Department of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science

Occupational Science Doctoral Program (Sc.D.)

Admission Requirements

• A master's degree from an accredited college or university with an overall GPA of 3.25 in graduate course work. Students are eligible to request conditional admission with an overall GPA of 3.00.
• A degree or certificate in Occupational Therapy from a professional occupational therapy program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education or by the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (for those applicants who are occupational therapists). Applicants from other disciplines also may apply for admission to the program and may be accepted on a limited basis.
• Proof of completion of prerequisite course work.
• Applicants who are occupational therapists, must submit proof of licensure to practice occupational therapy to select the Occupation in Practice Track.
• Graduate Record Examination (minimum 900 combined math and verbal score) or Miller Analogies Test (minimum 50th percentile).
• Interview by the doctoral admissions committee.
• International students must have TOEFL scores of at least 600.

Applicants select from one of two tracks: Occupation in Practice Track or Science of Human Occupation Track.

Send the following admission materials to the Graduate School Office, Towson University, 8000 York Road, Towson, MD 21252:

• Three letters of recommendation.
• Letter of intent describing professional goals in seeking the degree and area(s) of interest/ specialization.

OCTH 613        Advanced Research Methods in Occupation-Based Practice (3) (or equivalent)
PSYC 687         Advanced Experimental Design I (3)
Research Experience

General Requirements

• The doctoral degree will require the completion of 90 units beyond a bachelor's degree; students who hold a master degree in a discipline other than occupational therapy will be allowed to transfer a maximum of 30 units from their master degree, students who hold a master degree in occupational therapy may transfer a maximum of 36 units from their master degree.
• A program of study with a concentration in an aspect of occupation will be developed by the student in consultation with his/her adviser. This program of study is to include all planned electives. A minimum of two electives must be at the 700 level. One elective must be an additional quantitative statistics course and another must be an additional education course.
• Evidence of prior research experience is required. Applicants who do not have appropriate experience may be expected to take master level research coursework before beginning the doctoral program research sequence.
• Students must register for at least one academic term of full-time dissertation research
  (9 units).
• The program, including coursework and dissertation, must be completed within ten years.
• The doctoral degree will require the passing of a comprehensive assessment after completing OCTH 611, 613 and OSC 742, 744 and 746. Students must pass the comprehensive assessment prior to enrolling in OSC 895. After successful completion, students will be "advanced to candidacy."
• The doctoral degree will require successful defense of a dissertation proposal.
• The doctoral degree will require successful defense of a dissertation (minimum of 12 units), involving applied research in occupational science.

Tracks

• Occupation in Practice
• Science of Human Occupation

Department of Occupational Therapy and Occupational Science
Enrollment Services, Room 245

Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–5 p.m.

Phone: 410-704-2762
Fax: 410-704-2322