OT Scholar program, they must maintain a 3.5 cumulative GPA, a 3.2 science prerequisite GPA, and a 3.5 prerequisite GPA to guarantee their position in the class.

Students may apply for this program from February 1st of their sophomore year to April 1st of their junior year of college. Applications will be processed as they are received. Personal interviews will be scheduled for qualified applicants.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS (Post-professional O.T.D.)

1. Completed Graduate Application form found at: https://apps.usd.edu/academic/gradapp/login.cfm and a non-refundable application fee of $35.
2. One official transcript verifying receipt of an undergraduate degree and Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy must accompany an application. If applicable, the applicants must submit any other transcripts of graduate level credit since completion of the M.S. degree. (Transcripts in original application file at USD will be reviewed for graduates of USD.)
3. 250-word minimum statement of purpose with specific goals identified.
4. Resume/CV which includes work history, continuing education since graduation, professional memberships, service activities, awards received, leadership positions, and publications/presentations.
5. 2 letters of recommendation.
6. Copy of current Occupational Therapy license.
7. Successful completion of criminal background check upon acceptance.

Subject to faculty approval, those who do not meet all of the criteria above may be admitted on a provisional basis.

SCHOLARSHIPS

• Sanford Health VanDeMark Scholarship in Occupational Therapy
  Students who have completed the first academic year of the graduate occupational therapy program at the University of South Dakota with a GPA in the top 50% of the class will be considered for this scholarship. Nomination and selection are made by the faculty of the Department of Occupational Therapy based on academic performance and leadership.
   
• Dorothy Anne Elsberry Scholarship
  An occupational therapy student at the University of South Dakota who has demonstrated the qualities and performance which emulate the values that were important to Dr. Dorothy Anne Elsberry throughout her career in occupational therapy education are eligible to apply for this scholarship. Selection is based on the student’s creativity, pragmatism, promotion of Occupational Therapy, support of the core principles of occupational therapy, scholarly achievement, service to others, and an outstanding participation in extracurricular professional activities. Applicant must have completed one year of the OT program at USD, and must have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.2 in the OT program.
   
• Faithe Family Scholarships
  Students accepted into the occupational therapy program at USD who have demonstrated high achievement, a desire to serve the healthcare delivery system, and who show financial need are eligible to apply for these scholarships. Selection is based on GPA, OT program application and a written essay.  Awards are available for Year 1 and Year 2 students.
   
• Wanda and Tim Hannahs Scholarship
  The Dakota Hospital Foundation (DHF) provided funding to create a scholarship endowment to honor Wanda and Tim Hannahs of Vermillion, South Dakota. Wanda was an employee of Sanford Vermillion who experienced a spinal cord injury following a car accident. The endowment provides scholarships for students enrolled in the Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy programs at the University of South Dakota on alternate years. Selection criteria include high academic achievement, leadership, and service during the graduate program.
   
• Goodcare Rehab LLC Occupational Therapy Scholarship

  Goodcare was founded by Kelly Randall, an occupational therapist and graduate of USD’s Occupational Therapy Program.  His vision for bringing big city rehabilitation services to rural communities as been embraced by clients and their families as well as healthcare facilities in the upper Midwest since 2006. Goodcare AtHome Rehab, a division of Goodcare started in 2014, brings the therapist directly to the client in the most appropriate setting to achieve the best outcomes, where is matters most, AtHome.
  
  The Goodcare scholarship shall provide an award for students accepted and currently enrolled in the Physical or Occupational Therapy program at The University of South Dakota. The scholarship will be awarded to an OT student in even numbered years, and to PT students in odd numbered years. OT students will be invited to apply for this scholarship award in the fall of their 2^nd year.

Programs

• Occupational Therapy (O.T.D.)