Doctor of Occupational Therapy, Glendale Campus

Admissions Requirements

Individuals applying for admission to the College of Health Sciences Occupational Therapy Program must submit documentation for the following minimum requirements before the academic year commences for the incoming class.

1. Completion of a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university.
2. A minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average (GPA) of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale. Grades of C or better for prerequisite coursework.
3. Completion of the minimum number of prerequisite courses in the prescribed subject areas at regionally accredited colleges or universities.
4. Satisfaction of the standards set forth by the Admissions Committee (including documentation of academic and professional promise in the prospective student).
5. Two letters of recommendation.

Application Deadlines

Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis. Students are advised to complete their application files as early as possible to ensure timely consideration. 

Interested students are encouraged to apply for the M.O.T. program and contact the Office of Admissions at admissaz@midwestern.edu for more details.

Applicants are required to submit their applications to OTCAS by July 1st.

Apply Now at OTCAS

Prerequisite Courses

Students must complete these courses with a grade of C or better:

¹The Anatomy and Physiology requirements may also be fulfilled by taking Anatomy and Physiology I and Anatomy and Physiology II, as some universities offer combined courses.

²Human Anatomy must be completed successfully within 5 years of admission to the Program. The lab component with cadaver experience is strongly recommended.

Other courses in basic sciences, psychology, anthropology, math, human development, research, and human movement may be considered as alternates to the stated minimum prerequisites. The Occupational Therapy Program Admissions Committee will assess and determine if a candidate’s alternative coursework may meet the prerequisite requirements.

Tuition & Fees Information

The Glendale OTD 27-month program is anticipated to begin Fall 2027 and the estimated tuition is $122,747.25. 

For detailed information about the total cost of attendance for all Midwestern University programs, visit the Cost of Attendance section on the Student Financial Services website. The total cost of attendance figures includes tuition/fees, estimates for books, supplies, and living expenses, etc.

Tuition rates are subject to change each academic year for all enrolled students. Visit the Tuition & Fees page for important information regarding tuition.

Visit the Leave of Absence, Withdrawal Notification, and Refund Policy page for the policy and procedure for leave of absence, withdrawal and refund.

For the Student Financial Services contact information, visit the Financial Aid page.

Unique funding opportunity: Midwestern University offers several financing options, including the MWU Loan. This is an excellent alternative or adjunct to Grad PLUS loans through the federal government. Student Financial Services provides information on this and several other loans available to students at Midwestern University.

Program Highlights

17-Month Didactic Coursework

• Clinical Skills Education Through Core Classes and Electives
  • Our comprehensive curriculum exceeds accreditation requirements and provides unique opportunities for professional development, leadership, and advocacy. Threads for our coursework include courses in Aging, Neuro Rehabilitation, Pediatrics, Psychosocial and Mental Health, Evidence Based Practice Research, Critical Thinking, Leadership, Theory and Intervention courses.
  • Course offerings include opportunities for unique and innovate areas of the profession, including:
    • Upper Extremity Rehabilitation
    • Orthotics and Physical Agent Modalities
    • Assistive Technology
    • Population Health and Emerging Practice
    • Interprofessional Healthcare and Intervention
    • Acute Care Rehabilitation and Neurorehabilitation
    • Medical Spanish
    • Sensory Integration
    • Trauma Informed Care
    • Pelvic Health
    • Dementia Care
  • Fieldwork experience conducted during didactic course consists of guided learning experiences in various health care and/or community settings that provides students with direct opportunities to observe and interact with clients engaged in functional living activities that are appropriate for their respective cognitive, psychosocial, and physical stage of development.  
  • Advanced fieldwork experiences involve work with clients who exhibit a variety of medical conditions, which include physical and/or psychosocial disabilities and emphasize the development of disciplined, higher-level critical thinking skills to plan and provide high quality client care. Students are supervised by registered occupational therapists with a minimum of one year of experience.

Unique Clinical Education Resources

• Therapy Institute
  • The Midwestern University Therapy Institute offers comprehensive therapeutic care and opportunities for student observation and experience in one location. The 74,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility utilizes the latest technology, enabling us to deliver the highest quality patient-centered care. Working as a team, licensed University faculty and advanced students from the College of Health Sciences and the Arizona College of Optometry provide skilled, compassionate therapy services for patients of all ages and abilities.
  • Services include:
    • Clinical Psychology, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Speech-Language Pathology, Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), Low Vision Rehabilitation, Sports Vision Performance and Rehabilitation, and Vision Therapy
  • The Therapy Institute also houses a CAREN (Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment) virtual reality system for advanced clinical evaluation, analysis, and rehabilitation. Midwestern University’s CAREN system is one of only twelve in the United States.
• Integrated Healthcare and Interdisciplinary Opportunities
  • Our unique One Health Initiative promotes interdisciplinary education and patient care; students interact with professionals across healthcare disciplines including family medicine, optometry, pharmacy, podiatry, public health, psychology, physical therapy, speech language pathology, and others.
  • State-of-the-Art OT Lab Facilities
  • Clinical Skills and Simulation Center
    • Midwestern University OT students participate in high-fidelity, high-technology simulation during the didactic portion of their education. High-fidelity, high-technology simulation can affect clinical practice performance*, and our Clinical Skills and Simulation Center has 19 hospital simulation rooms that are equipped with tools and supplies found in outpatient clinical settings. This experience allows our students the opportunity to:
      • Apply knowledge gained in the classroom to real-life situations.
      • Develop skills in history-taking, patient evaluations and patient education, and communication through practical experience.
      • Work with patient actors to practice establishing a caring, trusting, and positive patient-provider relationship.

University, College, and Community-Based Service Opportunities

• Students in our program participate in a variety of service activities. Some of the organized clubs and activities include SOTA (the Student Occupational Therapy Association), H.O.M.E. (Health Outreach through Medicine and Education), SGA Student Government Association, the Collaborative Care Club (Interprofessional Medical Care student organization), and service to many other community-related programs.