Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD)

The Valparaiso University Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program will prepare practitioners to provide evidence-based occupational therapy services with integrity and interprofessional collaboration to meet the physical and psychosocial needs of diverse people, environments, and organizations.

Valpo OTD Mission – Valparaiso University’s occupational therapy program inspires students to develop a commitment to the profession of occupational therapy as a vocation, utilizing their strengths to meet the needs of their community through leadership, service, and scholarship.

Valpo OTD Vision – Valparaiso University’s occupational therapy aspires to light the way for community transformation through engagement in meaningful occupations.

Upon completion of the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) Degree, students will be able to demonstrate the following:

• Advocate for occupational therapy services for diverse populations, groups, and individuals as a member of a healthcare team.
• Assess occupational performance of individuals, groups, and populations using evidence-based concepts and principles.
• Provide therapeutic interventions based on client centered care and evidence-based principles.
• Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team, client, and stakeholders to formulate a successful transition from service and document results.
• Complete all duties in an ethical, legal, safe, and professional manner in accordance with state, federal, and association rules/regulations.

Demonstrate the importance of professional development, support professional organizations, and advocate for the future of occupational therapy services.

Goal 1: Prepare graduates with the skills to be compassionate and culturally competent, ethical occupational therapists.

Goal 2: Provide a student-centered adult learner educational environment that enables student success.

Goal 3: Prepare graduates to provide high-quality patient-centered care as collaborative members of an interprofessional healthcare team.

Goal 4: Prepare graduates to lead and serve the profession and in dynamic healthcare environments.

Below is a sample schedule:

Year	Semester	Course Number	Course	Credits
			Fall Start Only
1	Fall	OCTH 701	OT Theory and Framework	3
		OCTH 703	Occupational Engagement for the Occupational Therapist	3
		OCTH 705	OT Evaluation and Assessment	3
		OCTH 707	Advanced Anatomy and Human Development Across the Lifespan	3
		OCTH 709	OT Research Clinical Inquiry	3
				15
1	Spring	OCTH 715	Occupational Therapy Ethics and Advocacy	3
		OCTH 716	Neuroscience for OT	3
		OCTH 717	OT Research Methodology	3
		OCTH 730	OTD Clinical Reasoning	3
		OCTH 737	Assistive Technology	3
				15
1	Summer	OCTH 725	Occupational Therapy Practice in Orthopedics, Work, & Industry	5
		OCTH 727	Occupational Therapy Practice in Rehabilitation	5
		OCTH 741	Fieldwork Level 1c & Seminar – Rehabilitation Practice	2
				12
2	Fall	OCTH 711	Occupational Therapy Practice in Mental Health	5
		OCTH 712	Fieldwork Level 1a (psychosocial) & Seminar – Mental Health	2
		OCTH 719	Occupational Therapy Practice with Children & Youth	5
		OCTH 720	Fieldwork Level 1b & Seminar – Children & Youth	2
		OCTH 740	Research Implementation	3
				17
2	Spring	OCTH 729	Capstone Discovery	2
		OCTH 733	OT in Education	3
		OCTH 735	Occupational Therapy Practice in Productive Aging	5
		OCTH 736	The Elder Mentor Experience	2
		OCTH 713	Occupational Therapy Practice – Specialty Practice	5
				17
2	Summer	OCTH 742	Clinical Competency for the Occupational Therapist	2
		OCTH 745	Fieldwork Level 2a (12 weeks) (May – August)	8
				10
3	Fall	OCTH 747	Fieldwork Level 2b (12 weeks) (September – December)	8
		OCTH 739	Capstone Design	2
		OCTH 723	Leading the Profession Through Effective Management	3
				13
3	Spring	OCTH 749	Capstone Implementation (14-16 weeks)	10
				10
			OTD Total	109

