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Program Overview

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Entry-Level Professional program is for students looking to begin their careers in occupational therapy. It prepares them to become occupational therapists at the clinical doctoral level.

The 106-credit-hour program is based on active learning, integrating hands-on experiences with classroom learning to help students synthesize knowledge and put it into practice. The program uses an evidence-based and sequenced curriculum that enables students to successfully achieve the competencies required for entry-level practice as an occupational therapy direct care provider, consultant, educator, manager, leader, researcher or advocate.

Upon successful completion of this program, graduates are eligible to take the licensing exam to be able to practice as occupational therapists in the United States.
 

ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ«'s entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program is accredited by the of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. ACOTE's telephone number, c/o AOTA, is 301-652-AOTA and its website address is .

Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the . After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. The NBCOT's website address is and its telephone number is 301–990–7979. 

Students in the EL-OTD program must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork and an individual 14-week capstone experience within 18 months following the successful completion of the didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as defined in 2023 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3. Extensions beyond 18 months may be considered only under documented, exceptional circumstances and must be approved by the Division of Occupational Therapy's Academic Review Committee. The total duration of the EL-OTD program from initial enrollment to degree conferral may not exceed 4.5 years.

Degrees Offered

The following degrees are offered in this program. Select a degree to view its requirements and apply.

• OTD in Occupational Therapy

The ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ« Advantage

Students in the OTD Entry-Level Professional program will complete supervised fieldwork experiences as part of the curriculum and for professional preparation. These experiences offering additional opportunities for growth, learning to apply knowledge, developing and testing clinical skills, and for validating and consolidating functions that comprise professional competence. Students must complete a doctoral capstone project as a condition of graduation. This is an individualized project that includes a capstone proposal suitable for professional dissemination about the findings from the student’s scholarly work, relating theory to practice and demonstrating synthesis of advanced knowledge.

After You Graduate

Occupational therapists are healthcare professionals who work with people to build or restore their abilities to perform the daily tasks of life. Occupational therapists use occupation and meaningful activities with specific goals to help people of all ages prevent, lessen or adapt to disabilities. Occupational therapists often work in clinical practice, community outreach, education, research, private practice and more. Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 14% by 2031, with approximately 10,000 new openings for occupational therapists anticipated each year for the next decade.

Funding/Scholarships

There are many funding and scholarship opportunities at ÑÇÖÞÇéÉ«. We encourage prospective students to review available program-specific scholarships and awards, and visit the program's website for additional information.

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For more information visit the Occupational Therapy, Entry-Level Professional website.