Occupational Therapy Doctorate

Why an OTD?

Occupational therapy (OT) is a rehabilitation profession — helping people do the things they want and need to do in their everyday lives. These “occupations” include things, such as work, play, self care, leisure, rest and sleep, social participation, as well as health management and maintenance. Occupational therapy professionals (OTPs) have the opportunity to work with people of all ages, from infants to seniors.

Augustana University's Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) is an accelerated, hybrid, entry-level or pre-licensure program designed to meet adult learners where they're at in life — allowing them to remain in their existing, socially-supported environments. The hands-on component of the program, known as the labs, will take place in the Twin Cities.

The program will launch in Fall 2026, with its inaugural class set to graduate in August 2028.

Learn More About OT Licensure & Disclosure

Program Outcomes

Augustana OTD graduates will:

serve their communities by designing and implementing occupation-informed, client-centered practice that leverages strengths to address the unique needs of clients across diverse populations and practice contexts;
demonstrate therapeutic use of self to effectively engage with clients, build strong therapeutic relationships, and understand client’s occupational experiences to respectfully serve their occupational therapy needs;
achieve entry-level competence by demonstrating knowledge and skills to apply occupational therapy processes, theories and evidence consistent with generalist practice, in preparation for the national certification exam;
collaborate effectively with intra and interdisciplinary teams — demonstrating skills in communication, coordination and leadership to enhance client outcomes and optimize service delivery across all practice models and contexts;
commit to ongoing professional development through the ability to create and innovate with emerging evidence, technologies and practices in the field of occupational therapy; and,
uphold the highest standards of ethical and professional practice — advocating for clients’ rights to promote occupational justice and accessibility to equitable services empowering health and well-being.

MISSION & VALUES

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

PROGRAM GRADUATION RATES

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS

TUITION & FEES

FACULTY

Accreditation

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation 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 acoteonline.org.

The program must be granted Candidacy Status, have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork and an individual 14-week capstone experience within 18 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework, Level II fieldwork and preparatory activities defined in 2018 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3.

Contact Us

Dr. Melissa Kimmerling, program director

Occupational Therapy Doctorate, School of Health Professions

Highlights

Curriculum Design

The Augustana University Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) Program, consisting of six total trimesters, is designed to meet adult learners where they're at in life — allowing them to remain in their own supported environments.

The first year of the Augustana OTD Program will include three trimesters or six minimesters. Each 8-week minimester will consist of four courses, which include online instruction, as well as 7-10 days of hands-on learning at AU's OTD lab, located on the south side of the Twin Cities — close to Interstate-35 and the Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) International Airport.
Students will complete 24 weeks of fieldwork during the second year of the program, as well as a 14-week Capstone.
While not a requirement of the program, Augustana is developing additional fieldwork experiences for OTD students. The university is working with Augustana's De & Dave Knudson Center for Global Engagement and Therapy Abroad to offer students hands-on learning opportunities internationally in Belize or Dominica.

Augustana University OTD Program Six Trimesters \| 103.5 Credit Hours
YEAR ONE \| THREE TRIMESTERS OR SIX MINIMESTERS
TRIMESTER		TRIMESTER		TRIMESTER
MINIMESTER	MINIMESTER	MINIMESTER	MINIMESTER	MINIMESTER	MINIMESTER
Eight Weeks \| Four Courses Online Instruction & 7-10 Days of Lab in Twin Cities	Eight Weeks \| Four Courses Online Instruction & 7-10 Days of Lab in Twin Cities	Eight Weeks \| Four Courses Online Instruction & 7-10 Days of Lab in Twin Cities	Eight Weeks \| Four Courses Online Instruction & 7-10 Days of Lab in Twin Cities	Eight Weeks \| Four Courses Online Instruction & 7-10 Days of Lab in Twin Cities	Eight Weeks \| Four Courses Online Instruction & 7-10 Days of Lab in Twin Cities
YEAR TWO \| THREE TRIMESTERS
TRIMESTER		TRIMESTER		TRIMESTER
12 Weeks \| Fieldwork		12 Weeks \| Fieldwork		14 Weeks \| Capstone
OTD graduates must pass the national certification exam — the National Board for Certification in. Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Exam — to practice in the United States.

Careers

Augustana OTD Program graduates who have pass the NBCOT Exam have the opportunity to open their own clinics. They would also be prepared to work in any entry-level setting, which might include hospital, rehabilitation, skilled nursing, outpatient clinic and school settings.