Post-Baccalaureate Doctor of Occupational Therapy Curriculum

Post-Baccalaureate OTD Curriculum

The curriculum is reviewed regularly and subject to modification in both content and credit as deemed necessary to maintain a high-quality educational experience and to keep current with best practices in the profession.

Fieldwork Expectations

All students are responsible for transportation to all fieldwork experiences. All students are required to maintain viable health insurance, CPR certification and current immunization records according to their fieldwork placement requirements. A fieldwork site may have additional requirements as part of its affiliation agreement such as background checks and site-specific mandatory in-services. Failure to comply with fieldwork requirements may negatively impact a student's ability to participate in fieldwork. The department also requires current membership in the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Capstone Expectations

All students are required to complete a capstone experience (OTD 791) and a capstone project (OTD 790) in the final semester. All fieldwork and didactic requirements must be satisfactorily fulfilled and a student must pass a comprehensive competency exam prior to matriculating into OTD 790 and OTD 791.

• CAPSTONE EXPERIENCE: The capstone experience is a mentored process by an individual with demonstrated expertise in the student's area of interest. The capstone experience may occur in a traditional clinical site or non-traditional/non-clinical site that is appropriate for the implementation of the capstone project and the integration of learning. Students are responsible for transportation to all capstone experiences. All students are required to maintain viable health insurance, CPR certification and current immunization records according to their capstone placements. A capstone site may have additional requirements as part of its affiliation agreement or memorandum of understanding such as background checks and site-specific mandatory in-services. Failure to comply with capstone experiential requirements may negatively impact a student's ability to participate in capstone.
• CAPSTONE PROJECT: The doctoral capstone project is an opportunity for students to demonstrate in-depth knowledge in occupational therapy and the attainment of all program learning outcomes. The project concludes in the production of a scholarly manuscript and oral presentation to the occupational therapy practice community.

Progression, Retention and Graduation Requirements

All policies and procedures regarding progression, retention and graduation are found in the OTD Student Handbook. These policies and procedures are routinely reviewed with the students at the beginning of each semester and/or during advising.

Grade and Course Sequence Requirements

The program uses a tiered approach to curricular progression.

• During Tier 1 (summer and fall of the first year), students must meet a semester GPA of 3.00 and a C+ in all OT courses.
• During Tiers 2–4 (remainder of the program), students must meet a semester GPA of 3.20 and a B- in all lecture courses, and a B+ in laboratory courses and in Level I fieldwork.
• In addition, all students must acquire a “Pass” in their Level II fieldwork (Tier 3) and Doctoral Capstone Experience (Tier 4).

Failure to meet the aforementioned requirements will result in a referral to the Academic Progression and Retention Committee (APRC). The outcome of such referral may be: program probation with course remediation; program probation with a course repeat (and repay); or program dismissal.

All courses must be taken sequentially as indicated in the program of study. Students may request in writing to the department chairperson (or designee) any deviations from the course sequence, waivers from occupational therapy courses, and/or transfer credits from other occupational therapy programs. All requests must be approved by the APRC and the department chairperson.

Fieldwork Requirements

1. Students must complete all the required didactic coursework and be in good academic standing prior to starting Level II fieldwork (OTD 580 and OTD 581).
2. All Level II fieldwork experiences must be completed within 12 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.

Capstone Requirements

1. Students must complete all didactic coursework and Level II fieldwork, be in good academic standing and pass a comprehensive exam prior to starting the Doctoral Capstone Experience (OTD 791) and Project (OTD 790).
2. The Doctoral Capstone Experience and Project must be completed within 12 months following the successful passing of the comprehensive exam.

Successful completion of all didactic, fieldwork and capstone requirements is necessary for graduation with the degree of Doctor of Occupational Therapy.