Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

The OTD program at Western New England University is responding to the national and international call for changing the way healthcare is delivered and the way healthcare professionals are educated by emphasizing:

• population health perspectives that focus on community, health, wellness and prevention, and health literacy;
• innovative interprofessional practice models in traditional and community-based health settings that focus on collaborative teams;
• interprofessional education/practice research applications that permit faculty and students to develop as applied scholars of teaching and practice; and
• practitioner, leader, and scholar roles and competencies to revolutionize the delivery of inclusive, equitable, client-centered, evidence-based, culturally-competent, and distinctive occupational therapy.

Our dynamic Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) curriculum is crafted to meet the evolving demands of entry-level practitioners in rapidly changing healthcare systems. Completed over 8 consecutive semesters, our 109-credit program integrates classroom learning, performance laboratory skill development, and immersive fieldwork experiences.

Seamlessly blending theoretical knowledge with hands-on practice, the curriculum includes five Level I Fieldwork experiences in the first five semesters, setting the stage for advanced Level II Fieldwork in Semesters 6 & 7, and a culmination in the Doctoral Experiential Capstone project in Semester 8.

Built upon four primary professional themes—Leadership, Scholarship, Clinical Excellence, and Autonomy/Identity—the curriculum integrates interwoven threads, such as Interprofessional Education/Practice, Information/Assistive Technology, Health Literacy, Diversity, Cultural Competence, and Population/Community-Based Health Practices.

The curriculum's structure fosters a deep understanding of the development of occupations across the lifespan and in diverse contexts, incorporating crucial components of the occupational therapy process. Essential course sequences, including Occupational Performance, Population Health and Interprofessional Practice, Research/Evidence-Based Practice, Fieldwork, and Doctoral Experiential Development and Mentorship. This intentional design prepares students comprehensively for a successful career in occupational therapy.

To be eligible for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree, students must maintain good standing in the academic program, which includes:

• Maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
• Achieving a minimum grade of B- in didactic courses.
• Successfully completing Level I and Level II fieldwork courses, as well as the doctoral experiential capstone courses (pass/fail).

Additionally, students are required to satisfactorily complete Level II fieldwork and doctoral experiential implementation courses within 18 months following the conclusion of the last didactic courses in the curriculum. Furthermore, students must adhere to the COPHS standard for being of "good moral character" and fulfill their university obligations for the payment of tuition, fees, and other costs.

The table below depicts our graduation rates for the 3 most recent graduating cohorts.

*As of August 2024

NBCOT Certification Exam Results:

In accordance with ACOTE Standard A.4.2, NBCOT data are calculated and reported by calendar year for new graduates passing the exam within one year of graduation. NBCOT calculates pass rate by calendar year (January 1, 2020–December 31, 2020) rather than by graduating class.

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)

Phone: 301-990-7979
Email: info@nbcot.org

Address:
One Bank Street
Suite 300
Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Learn more about the requirements and deadlines for admission into the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program.

Requirements and Deadlines

Courses are offered in three semesters annually: Fall, Spring, and Summer. Learn more about the tuition and fees for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program.

Cost and Aid

Explore our three recently built expansive laboratories tailored for the OTD program. These cutting-edge spaces feature academic technology aligned with the emphasis on technology in healthcare education and practice. The occupational therapy Pediatrics and Adult Performance and Participation Laboratories, including our off-campus Health & Wellness House, are designed for immersive graduate learning experiences in lifelike settings—simulating hospital rooms, pediatric environments, outpatient rehabilitation centers, homes, and community-based practice agencies. Our array of educational technology and tools includes items such as:

• hybrid-capable labs and lecture halls that enable real-time blended learning as well as voice and video capture for students to review class content in the manner most suited for their learning style
• outfitted recording room for producing high-quality podcast or other audio recordings
• 3D printer for customizing innovative solutions for client-centered interventions
• biofeedback and virtual reality devices to provide opportunities to engage with cutting-edge technology through immersive experiences
• fully equipped driving rehabilitation room and immersive driving simulator
• physical agent modalities consistent with what is seen in a clinic space: electrical stimulation, ultrasound, paraffin, hydrocollators, fluidotherapy

The success of our OTD program is attributed to a dynamic faculty team, comprised of accomplished individuals with doctoral degrees, and a dedicated staff team possessing extensive knowledge that are integral to the success of the program. Drawing from diverse experiences as seasoned clinicians in occupational therapy, our scholars actively contribute to the continuous growth of disciplinary knowledge. At Western New England University, our faculty is renowned for their commitment to personalized student learning and their accessibility, providing invaluable support throughout the educational journey.

Faculty & Staff

Graduates of the OTD program will be eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapist, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the graduate will be an occupational therapist, registered (OTR). In addition, most states have licensure laws requiring OTs and OTAs to be licensed in order to practice (a few have certification or registration by state agencies). 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.

While the laws and procedures are similar in each state, they are not identical. The process for obtaining a license in the state or states in which an individual may wish to work can be found through the state occupational therapy regulatory agency. There are additional links to the state boards on the AOTA website has a link to the state boards. In order to obtain a license, individuals must:

• Graduate from an accredited educational program
• Complete the required fieldwork
• Apply for and pass the NBCOT exam
• Apply for a state license and pay a fee for each state/jurisdiction in which the individual wishes to practice or be licensed

For additional state-specific licensure disclosure information, please refer to the WNE Licensure and Certification Disclosures webpage.

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy program is fully accredited through the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at:

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E
Bethesda, MD 20814

The phone number for ACOTE is (301) 652-AOTA [301-652-2682].

The web address of ACOTE is www.acoteonline.org.