Doctor of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level (CUW)
The OTD program at Concordia University Wisconsin prepares students to obtain employment in a variety of settings. The didactic coursework, community-based experiences, and clinical education come together to prepare students as entry-level occupational therapists. Students participate in clinical experiences which include individual and group treatment sessions in pediatric and adult populations. Students have multiple opportunities to develop skills in advocacy, leadership, and research. At CUW, we prepare uncommon OTs who are ready to serve their communities and clients and enter the profession as change makers.
Mission Statement
The mission of Concordia University’s Doctorate of Occupational Therapy program is to positively impact communities by developing Christ-centered occupational therapists who empower others to reach their highest potential through leadership, best practice, advocacy, and innovation.
Accreditation
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program is accredited 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 https://acoteonline.org/. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork as well as an individual 14-week capstone experience within 24 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as well as completion of preparatory activities defined in 2018 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3.
Licensure/Certifications
Graduates of the program may sit for the National Certification Examination for the Occupational Therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) located at 1 Bank Street, Suite 300, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, (301)-990-7979. Graduates who successfully complete the exam will receive the credentials: Occupational Therapist Registered OTR®. Please note that all states require additional licensure/certification to practice. Be forewarned that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Program data specific to Concordia University Wisconsin on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Exam can be found on the NBCOT website.
General Academic Information
Our occupational therapy curriculum offers you exposure to many real-world scenarios that will test your knowledge. You’ll have multiple opportunities for client contact, ranging from children to older adults, school systems to acute care to outpatient rehabilitation. Some of these experiences are clinical fieldwork placements, while others are client evaluation and consultation in a classroom or community setting. In your first year, you’ll begin working with clients in the on-campus community clinic to put theory into practice.
This is a full-time graduate professional program taught in a hybrid format. Students interact with their classmates and professors online before and after in-person classes, which focus on active learning and/or lab activities. Students must enroll in the MOT program first, in one of two tracks, as determined by their educational background:
- Face-to-Face Track
- Accelerated entry
- High school students looking to earn a bachelor's and doctoral degree in 5 years
- High school students should apply through undergraduate admissions for the BSRS program
- Post-baccalaureate entry
- Applicants holding a bachelor's degree looking to earn a doctoral degree
- Accelerated entry
- Bridge Track
- COTAs looking to further their education and opportunities as an OTR
- Candidates holding an associate's degree must apply through the Bridge BSRS
- Direct entry for those holding a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited institution
- COTAs looking to further their education and opportunities as an OTR
Students should expect to pay the tuition and fees as noted on the website.
Program Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program, graduates of the Concordia University Wisconsin OTD program will:
- Demonstrate the skills to be effective change-makers in surrounding communities.
- Facilitate the health and wellbeing of individuals of all ages in various community settings.
- Combine theory, evidence, and clinical reasoning in a reflective process of evaluation, intervention, and targeting of outcomes.
- Effectively and efficiently solve occupation-based problems.
- Be competently prepared for direct access.
- Intentionally make clinical decisions using Christ-centered values.
- Develop leadership skills.
- Effectively communicate and collaborate in a variety of communities.
- Demonstrate professional behaviors while using knowledge based skills for the effective practice of occupational therapy.
Curriculum
Please contact the OT department for specific course progression by track.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| OT 5520 | Concepts of Occupation | 3 |
| OT 5530 | Functional Anatomy | 4 |
| OT 5550 | Research in Practice I | 4 |
| OT 5560 | Occupations Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| OT 5575 | Community Clinic Foundations | 5 |
| OT 5590 | Functional Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation I | 4 |
| OT 5600 | Research in Practice II | 3 |
| OT 5620 | Clinical Reasoning: Behavioral Health | 3 |
| OT 5630 | Occupational Kinesiology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation I | 4 |
| OT 6520 | Clinical Reasoning: Pediatrics | 3 |
| OT 6550 | Level 1 Fieldwork Experience | 1 |
| OT 6580 | Clinical Reasoning: Adult Practice Areas | 3 |
| OT 6610 | Clinical Reasoning: Orthopedic Rehabilitation II | 3 |
| OT 6620 | Community Advocacy and Leadership | 3 |
| OT 6630 | Occupations of Health and Wellness | 3 |
| OT 6650 | Community Clinic: Leading the OT Process | 3 |
| OT 6710 | Research in Practice III | 3 |
| OT 6740 | Community Clinic Administration | 4 |
| OT 6760 | Professional Advocacy & Leadership | 2 |
| OT 6800 | Clinical Reasoning: Gerontology | 3 |
| OT 6850 | Clinical Reasoning: Neurorehabilitation II | 3 |
| OT 7550 | Level II Fieldwork A | 6 |
| OT 7580 | Level II Fieldwork B | 6 |
| OT 8550 | Research in Practice IV: Capstone Planning | 3 |
| OT 8600 | Capstone Experience | 7 |
| Total Hours | 89 | |
Admission Requirements
Students interested in the entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) must first apply to the Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) Program.
