Dual OTD/MBA Program

Designed to advance one's individual professional goals and development, the dual degree is beneficial for occupational therapists who will be engaging with corporate executives, starting a private practice or moving into a management position.

Overview

1. Your first step is to apply to KU's entry-level doctorate program in occupational therapy (OTD)
2. You can apply to the master's degree program in business administration (MBA) in the summer between years two and three.
3. Starting the next fall semester, complete two semesters of business coursework on the KU-Lawrence campus.
4. Return to KU Medical Center in the summer of year three for the capstone project planning course.
5. Finish with two semesters of occupational therapy courses during your fourth year at KU Medical Center.

The dual-degree program is a partnership between the School of Health Professions at KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, and the School of Business in Lawrence, Kansas.

Program Schedule

After successfully completing the first two years in the doctoral program in occupational therapy, completion of the business administration portion takes one academic year. The two-semester master's degree in business administration prepares the occupational therapist with health care finance and management information and experiences across 32 credit hours of business coursework that can be completed during the fall and spring semesters.

This is a full-time, on-campus, in-person program. During year three, you'll work in small cohorts with other full-time business degree students on KU's Lawrence campus. Classes are typically held Monday through Thursday.

The occupational therapy program requirements for graduation remain the same for those who choose to complete this dual-degree program.

• Review the sequence of courses (PDF)
• See the details of the master's degree in business administration.

Eligibility and Requirements

To participate, you must meet the admission requirements to be accepted into the doctoral program in occupational therapy before entering the dual-degree OTD/MBA program. All students must remain in good academic standing during study in the occupational therapy program to be eligible to enroll in the MBA component (maintaining a minimum 3.0 grade point average).

Applications for the MBA program are accepted in the summer prior to the fall start of the program. The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is not required for this dual degree.

Once your doctorate in occupational therapy is earned, following the four-year course of study, the master's degree in business administration will officially be added to your transcript.

Note: If the occupational therapy degree is not successfully completed, you will have to complete 16 credit hours of MBA coursework (waived by virtue of being in the dual program) in order to earn the MBA degree separately.