Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

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Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program at Edgewood University is an accelerated, hybrid program which leads to an entry-level degree. Students will complete the program in 24 months, for a total of 6 semesters. The didactic portion of the program will be delivered online. Students will be required to complete asynchronous activities, and will participate weekly in synchronous, active learning. Students will attend immersive lab experiences on campus twice a semester during Year 1. During Year 2, the students will complete two Level II fieldwork experiences and the doctoral capstone experience. Students will attend immersive sessions once a semester in Year 2, culminating in completion and presentation of the doctoral capstone project.

Admission Requirements

Baccalaureate Degree

• Completion of a baccalaureate degree in any discipline from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants are required to achieve a minimum of a 3.00 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.00 scale. Individuals with an undergraduate GPA lower than a minimum of a 3.00 will be considered if they achieve a 3.20 GPA or above in the last 60 hours of their undergraduate degree.
• Degree must be completed before the student begins the OTD program. Students must submit a final official transcript to the program indicating degree completion.

Prerequisite Courses

• Completion of all prerequisite courses must be taken at a regionally accredited institution. All prerequisites must be completed before the student begins the program. Applicants must achieve the minimum of a 3.00 GPA on a 4.00 scale, and all prerequisite course grades must be a “C” or higher.
• Students may receive credit for advanced placement toward prerequisite coursework only if the credit appears on an official undergraduate transcript and was awarded by the degree-granting institution. Credit awarded solely through Advanced Placement (AP) examinations may not be used to satisfy prerequisite requirements. 
• Students must send the program a final official transcript demonstrating that all courses have been completed.
• Anatomy and Physiology courses should be taken within the last 5 years unless the individual provides evidence of ongoing work experience keeping the knowledge current.

OTD Program Prerequisite Courses	General Course Descriptions	Edgewood University Equivalent
Required Course: Anatomy and Physiology I & II with labs (8 credits)	Anatomy and Physiology I with lab (4 credits) Description: The study of the structure and function of the human body – Part I. The course may be 3 credits with a 1-credit lab (if university offers separately). If Anatomy and Physiology are separate courses, then a 3-credit human anatomy course with a 1-credit lab and 3-credit human physiology course is accepted. Anatomy and Physiology II with lab (3-4 credits) Description: The study of the structure and function of the human body – Part II.	BIO 210  – Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits) BIO 211  – Anatomy and Physiology II (4 credits)
Required Course: Human Development/Lifespan (3 credits)	An integrated study of the processes and major influences throughout the human experience from the beginning of life through aging (infants, children, adolescents, adults, and older adults). May be offered as a developmental psychology course	PSY 345  – Lifespan Development (4 credits)
Required Course: Statistics (3 credits)	The course includes descriptive and inferential statistics with the emphasis on drawing meaningful conclusions from data. Topics may include measures of central tendency and dispersion, the normal distribution, z-tests, t-tests, linear regression, and more.	MATH 121  – Statistics (3 credits)
Required Course: Abnormal Psychology (3 credits)	The course introduces students to a wide range of psychological disorders and conditions of psychopathology, along with contemporary treatment approaches.	PSY 340  – Psychopathology (4 credits)
Required Course: Social Sciences (3 credits)	Any course will be accepted in psychology, sociology, anthropology, public health, ethnicity, gender studies, religious studies, or philosophy.	Any course in the social sciences (3 credits)
Recommended Course: Biomechanics or Kinesiology (3 credits)	Introductory courses of either discipline. If no such course exists at the applicant’s university, a general physics introductory course is satisfactory.	PHYS 130   – Physics of Energy, Force, and Motion (4 credits) or PHYS 220  - Intro Human Biomechanics (3 credits)
Recommended Course: Medical Terminology (1-2 credits)	The course covers basic medical terminology associated with body systems & disease in preparation for fields in the health sciences. Emphasis will be placed on root words, prefixes, and suffixes.	BIO 202  – Medical Terminology (2 credits

 

Observation Hours

Completion of observation/occupational therapy exploration activities (in-person, virtual, or by alternative means to be determined by the program) is strongly recommended. Applicants should provide evidence of the completion of activities within their OTCAS application. 

