Occupational Therapy Doctorate (Entry-Level OTD)
Entry-Level OTD Program Overview
Improve the lives of patients and meet the needs of your community with Spalding University’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate. This entry-level program is accessible to any student who has a bachelor’s degree in any field. Spalding’s OTD prepares students to pass the national board certification exam and enter the field as advocates who promote peace and justice through health and wellness. Earn your degree the first entry-level OTD program in the state of Kentucky.
- 84 didactic hours and 26 clinical hours
- On-campus
- 35 students per cohort
- Three years in nine trimesters
Courses
The curriculum for the Entry-Level OTD incorporates both didactic hours and clinical hours.
Classes include Fundamentals of Occupational Therapy: Meeting Society’s Occupational Needs, Human Anatomy Correlates for Occupational Therapy and Ethical Decision Making in Occupational Therapy. Fieldwork includes Work, Industry & Orthopedic Level I Fieldwork, Psychosocial Level I Fieldwork and Children and Youth Level Fieldwork.
Students also benefit from on-site deep physical agent modality (DPAM) specialty certification courses that take place throughout the year.
Accreditation
The entry-level OTD program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) (telephone: 301-652-2682; www.acoteonline.org) located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929.
Graduates of the program 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 individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
Admissions Requirements
Discover how Spalding’s Entry-Level OTD program can accelerate your occupational therapy career on your terms.
Tuition
Are you ready to take the first step toward becoming an occupational therapist? Learn about tuition and fees for our Entry-Level OTD program, as well as your financial aid options.
Find Possibility in the Heart of the City
DISCOVER YOUR GROWTH POTENTIAL
Meet the needs of the times as an occupational therapist. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 14% job growth for occupational therapists between 2024 and 2034, which is much faster than the average for all occupations.
FAQs
Answers to common questions about Spalding University’s entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate program.
Our national board certification pass rate for the Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy has been 95% or higher over the past five years.
Over 96% of our school’s graduates are employed within six months of graduation.
35 students per are admitted to each cohort in the Spalding entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate program.
Yes. We offer several on-site deep physical agent modality (DPAM) specialty certification courses that take place throughout the year.
High-Impact Career Preparation
Spalding OTD graduates are prepared to work as occupational therapists in settings such as:
- Home health agencies
- Hospitals
- Inpatient rehabilitation units
- Outpatient clinics
- Sports medicine practices
- Skilled nursing facilities
- Wellness and sports performances
- Workplace health centers
A major lesson I hope students take from our program is to continue to seek the “why” in what they are doing, whether it is the treatment they are providing for patients or something related to their personal lives. I want students to explore best practices to make the profession even better for the next generation. I teach compassion and understanding not only from the patient’s perspective, but also from working with family members, colleagues, and really, whomever is at the receiving end.
Dr. Jyoti Heiple, Assistant Professor at the Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy (ASOT)
Spalding’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate program is led by Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy faculty.
You will work closely with our faculty of doctorally-prepared experts specialize to customize your program of study, fieldwork and capstone to your professional interests.
National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
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 at least a Master’s 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.
The total number of graduates from the Auerbach School of Occupational Therapy during 2022-2024 was 126, with an overall graduation rate of 96%.
Effective October 25, 2022 the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program at Spalding University has been granted Candidate for Accreditation status by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), 3030 Potomac Ave., Suite 100, Alexandria, Virginia 22305-3085; phone: 703-706-3245; email: accreditation@apta.org. If needing to contact the program/institution directly, please call 502-873-4449 or email physicaltherapy@spalding.edu.
