Occupational Therapy School: OTD and MOT Degree Paths

What occupational therapists do

Occupational therapists help patients regain the skills needed for daily life and work after injury, illness, disability, or developmental delay. They practice in hospitals, schools, outpatient clinics, skilled nursing facilities, and home health, across every age group from infants to older adults.

Two accepted entry routes

Occupational therapy currently accepts entry at two degree levels: a master's degree (MOT or MS in Occupational Therapy) and an entry-level doctorate (OTD). Programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) offer either route, and both qualify graduates to sit for the same national certification exam. Entry into the profession happens at the master's or doctoral level under current ACOTE standards, so neither route locks you out of practice.

MOT programs

A Master of Occupational Therapy usually takes about 2 to 2.5 years of full-time study after a bachelor's degree, combining coursework in anatomy, kinesiology, and therapeutic intervention with required fieldwork placements.

Entry-level OTD programs

An entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy usually takes about 3 years full time. On top of the master's-level curriculum, OTD programs add coursework in areas like research, program development, or advanced clinical practice, plus a capstone project completed during a final fieldwork experience.

Do you need the doctorate

No. Under current ACOTE accreditation standards, both the MOT and the entry-level OTD qualify as entry-level degrees for practice, and neither the accrediting body nor state licensing boards require the doctorate to become licensed. Check ACOTE's site directly for the latest standards before choosing a program, since accreditation requirements for the profession shift over multi-year review cycles.

Fieldwork requirements

Both MOT and OTD programs build in supervised fieldwork, split into Level I placements woven through coursework and a longer Level II placement near the end of the program, usually across two different practice settings. Fieldwork hours add real time to your program length beyond classroom coursework, and missing a placement due to scheduling or a failed evaluation pushes graduation back a term.

Applying through OTCAS

Most OT programs, master's and doctoral alike, accept applications through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) , run by the American Occupational Therapy Association. One application reaches every program you select. The OTCAS fee runs 172 dollars for your first program and 71 dollars for each additional program, plus any supplemental fee an individual program adds on top.

What programs look for

• A completed bachelor's degree, in any major, with prerequisite coursework in anatomy, physiology, psychology, and statistics

• Overall and prerequisite GPA, with minimums set by each program

• Observation hours with a licensed occupational therapist, often across more than one practice setting

• Personal statement and letters of recommendation

Choosing between MOT and OTD

Cost and time favor the MOT if your goal is starting practice as quickly as possible. The extra year of an OTD adds tuition and delays your first paycheck as a licensed therapist. It matters more if you already know you want to teach, move into program leadership, or add a specialty credential that favors doctoral-level coursework. For most clinical roles straight out of school, employers hire MOT and OTD graduates the same way.

Cost

OTD tuition typically runs higher than MOT tuition, both because of the extra year and because doctoral programs often charge a higher per-credit rate. Compare each program's published cost of attendance, not only the sticker tuition rate, since fees and required course materials add up differently between schools.

Specializing after licensure

Once licensed, OTs add board and specialty certifications from AOTA in areas like pediatrics, gerontology, or hand therapy. These come after you already practice, on top of your MOT or OTD, and neither original degree path blocks you from adding them later.

After the degree

Graduating from an ACOTE-accredited MOT or OTD program makes you eligible to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam. Passing it and applying to your state's licensing board gets you licensed to practice as an occupational therapist. The degree level you chose, master's or doctoral, does not change this outcome.