Pre-OT Curriculum

Students in pre-OT will earn a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences degree on either a 3-Year or 4-Year track prior to beginning the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program.  Students will apply for admission into the OTD program in their last year of completing the B.S. degree.  These students will follow much of the same curriculum as the students in the Clinical and Medical Sciences track, with a few modifications. 

In addition to several foundational courses in biomedical sciences and liberal arts, all pre-OT students will enroll in the Health Sciences core curriculum.  The Health Sciences core curriculum provides an introduction to the professions within the healthcare system, as well as the opportunity to explore current issues and controversies facing healthcare professionals in multiples fields.  Pre-OT students will have an opportunity through the Health Sciences core curriculum to shadow in an occupational therapy environment, as well as opportunities for career exploration, learning innovation and practice management skills, and understanding the health care system.

The following is a list of courses that pre-OT students would take at Drake while completing their bachelor's degree to prepare for admission into the OTD program. 

With prior approval from the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, students may complete some of these courses via Advanced Placement (AP) credit or dual credit courses taken in high school.  Students must earn a 4 or higher on the AP exam or earn a C or higher in a dual credit course in order to receive credit for and fulfill these courses.  Please see Drake University's AP, IB and CLEP Credit policy or the Transfer Credit Information page for more information.  You may also contact the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences at (515) 271-3018 for more information. 

Drake Curriculum

All undergraduate students at Drake University are required to complete The Drake Curriculum.  The Drake Curriculum is designed to help students meet their academic, personal and professional goals as they acquire fundamental knowledge and abilities in ten Areas of Inquiry (AOIs): Artistic Experience, Critical Thinking, Engaged Citizen, Historical Foundations, Information Literacy, Global and Cultural Understanding, Scientific Literacy, Quantitative Literacy, Values and Ethics and Written Communication.  Students work with their academic advisers to plan their program of study by integrating courses in the Areas of Inquiry that will prepare them for civic and professional leadership.

In addition to fulfilling their Areas of Inquiry as part of the Drake Curriculum, students also complete a First-Year Seminar during their first semester at Drake.  First-Year Seminars are topical courses that help students develop foundational critical thinking, written and oral communication skills to prepare for advanced coursework later in their Drake education.