The VCU College of Health Professions offers a dual degree that results in an Occupational Therapy Doctorate and a Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences. This dual degree program allows outstanding entry-level O.T.D. students to earn their degree while simultaneously completing course credits in the interdisciplinary health related sciences Ph.D. program. Students accepted into the dual degree program would complete specified Ph.D. courses while in their O.T.D. program. In addition, students would be assigned a research mentor and have opportunities to earn research credits that would count toward the Ph.D. The dual degree program allows students to complete their O.T.D. in three years, with efficiencies to complete the Ph.D. 12-18 months earlier than if the two degrees were pursued separately. This efficiency lowers the overall cost of tuition while also reducing time to earning both degrees.
Program goals
Goals of the dual degree program include:
- Increasing the number of Ph.D.-trained occupational therapists who can contribute to the evidence base of the profession
- Increasing the accessibility of a Ph.D. for a diverse range of students by reducing the time and cost associated with earning this post-professional degree
The dual degree O.T.D/Ph.D. prepares future occupational therapists with the skills required to advance to positions as researchers and educators. The program allows students to pursue both degrees using a coordinated program of study and apply a limited number of O.T.D. requirements toward fulfillment of requirements for the Ph.D.
The dual degree program is designed for students who want to become career researchers or academics within the field of occupational therapy or who want to do clinical research within the larger health care system. Strong applicants for this dual degree program will have exceptional academic performance and be highly motivated for a career in research. Prior research experience as an undergraduate is highly recommended.
The diplomas for this dual degree program will be awarded sequentially. Students would graduate from the Department of Occupational Therapy with an O.T.D., then transition to complete course work and the dissertation for the Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences.
Student learning outcomes
See each degree program page for student learning outcomes.
Other information
Advising
The student is assigned an adviser from each program to develop coordinated plans of study.
Admission requirements
Admission to the dual degree is a two-step process. The first step is admission to the O.T.D. program (see the Graduate Bulletin for admission information.). Students enrolled in their first year of the O.T.D. program may apply to the Ph.D. (dual degree) program in the spring semester. Applicants must have a minimum 3.3 GPA in the O.T.D. program and have received a minimum grade of B in OCCT 616 in order to apply to the dual degree program.
The steps for applying to the program are as follows:
- Interested students first talk to their faculty adviser, or the Ph.D. program representative, to discuss their research interests and possible faculty mentors.
- Students will sign a release allowing the VCU OT department to transfer the following information to the Ph.D. program:
- Undergraduate transcripts
- Graduate (VCU OT) transcript
- Prior letters of references submitted in OT program application
- Students will submit the following directly to the Ph.D. program adviser:
- Personal statement that outlines career goals, research interests and how the Ph.D. program, specifically, will help them reach their goals
- One letter of reference from a VCU faculty member (preferably proposed faculty research mentor)
- All applicants will be asked to complete a timed writing sample as part of the Ph.D. program admission.
Deadlines
- The deadline to submit application materials is April 1.
- Applicants will be notified of acceptance by the end of May.
- Course work would begin in June.
Degree requirements
The entry-level O.T.D. is a 104-credit program and the Ph.D. in Health Related Sciences requires a minimum of 51 credits. Students would complete the full program of study for the O.T.D. and the Ph.D. with the following courses shared by both programs:
| Course | Title | Hours |
| OCCT 616 | Research Process in Occupational Therapy (satisfies the prerequisite graduate-level statistics course for the Ph.D.) | 3 |
| OCCT 720 | Policy, Advocacy and Management for Occupational Therapy Practice (satisfies ALHP 781 in the Ph.D.) | 3 |
| OCCT 783 | Doctoral Capstone (six of the 10 credits satisfy ALHP 792 and ALHP 793 in the Ph.D.) | 10 |
| Total Hours | 9 |
Bearing these nine credits of substitution in mind, students would need to complete an additional 42 credits in the Ph.D. program to graduate; nine of these credits would be dissertation credits (ALHP 899) while 33 would be direct course work.
Students would earn their O.T.D. prior to their Ph.D. and be eligible to sit for their National Board Certification in Occupational Therapy examination upon completion of their O.T.D. curriculum requirements.
