Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program Applicant Review Process
Consistent with the University admission policy, admission to the Methodist University OTD Program is without regard or discrimination on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, or status with regard to public assistance or disability. Prior to being submitted to the Admissions Committee, all courses and grades entered by the applicant will be verified by the OTD Program Admissions Coordinator. In addition, the Admissions Director will verify that the applicant has completed all prerequisite coursework and make note of any outstanding courses. Once the application has been verified, the information will be forwarded to the OTD Program Admissions Committee.
Portfolio
The initial phase of the admissions process is designed to ensure that students enrolled in the OTD Program possess the academic credentials to successfully complete the program of study. A number of criteria are used during this phase of the admissions process to score the applicants. The Admissions Committee will use the following criteria:
- Undergraduate Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA): The applicant’s total GPA for credits taken at the undergraduate level. A 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is recommended.
- Prerequisite Course Work (GPA): The applicant’s GPA calculated on the prerequisite courses required for admission into the OTD Program. A 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is required.
Additional factors that may affect the applicant’s score during Phase I of the admissions process include:
- Assessment of the clinical/observation experience attained by the applicant prior to submitting the application. Clinical exposure and experience will be assessed based on both variety of clinical sites and quantity of hours.
- The faculty value the skills and perspectives that are inherently developed as part of experiences such as travelling abroad, research publications/presentations, certifications, athletic achievements, military experience, graduate degrees, OT related job experience, involvement in undergraduate student organizations, community organizations, and artistic or other creative pursuits. Therefore, if an applicant demonstrates a range of life experiences and/or leadership endeavors; points will be awarded to the PAS.
- Recommended Course Work as listed under the Program Prerequisites.
Scoring rubrics for each of the criteria will be used to produce a Portfolio Admission Score (PAS) by the OTD Program Admissions Committee to determine the top applicants who will then be moved into Phase II of the admissions process.
On-site Interview
The second phase of the application process is an onsite interview. Applicants will be selected for an interview based on the Phase I admission score. The OTD Program will invite the top applicants for an onsite interview with the OTD faculty and students. Applicants with a hardship circumstance may make a special request for a virtual interview. The interview process involves a series of program interactions, individual interviews, and a writing sample. Based on this process, an Onsite Interview Score (OIS) will be awarded to each candidate and added to his or her PAS that was based on the Portfolio materials.
After the interviews are completed, core faculty will meet to rank order the applicants based on the total application score (PAS + OIS). Through this process the faculty will identify the top 30 applicants for acceptance and create a wait list for admission to the OTD Program.
Applicants will be notified of admissions decisions as soon as possible. The time required to review applications and respond to applicants will vary depending on many factors, including application volume.
If an applicant is accepted to the Program, a non-refundable $500 deposit will be required to hold a seat in the incoming cohort. This payment must be made by the given deadline. Those applicants who matriculate into the MUOTD Program will have their deposit applied toward their first semester tuition.