Current Cost	Year 1Fall, Spring Summer	Year 2 Fall, Spring Summer	Year 3 Fall/Spring
Tuition	$30,030	$31,460	$16,445
Student Fees General fee,  liability insurance	$652	$652	$652
Health Insurance (can be waived with proof of insurance)	$1,954	$1,954	$1,954
Drug Screen and Criminal Background Check	$138	$117	$117
BLS Certification	$75	$0	$75
Lab Fees	$3,000	$3,000	$3,000
Books/Supplies (Approximate cost per semester for books and supplies.  Costs vary per semester, with the first semester costs being greater and very low supply costs toward the end of the program)	$2,000	$2,000	$2,000
Membership Fees SOTA AOTA IOTA	$150 $75 $30	$0 $75 $30	$0 $75$30
Total	$33,104	$39,238	$24,348

• According to FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), cost of attendance is defined as total amount of attending the program, which includes tuition and fees, books, supplies, transportation, loan fees as well as fees associated with distance education.
• Fees are subject to change

In addition to completing the requirements of the Graduate School, students applying to the entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program must meet the following criteria:

• Two letters of recommendation
• Minimum of a bachelors degree from an accredited institution
• Admission to Valparaiso University as a degree-seeking student
• Undergraduate GPA of 3.3 or higher
• Letter of intent explaining why the candidate is seeking this degree and goals for using this degree (2-page max)

Prerequisite Courses

CHEM 111 or 121	Chemistry
PSY 110	General Psychology
BIO 151	A&P 1
PSY 215	Lifespan Development
XS 250	Medical Terminology
BIO 152	A&P 2
PSY 235	Abnormal Psychology
STAT 140 or PSY 201	General Statistics
ENG 205	HS Writing

The prerequisite requirements listed above are in reference to courses offered at Valparaiso University. An applicant may request a course equivalency audit at any time by emailing . Applicants must earn a grade of “C” or higher to fulfill the prerequisite GPA admission criteria.

Application Process

In addition to fulfilling the admission requirements for the Graduate School, invited applicants will also be required to complete a virtual interview.

Admission Pathway with Priority: Valparaiso University alumni with a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and who meet the admission criteria are eligible for admittance into the OTD program.  Application and acceptance through the Graduate School are required in order to finalize admission to the OTD.

Standard Admission Pathway: Students who have obtained a minimum of a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution and meet the prerequisite criteria are eligible to apply to the OTD program. Application and acceptance through the Graduate School are required to finalize admission to the OTD.

Academic and student life policies as well as services for graduate students are listed in the GRADUATE CATALOG, which is administered by the Graduate School on behalf of the Graduate Educational Policy Committee.

1. Complete all requirements for didactic, fieldwork, and capstone project per the occupational therapy handbook
2. Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0.
3. Demonstrate professionalism during interactions with faculty, supervisors, and peers in accordance with Valparaiso University policy.
4. Complete all requirements for degree completion listed in the Graduate Catalog.

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation 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 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.

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy Program Outcomes

Entry-level graduates are 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 is credentialed to use the title of Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. In order to be eligible to sit for the NBCOT examination, and become licensed in the state, an individual must hold a degree from an ACOTE accredited occupational therapy program.

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance .

Entry-level graduates are 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 is credentialed to use the title of Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. In order to be eligible to sit for the NBCOT examination, and become licensed in the state, an individual must hold a degree from an ACOTE accredited occupational therapy program.

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance .

Entry-Level OTD Program Progression Outcomes

Start/End Months: August 2023 – May 2026 (Gold 26)
Program Started	Program Graduated	Graduation Rate	NBCOT Pass Rate
2

Start/End Months: August 2024 – May 2027 (Brown 27)
Program Started	Program Graduated	Graduation Rate	NBCOT Pass Rate
10

Program results from the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) for the entry-level OTD degree can be found on the NBCOT website.

Entry-level OTD Program Student Continuance Data

Program Entry Date – August 2023 (Gold 26)
Students	August 2024	% Sustained	Anticipated Graduation Date
2	2	100%	May 2026

Start/End Months: August 2024 (Brown 27)
Students	August 2024	% Sustained	Anticipated Graduation Date
10	10	100%	May 2027

Program Entry Date – 3-year aggregate *not yet available
Students	August 2024	% Sustained	Anticipated Graduation Date