Application Procedures

• All applications are processed through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application System (OTCAS). The Edgewood University OTD Program follows the timeline of OTCAS. Each year, OTCAS opens its applications in mid-July, and the cycle remains open until early June of the next year. Each year, the OTD Program will post specific application cycle dates. 
• Applicants are to complete an essay by following instructions within the system. They are also required to provide three (3) professional references. These professional references can be from a volunteer or professional supervisor/manager, an occupational therapy practitioner, or an academic reference.  The applicant will request references through OTCAS, and all references are to be submitted through OTCAS.
• Please note: OTCAS requires applicants to obtain official transcripts of all higher education institutions an individual has attended. Students are required to enter final grades from transcripts as part of the application process.
• Completion of an admission interview. Qualified students will be invited to interview after holistic review of their application materials. Admission to the program is on a rolling basis.
• Demonstration of English language proficiency through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam. This is required for applicants for whom English is not their first language or those who have completed a degree and prerequisite courses outside of the United States.
• Demonstration of meeting the OTD program’s Technical Standards for admission.
• Applicants to the OTD program must adhere to all general requirements for admission as established by Edgewood University’s Graduate Admission Requirements.

Post-Admission Requirements

• Health Requirements
  • Annual physical exam
  • Vaccinations (TB skin test, Tdap – once, current tetanus vaccine, MMR [2 doses or titer], Varicella [2 doses or lab results], Hepatitis B – 3 doses, COVID 19 vaccines and boosters, annual flu vaccination, additional requirements specified by clinical sites)
• CPR certification - All students are required to be certified or recertified in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for Health Providers by the American Heart Association (Basic Life Support).
• Completion of an approved Drug Screening and Criminal Background Check. Students accepted into the program may require additional testing closer to beginning fieldwork experiences.

Additional Admissions Policies

• Advanced placement, transfer of credit, and credit for experiential learning or work experience toward completion of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree are not accepted due to the accelerated, hybrid structure of the OTD program. 

• Prior work experience is not required for admission. 

Accreditation Status and Commitment

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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 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.

Fieldwork and Doctoral Capstone

Fieldwork Education

Fieldwork education is an essential part of creating critical thinking, dynamic occupational therapy students. Fieldwork education supports the process of becoming an OT professional through the mentorship provided by fieldwork educators. It engages students in the real-world context to improve their related strengths, skills, and capabilities. The fieldwork opportunities in Edgewood’s OTD program reflect the phases and foci of the curriculum by preparing students in the traditional, nontraditional, and emerging settings.

This program is a 2-year hybrid, accelerated program consisting of one year of coursework and one year of fieldwork and capstone work. During that time, students will participate in three Level I fieldwork experiences (occurring during lab immersions) and two Level II fieldwork experiences, 12 weeks each at an assigned clinical site. The program design reflects the importance and critical nature of fieldwork experiences for creating knowledgeable, critically thinking, entry-level occupational therapists.

Doctoral Capstone Experience and Project

The capstone process begins following the successful completion of all Year 1 coursework. The process builds on foundational courses, especially those related to research, administration, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education, theory, and practice courses. The capstone process creates and enhances the students’ professional skills and abilities, allowing them to acquire advanced knowledge in their chosen area.

There are four phases of the capstone process:

1. Development of a scholarly doctoral project, including a literature review, needs assessment, learning contract, supervision plan, and identification of a potential capstone site and expert mentor
2. Completion of a capstone project proposal and Institutional Review Board documentation, finalization of capstone site and expert mentor, and poster presentation of capstone proposal
3. Completion of 14-week doctoral capstone experience
4. Dissemination of capstone project results

 At the culmination of the capstone process, the student should demonstrate:

1. A comprehensive understanding of occupation and its importance to clients’ daily lives.
2. An understanding of community-based occupational needs of a client, group, population, and/or the community.
3. Evidence-based, theory-driven practice integrating models of practice and frames of reference with client information to support the use of occupation in guiding professional reasoning.
4. Compassionate, client-centered care by creating partnerships with the client and support persons to provide the best quality care.
5. Inclusivity and belonging by creating an inclusive environment for all clients, peers, and colleagues.
6. Ethical leadership by accepting responsibility for personal and professional growth needed for ethical practice, leadership, and lifelong learning to provide best quality care.

 

Graduation Requirements

To successfully complete the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program at Edgewood University, students must meet the following criteria for progression and graduation: 

   1.Successfully complete all required didactic, fieldwork, and capstone courses in the program sequence, totaling 105 credit hours, with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0. 

   2. Earn a grade of “C” or higher in all didactic courses. 

   3. Receive a passing grade in all Level I and Level II fieldwork experiences and in the doctoral capstone experience. 

   4. Demonstrate professional behavior and meet competencies outlined in course and fieldwork evaluations. 

   5. Complete all Level II Fieldwork and the Doctoral Capstone within 24 months (2 years) of finishing the didactic coursework. 

   6. Complete all program requirements within seven years from the date of initial enrollment, unless extenuating circumstances have been approved by the program.