Curriculum requirements for the dual degree
| Course | Title | Hours |
| IPEC 501 | Foundations of Interprofessional Practice | 1 |
| OCCT 580 | Introduction to the Profession of Occupational Therapy | 2 |
| OCCT 589 | Advanced Functional Anatomy | 5 |
| OCCT 590 | Functional Movement Analysis in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OCCT 591 | Neuroscience Applications to Occupational Therapy | 4 |
| OCCT 592 | Introduction to Injury, Illness and Disability | 3 |
| OCCT 593 | Analysis of Human Occupation | 1 |
| OCCT 594 | Theoretical Foundations of Occupational Therapy | 4 |
| OCCT 613 | Adult Occupational Performance I | 3 |
| OCCT 614 | Pediatric Occupational Performance I | 4 |
| OCCT 615 | Level I Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy | 1 |
| OCCT 616 | Research Process in Occupational Therapy (satisfies the prerequisite graduate-level statistics course for the Ph.D.) | 3 |
| OCCT 617 | Therapeutic Process in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OCCT 689 | Occupational Therapy Assessment and Evaluation | 3 |
| OCCT 692 | Assistive Technologies for Occupational Engagement | 2 |
| OCCT 693 | Occupational Synthesis and Adaptations | 2 |
| OCCT 713 | Adult Occupational Performance II | 4 |
| OCCT 714 | Pediatric Occupational Performance II | 4 |
| OCCT 715 | Level I Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy | 1 |
| OCCT 716 | Evidence-based Practice in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OCCT 717 | Level I Fieldwork in Psychosocial Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OCCT 720 | Policy, Advocacy and Management for Occupational Therapy Practice (satisfies ALHP 781 in Ph.D.) | 3 |
| OCCT 721 | Clinical Reasoning in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OCCT 759 | Fieldwork Education Seminar | 2 |
| OCCT 760 | Level II Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy | 9 |
| OCCT 761 | Level II Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy | 9 |
| OCCT 780 | OTD Leadership Seminar | 3 |
| OCCT 781 | Program Development and Evaluation | 3 |
| OCCT 782 | Professional Development Seminar | 2 |
| OCCT 783 | Doctoral Capstone (six of 10 credits satisfy ALHP 792 and ALHP 793) | 10 |
| OCCT 784 | Practicum Evaluation and Dissemination | 1 |
| ALHP 701 | Health Services Delivery Systems | 3 |
| ALHP 702 | Finance and Economic Theory for Health Care | 3 |
| ALHP 708 | Health Science Ethics | 3 |
| ALHP 712 | Instructional Design and Evaluation for Health Sciences | 3 |
| ALHP 716 | Grant Writing for Health Science Research | 3 |
| ALHP 718 | Health Informatics | 3 |
| ALHP 760 | Descriptive and Univariate Statistical Methods for Health Sciences | 3 |
| ALHP 761 | Health Science Research Design I | 3 |
| ALHP 762 | Multivariate Statistical Methods for Health Sciences | 3 |
| ALHP 763 | Health Science Research Design II | 3 |
| ALHP 781 | Doctoral Seminar (satisfied by OCCT 720) | 3 |
| ALHP 792 | Independent Study (three credit hours required; satisfied by OCCT 783) | 3 |
| ALHP 793 | Research Practicum (satisfied by OCCT 783) | 3 |
| ALHP 890 | Dissertation Seminar | 3 |
| ALHP 899 | Dissertation Research | 9 |
| Total Hours | 146 |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual degree is 146.
Plan of study
Students accepted into the dual degree program would complete all of the O.T.D. courses in the order and sequence of their cohort, and meet all accreditation requirements and eligibility to sit for the National Board Certification in Occupational Therapy examination. The students would also complete courses each semester in the Ph.D. program, which would count toward their Ph.D. program credits. As the Ph.D. program is a hybrid, the majority of course work for this program would be completed online during times that are convenient for the student.
