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College of Health and Human Sciences

Occupational Therapy Occupational Therapy Doctorate Professional Doctoral Program

O.T.D. Program Coming Soon

Colorado State University has been granted applicant status for an O.T.D. program. Based on this we have developed an entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy program that will replace the current entry-level M.S. and M.O.T. programs, pending completion of the ACOTE® accreditation process.

  • We will enter our last M.S. and M.O.T. students for Fall 2021
  • We anticipate that the application process for the entry-level O.T.D. program will open early Fall 2021
  • The planned O.T.D. program is 3 years long, beginning in  May 2022, for a May 2025 graduation

Our Accrediting Process

Our CSU master’s program consistently ranks in the top 10 occupational therapy programs in the United States and is fully accredited. Using a carefully considered process, our faculty developed a strong O.T.D. program of study that has been approved at all University levels. Our letter of intent, the first step toward accreditation by ACOTE®, has been accepted by ACOTE® giving us applicant status.

The next step is our application to ACOTE® for candidacy which will be submitted in April 2021. The candidacy application will undergo a rigorous review by ACOTE® and we will know if we have candidacy status by Summer 2021. If we are granted candidacy status, we can accept applications for the O.T.D program starting Fall 2021. Although our O.T.D. is not yet currently fully accredited, these steps lay the foundation for the accreditation process.

ACOTE® accreditation is required before graduates are eligible to sit for the exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy. CSU anticipates completing the accreditation process six months before any students have completed the university’s requirements to take the exam. After successful completion of the NBCOT exam, a graduate will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered.

Licensure

In addition to national registration, all states require occupational therapists to be licensed. State licensure is usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Each state sets its own licensure fee. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.