O.T.D. Program
The Occupational Therapy Doctoral program prepares students for careers as practicing occupational therapists in clinical or community-based settings. The three-year program utilizes community-based fieldwork and a required 14-week Capstone to create scholarly professionals and collaborative and enduring change agents.
Having been granted candidacy from our accrediting body in 2021, our first class of students in the entry-level OTD Program began their studies in May 2022. We expect applications to open again in August 2022 for the next group of students. The application deadline for this group will be November 3, 2022.
Our Accrediting Process
Our CSU master’s program has consistently ranked 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. We currently have candidacy status from our accrediting body, ACOTE®. 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.