Doctor of Occupational Therapy (Post-Professional)
The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (O.T.D.) degree is a post-professional clinical practice degree that engages practicing occupational therapists in leadership for advanced roles as a master practitioner, advocate for client populations, and occupational therapy educator. The curriculum is designed to be experienced while active in the profession with learning activities integrated into clinical practice. The program is structured for continuous part-time enrollment utilizing distance education methods.
Marketable Skills
Defined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board's 60x30 Strategic Plan as, "Those skills valued by employers that can be applied in a variety of work settings, including interpersonal, cognitive, and applied skills areas. These skills can be either primary or complementary to a major and are acquired by students through education, including curricular, co-curricular, and extracurricular activities."
- Promote the distinct value of occupational therapy in the community and among other professionals.
- Excel in andragogy to educate individuals, groups, and populations in practice, professional venues, and higher education.
Admissions
All students must meet the University requirements as outlined in the Admission to the TWU Graduate School section of the catalog.
This academic program may have additional admission criteria that must also be completed as outlined on the program's website.
Degree Requirements
Total Semester Credit Hours Required
33 semester credit hours.
| Code | Title | SCHs |
|---|---|---|
| Year One - Fall : 2 Campus Visits | ||
| OT 6501 | Mentored Professional Development I | 1 |
| OT 6503 | Professional Development Core I | 3 |
| OT 6823 | Current Issues and Trends in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| Year One - Spring : 1 Campus Visit | ||
| OT 6553 | Applied Research Design and Methods | 3 |
| OT 6701 | Mentored Professional Development II | 1 |
| OT 6703 | Professional Development Core II | 3 |
| Year One - Summer : 1 Campus Visit | ||
| OT 6133 | Advanced Evidence-Based Occupational Therapy Practice | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Year Two - Fall : 2 Campus Visits | ||
| OT 6223 | Theory and Knowledge Development in Occupational Therapy | 3 |
| OT 6401 | Mentored Professional Development III | 1 |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Year Two - Spring : 1 Campus Visit | ||
| OT 6243 | Learning Designs for Occupational Therapy Knowledge | 3 |
| OT 6301 | Professional Development Core III | 1 |
| OT 6402 | Mentored Professional Development IV | 2 |
| Total SCHs | 33 | |
Degree Requirements
The O.T.D. degree consists of 33 semester credit hours (SCH), 27 required SCH and 6 elective SCH (selected under the tutelage of a faculty mentor), including a doctoral capstone project. Optimum enrollment in the program is 6-7 SCH per semester for completion of the core curriculum in 5 semesters, program completion and graduation are contingent upon successful completion of the capstone project. The entire program must be completed within 6 years of initial registration.
Progression Requirements
- Students must meet the academic requirements of the Graduate School throughout their course of study in the O.T.D. Program
- No course with a grade below B is accepted toward the O.T.D. degree. If a student earns a grade below B in program courses, continuation of the degree program is reviewed by the student's advisory committee.
- Students who earn a D, F, or WF in an O.T.D. course will be dismissed from the O.T.D. program.
- Students placed under academic probation by the Graduate School a second time will be dismissed from the O.T.D. program.
Curriculum Design
The curriculum consists of 2 components, core coursework and individually mentored professional development in an area of specialization. Core coursework addresses professional leadership in three broad roles of master practitioner, advocate, and educator. While engaged in core coursework, students will simultaneously enroll in a series of individually mentored courses. Through this mentorship, students will create a professional development plan for specialty emphasis. This plan includes experiential learning in the field and a doctoral capstone project. Learning activities are experienced and integrated with clinical work and engagement in occupational therapy practice is an expectation. Courses are conducted primarily online with one or two campus visits per semester.