By overlapping the programs, the length of the Ph.D. program would be 12-18 months shorter and would therefore reduce both the time and cost associated with a Ph.D. degree. Students who apply to the dual degree program may also be eligible for certain scholarships or research assistantships that would offset the cost of tuition.
Sample plan of study
| Course | Title | Hours |
| |
| OCCT 580 | Introduction to the Profession of Occupational Therapy | 2 |
| OCCT 589 | Advanced Functional Anatomy | 5 |
| 7 |
| |
| IPEC 501 | Foundations of Interprofessional Practice | 1 |
| OCCT 590 | Functional Movement Analysis in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OCCT 591 | Neuroscience Applications to Occupational Therapy | 4 |
| OCCT 592 | Introduction to Injury, Illness and Disability | 3 |
| OCCT 593 | Analysis of Human Occupation | 1 |
| OCCT 594 | Theoretical Foundations of Occupational Therapy | 4 |
| 16 |
| |
| OCCT 613 | Adult Occupational Performance I | 3 |
| OCCT 614 | Pediatric Occupational Performance I | 4 |
| OCCT 615 | Level I Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy | 1 |
| OCCT 616 | Research Process in Occupational Therapy (satisfies graduate-level statistics prerequisite for Ph.D.; must earn a minimum grade of B to meet Ph.D. admission requirements) | 3 |
| OCCT 617 | Therapeutic Process in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OCCT 689 | Occupational Therapy Assessment and Evaluation | 3 |
| |
| 17 |
| |
| OCCT 693 | Occupational Synthesis and Adaptations | 2 |
| OCCT 780 | OTD Leadership Seminar | 3 |
| 5 |
| |
| ALHP 712 | Instructional Design and Evaluation for Health Sciences | 3 |
| OCCT 713 | Adult Occupational Performance II | 4 |
| OCCT 714 | Pediatric Occupational Performance II | 4 |
| OCCT 715 | Level I Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy | 1 |
| OCCT 716 | Evidence-based Practice in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OCCT 781 | Program Development and Evaluation | 3 |
| 18 |
| |
| ALHP 702 | Finance and Economic Theory for Health Care | 3 |
| OCCT 692 | Assistive Technologies for Occupational Engagement | 2 |
| OCCT 717 | Level I Fieldwork in Psychosocial Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OCCT 720 | Policy, Advocacy and Management for Occupational Therapy Practice (satisfies ALHP 781) | 3 |
| OCCT 721 | Clinical Reasoning in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OCCT 759 | Fieldwork Education Seminar | 2 |
| OCCT 782 | Professional Development Seminar | 2 |
| 18 |
| |
| OCCT 760 | Level II Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy | 9 |
| |
| 9 |
| |
| ALHP 760 | Descriptive and Univariate Statistical Methods for Health Sciences | 3 |
| OCCT 761 | Level II Fieldwork in Occupational Therapy | 9 |
| 12 |
| |
| ALHP 761 | Health Science Research Design I | 3 |
| ALHP 762 | Multivariate Statistical Methods for Health Sciences | 3 |
| OCCT 783 | Doctoral Capstone (satisfies ALPH 792 and ALHP 793) | 10 |
| OCCT 784 | Practicum Evaluation and Dissemination | 1 |
| |
| 17 |
| |
| |
| |
| ALHP 701 | Health Services Delivery Systems | 3 |
| ALHP 718 | Health Informatics | 3 |
| ALHP 763 | Health Science Research Design II | 3 |
| |
| 9 |
| |
| ALHP 708 | Health Science Ethics | 3 |
| ALHP 716 | Grant Writing for Health Science Research | 3 |
| ALHP 890 | Dissertation Seminar | 3 |
| |
| 9 |
| ALHP 899 | Dissertation Research (minimum required for graduation) | 9 |
| Total Hours | 146 |
The minimum number of graduate credit hours required for this dual degree is 146.
Contact
Stacey Reynolds, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA
Associate professor, Department of Occupational Therapy
reynoldsse3@vcu.edu
(804) 828-2288
Additional contact
Lauretta Cathers, Ph.D.
Director of the Ph.D. Program, College of Health Professions
s2lasaff@vcu.edu
(804) 827-0922