Occupational Therapy Doctorate

Occupational Therapy
Programs and Degrees
Occupational Therapy Doctorate

What is a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy?

The CSU Occupational Therapy Doctorate is fully in-person, nationally-ranked program that prepares you for a career as a practicing occupational therapist in clinical or community-based settings. The three-year program utilizes community-based fieldwork and a required 14-week Capstone. You will learn skills to become a scholarly professional and collaborative and enduring change agent.

Our Accreditation Status

Our CSU-OT program consistently ranks in the top 10 occupational therapy programs in the U.S. Using a carefully considered process, our faculty developed a new OTD program of study that has been approved at all University levels. We were granted a seven-year accreditation from our accrediting body, ACOTE®, in December 2024. (7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E Bethesda, MD 20814, (301) 652-6611, accred@aota.org).

ACOTE® accreditation is required before graduates are eligible to sit for the exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. After successful completion of the NBCOT exam, a graduate will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered.

Explore the Courses You Will Take

OT Prep Project

The OT Prep Project at CSU addresses the growing need for school-based occupational therapists to support children with disabilities in public schools. This program recruits and trains OT students from underrepresented groups to work with school-aged children (ages 5–21) who have high-intensity needs, equipping them to make a meaningful impact in their communities.

Hands-On Experience

As part of your degree, you will have many opportunities to gain real-world experience.

Fieldwork

On Fieldwork experiences, you will be working hands-on in practice settings applying what you learned in class.

Doctoral Capstone

The final capstone project and experience provide in-depth exposure to one or more areas of focus in occupational therapy.

Research

Faculty and student researchers in the Department of Occupational Therapy collaborate in multiple fields with overlapping interests.

Community Connections

In keeping with CSU’s land-grant mission, the Department of Occupational Therapy provides outreach programs and organizations to support CSU students and faculty and the greater Colorado community.