UND OT Students Assisting with Life Skills

Occupational Therapy Doctorate

OTD

As an occupational therapist, you'll make an impact in the lives of your clients.

Develop skills that help individuals adapt to changes in their physical and emotional performance.

Program type:
Doctoral Degree
Format:
On Campus or Off Campus
Est. time to complete:
3 years
Credit hours:
123

Why earn an occupational therapy doctorate?

Application Deadlines
Fall:
Dec. 20

Application review starts Oct. 15. Final application deadline is Dec. 20.

If you're an international student, refer to the international application process for deadlines.

The Occupational Therapy Doctorate (O.T.D.) program is based on the belief that purposeful activity (occupation) may be used to prevent and mediate dysfunction and elicit maximum adaptation.

Through the O.T.D. program, you'll develop the knowledge, skills and adaptive capacity needed to address occupational challenges. Specifically, you'll be trained to:

  • Customize and implement treatment programs to improve an individual's ability to perform daily activities and occupations.
  • Provide comprehensive home and job site evaluations with adaptation recommendations.
  • Conduct performance skills assessments and treatment.
  • Make adaptive equipment and splints, provide recommendations and usage training.
  • Provide guidance to family members and caregivers.

The doctorate in Occupational Therapy is offered at two campus locations:

  • Main campus in Grand Forks, ND
  • Satellite campus in Casper, WY

UND's Occupational Therapy Doctorate

  • Gain real-world experience through practicums, fieldwork and teaching opportunities.

  • Develop a career plan with consultation from your assigned departmental faculty member.

  • Connect with those who share your passion through the Student Occupational Therapy Association.

  • Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as a Top 50 Occupational Therapy program in the nation.

  • UND's Pre-Occupational Therapy program is recommended for all incoming freshmen interested in OT. The three-year program provides the building blocks in your application to the O.T.D. program.

  • This program has been granted full accreditation status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education and meets the educational requirements for licensure in all U.S. States.

What can you do with an occupational therapy doctorate?

96k

Median annual salary for occupational therapists, 2023

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

11%

Projected job outlook for occupational therapists through 2033

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Occupational therapists are skilled professionals whose education includes the study of human growth and development with specific emphasis on the social, emotional and physiological effects of illness and injury. They can be found working in the following environments:

  • Community mental health agencies
  • Home health services
  • Hospitals
  • Industry
  • Nursing homes
  • Occupational therapy outpatient clinics
  • Schools
  • Wellness facilities

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Jobs

Occupational Therapy alumni have gone on to a variety of successful careers with:

  • Sanford Health
  • Mayo Clinic
  • Regions Hospital
  • Aegis Therapies, Inc.
  • Altru Health System

Accredited Occupational Therapy Doctorate

The Occupational Therapy Program has been granted accreditation through the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). For information regarding accreditation, contact ACOTE at 301.652.AOTA, or 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814.

The national entry-level certification examination for occupational therapists is administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy, Inc. (NBCOT, One Bank St., Suite 300, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, 301.990.7979). Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapists, administered by NBCOT. After successful completion of this exam, the graduate will be an occupational therapist, registered (OTR). In addition, most 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.

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Courses

OT 505. Forming Your Professional Identity. 2 Credits.

Students are introduced to foundational concepts of the occupational therapy profession and exemplars of personal and professional growth. Topics include historical development of the occupational therapy profession, occupational therapy philosophy, ethics, and distinct value of occupational therapy. The course includes personal application of professional exemplars. Prerequisite: Admission to the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program.

OT 600. Interventions for Mental Functions to Support Occupation. 5 Credits.

Students develop skill for intervention planning, implementation, review, and outcomes with specific emphasis for populations where occupational performance is affected by mental functions. Prerequisite: Admission to the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program. F.

OT 614. Innovative Practitioner. 3 Credits.

Students develop the skills to critically assess various factors and policies that impact service delivery, occupational therapy services, and the ability to address societal needs. Students use this information to advocate for and develop innovative programming for groups and populations. Prerequisite: Admission to the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program. S.

OT 504. Occupation & Analysis. 4 Credits.

Introduction to the concepts of occupation, relation to health and wellness, occupation-based models, and analysis. Prerequisite: Admission to the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program. F.

OT 502. Research Methods in OT 1: Qualitative to Quantitative Designs. 3 Credits.

The student engages in the concepts of scientific inquiry through the continuum of qualitative and quantitative research designs and methodology used in the occupational therapy profession. The student applies principles of evidenced-based practice investigation, learns to both critique and design research studies as an ethical clinician-researcher, engages in understanding and interpreting qualitative and quantitative data analyses and outcomes, and is introduced to the process of dissemination of scholarly work. Prerequisite: Admission to the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program. F.

OT 500. Culture & Occupation. 3 Credits.

Students learn to recognize the influence of culture and diversity across the domains of occupational therapy and begin to develop cultural humility in support of clients as occupational beings. Students investigate, analyze, and apply credible sources that reflect diverse experiences and worldviews in preparation for client collaboration. Prerequisite: Admission to the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program. F.

Leaders in Health

Follow your passion and develop the skills to lead and shape the future of healthcare.

Explore More Options

Connect with the occupational therapy faculty at UND or discover additional education opportunities.

Occupational Therapy Department
P 701.777.2209
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