During the second term of the MOT program, interested students may apply for the OTD program, through an internal process, if they meet the following requirements:
- Cumulative OT GPA of 3.0 or better
- Semester GPA of 3.0 or better in all completed semesters
- Current enrollment in CUW's Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) program
- No current or past professional or academic probation (students may still apply if they have received a warning)
Students must complete the following requirements while applying to the OTD program:
- Attend the OTD information session with the OTD Program Director and Doctoral Capstone Coordinator
- Meet with CUW OT faculty advisor to discuss decision to apply to the OTD program
- Complete the “OTD Exploration Form”
- Complete written essay, following the provided prompt
- Request two (2) CUW OT faculty members to complete the “OTD Applicant Rating Form”
- Submit entire application packet, including the signed application form, written essay, and completed exploration form, in accordance with track due dates
- Interview with OT Faculty, schedule to be determined after application deadline
All applicant files will be reviewed by the OT Admissions Committee and the OTD Program Director.
Note: The program does not accept occupational therapy transfer credits.
Plan - Face to Face
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| OT 5550 | Research in Practice I | 4 |
| OT 5520 | Concepts of Occupation | 3 |
| OT 5530 | Functional Anatomy | 4 |
| OT 5575 | Community Clinic Foundations | 5 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| OT 5600 | Research in Practice II | 3 |
| OT 5620 | Clinical Reasoning: Behavioral Health | 3 |
| OT 5560 | Occupations Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| OT 5590 | Functional Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation I | 4 |
| OT 6550 | Level 1 Fieldwork Experience | 1 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| OT 5630 | Occupational Kinesiology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation I | 4 |
| OT 6650 | Community Clinic: Leading the OT Process | 3 |
| OT 6620 | Community Advocacy and Leadership | 3 |
| OT 6610 | Clinical Reasoning: Orthopedic Rehabilitation II | 3 |
| OPTIONAL LEVEL I FIELDWORK | ||
| OT 6710 | Research in Practice III | 3 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| OT 6740 | Community Clinic Administration | 4 |
| OT 6630 | Occupations of Health and Wellness | 3 |
| OT 6580 | Clinical Reasoning: Adult Practice Areas | 3 |
| OT 6610 | Clinical Reasoning: Orthopedic Rehabilitation II | 3 |
| OPTIONAL LEVEL I FIELDWORK | ||
| OT 8550 | Research in Practice IV: Capstone Planning | 3 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| OT 6520 | Clinical Reasoning: Pediatrics | 3 |
| OT 6800 | Clinical Reasoning: Gerontology | 3 |
| OT 6760 | Professional Advocacy & Leadership | 2 |
| OT 7550 | Level II Fieldwork A | 6 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| OT 7580 | Level II Fieldwork B | 6 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Semester 7 | ||
| OT 8600 | Capstone Experience | 7 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Total Hours | 89 | |
Course options and schedule are subject to change.
Plan - Bridge
| Semester 1 | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| OT 5550 | Research in Practice I | 4 |
| OT 5520 | Concepts of Occupation | 3 |
| OT 5530 | Functional Anatomy | 4 |
| OT 5575 | Community Clinic Foundations | 5 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 2 | ||
| OT 5560 | Occupations Across the Lifespan | 3 |
| OT 5590 | Functional Neuroscience and Neurorehabilitation I | 4 |
| OT 5600 | Research in Practice II | 3 |
| OT 6650 | Community Clinic: Leading the OT Process | 3 |
| OT 5620 | Clinical Reasoning: Behavioral Health | 3 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 3 | ||
| OT 5630 | Occupational Kinesiology and Orthopedic Rehabilitation I | 4 |
| OT 6550 | Level 1 Fieldwork Experience | 1 |
| OT 6620 | Community Advocacy and Leadership | 3 |
| OT 6610 | Clinical Reasoning: Orthopedic Rehabilitation II | 3 |
| OT 6710 | Research in Practice III | 3 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 4 | ||
| OT 6580 | Clinical Reasoning: Adult Practice Areas | 3 |
| OT 6610 | Clinical Reasoning: Orthopedic Rehabilitation II | 3 |
| OT 6740 | Community Clinic Administration | 4 |
| OT 6630 | Occupations of Health and Wellness | 3 |
| OPTIONAL LEVEL I FIELDWORK | ||
| OT 8550 | Research in Practice IV: Capstone Planning | 3 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Semester 5 | ||
| OT 6520 | Clinical Reasoning: Pediatrics | 3 |
| OT 6800 | Clinical Reasoning: Gerontology | 3 |
| OT 6760 | Professional Advocacy & Leadership | 2 |
| OT 7550 | Level II Fieldwork A | 6 |
| Hours | 14 | |
| Semester 6 | ||
| OT 7580 | Level II Fieldwork B | 6 |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Semester 7 | ||
| OT 8600 | Capstone Experience | 7 |
| Hours | 7 | |
| Total Hours | 89 | |
Course options and schedule are subject to change.