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Admissions

This is a post-professional program for practicing occupational therapists.
Learn more about the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program for the entry-level program.

Admission and Application Requirements

Additional international student requirements and information can be found at the bottom of the page.

Application

  • Application Opens
    • Spring 2025 start (January): Application Currently Open
    • Fall 2025 start (August): Application Currently Open
  • Application Deadline
    • Spring 2025 start (January): November 30
    • Fall 2025 start (August): August 15, 2025
  • Application System

Prerequisites

  • Occupational Therapists with Master's Degrees: Occupational therapists with an entry-level master's degree in occupational therapy or a baccalaureate degree in occupational therapy and an advanced master's degree in occupational therapy (or another field) may be able to transfer up to 30 credits from their master's degree, providing that these credits meet the requirements in the CScD in Occupational Therapy curriculum.
  • Applicants who received their occupational therapy training within the United States must have an entry-level master’s degree in occupational therapy (e.g., MOT) from an Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE)-accredited program, or a baccalaureate degree in occupational therapy from an ACOTE-accredited program and a master’s degree in occupational therapy or another field of study. 
  • Applicants who received their occupational therapy training outside of the United States must have an entry-level master’s degree in occupational therapy or a baccalaureate degree in occupational therapy from an ACOTE-accredited program and a master's degree in occupational therapy or another field of study from a World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT)-approved program and meet all necessary requirements for admission to the University of Pittsburgh.  
  • U.S. applicants are required to have initial NBCOT certification (or eligibility). International applicants must provide equivalent certification documentation from country of residence.  
  • NOTE: Please note that the GRE is not required for admission to the program.  

Interview

  • Qualified applicants will be invited to a virtual interview with the CScD in Occupational Therapy program director.
  • NOTE: This is not a requirement of the Advanced Practice Certificate program application. 

Essay

  • Evidence of graduate-level writing skills in an essay that outlines: 
    • Why you are interested in pursuing the Doctor of Clinical Science in Occupational Therapy degree or Certificate in Implementation, 
    • Why you are interested in advancing your education through the University of Pittsburgh, 
    • What makes you a good fit for an advanced training education program that is delivered online,  
    • How your identity, background, or experiences to date have contributed to your motivation and preparation for this program and will impact your progress in it, and 
    • The future professional goals that you hope to achieve as a result of this advanced training. 
  • NOTE: This is not a requirement of the Advanced Practice Certificate program application. 

Letters of Recommendation

  • Two (2) letters of recommendation should attest to your professional abilities and conduct, collegiality, oral and written communication skills and leadership. 
  • NOTE: This is not a requirement for the Advanced Practice Certificate program application. 

Resume

  • A professional resume indicating knowledge of rehabilitation through previous paid work experiences, internships or field experiences, or volunteer work experiences.

Application Review Process

  • Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for students intending to start the program in August of the same calendar year or January of the following calendar year. Your application will be reviewed once it is complete. 

Other Application Materials or Documents

  • Transcripts from all U.S. colleges and universities attended.  
  • All admitted students will be required to provide official transcripts and/or credential evaluations to the SHRS Admissions Office prior to enrolling in classes.

 

International Students

If the CScD in OT is right for you, the application requirements above, and the additional items below are required for the application to be considered for the program.

Academic Credential Evaluation for International Students 

  • Applicants who have completed the equivalent of a baccalaureate degree or higher at an institution outside of the United States are required to provide an official third-party course-by-course evaluation of those academic credentials verifying Grade Point Average (GPA) on a 4.0 scale. The evaluation is an application requirement. 
  • Upon admission official transcripts of all original language academic records for all post-secondary educational endeavors are required. If original documents are issued in a language other than English, certified English translations must also be submitted. A final transcript or diploma showing completion of the undergraduate degree must be submitted prior to starting all SHRS graduate programs. 
  • The School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS) requires credential evaluations from one of the companies listed below. SHRS neither endorses nor recommends any company over another. Electronic submission is preferred. 
  • International applicants are not required to submit an evaluation for degrees earned in the United States. Applicants who have attended an English Canadian institution should contact the SHRS Admissions Office. 

Verification of English Language Proficiency for International Students 

  • International graduate applicants must possess proficiency in English at a level that enables them to succeed in graduate-level studies. Applications will not be processed until the required test results are submitted, or eligibility for an exemption has been verified. Only original official test scores received directly from test administration agencies are accepted. Electronic submission is preferred. Copies of test results are not acceptable. 
  • Request official English Language Proficiency test scores be sent to the University of Pittsburgh from one of the following options. Minimum scores accepted and instructions for sending official test scores follow: 
  • Verification is required unless the following apply: 
    • The applicant is a citizen of a country whose official language is English. 
    • The applicant has completed a degree program at a regionally accredited institution in the U.S. 
    • The applicant is not a citizen of a country whose official language is English but has completed a degree program at an institution outside of the U.S. where the language of instruction is English and where the official national language of the country in which the institution is located is English. 
    • Additional requirements for international applicants 

For More Information

Contact the Department of Occupational Therapy at OTpitt@shrs.pitt.edu.
 

Clinical Participation Requirements