Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD)

This course examines the definition of justice, justice theories, prevalent current issues, and opportunities to impact social change. Students examine justice issues within particular populations, and their own feelings and beliefs regarding social issues. The course further explores health disparities and occupational therapy’s role in addressing health concerns and inequities across populations.

This course explores the correlation between culture, health, public policy, and occupational justice. Students examine their own personal culture, the culture of clients, and their influences on health beliefs, practices, and occupations. Further emphasis is on occupational justice and its theoretical underpinning and practice implications.

This course focuses on the role of systematic literature review in occupational therapy research and evidence-based practice. Students work closely with faculty mentors to select topics for their doctoral capstone project and write systematic literature reviews. Emphasis is on the development of skills required for formulating clinical and intervention effectiveness questions, critiquing published research articles, and writing a systematic critical review of the literature to support a research or clinical problem in occupational therapy and related fields. Students also begin to identify potential sites for project implementation.

This course focuses on program development in occupational therapy practice. Students work closely with faculty mentors to develop their doctoral capstone project. Students use evidence and theoretical models to develop programs that address social needs and occupational risk factors in populations that are traditionally underserved by occupational therapy. The proposed program is based on a thorough assessment of the population, addresses primary, secondary, and/or tertiary interventions, and considers the population holistically and in context, including families, communities, and systems. Program development includes a plan for needs assessment, business plan, long and short-term goals and objectives, activities, and timeline. Students also begin to complete the paperwork required for partnership with the site, such as memorandum of understanding/formal agreement, and any other site requirements, such as background check, or health and medical forms.

This course explores health and wellness theories, principles, policies, approaches, and initiatives that support occupation-based programs. A focus is on programs that address current public health concerns and society’s occupational needs.

This course focuses on the research activities to support the development of the doctoral capstone proposal. Students work closely with faculty mentors. Research activities and literature review contribute to the development of needs assessment, IRB application, research methodology, program evaluation plan and outcome measures, and grant proposals. Students meet weekly with faculty mentors to review and coordinate the completion of tasks in an efficient and effective manner.

This course focuses on the development of teaching and learning skills required of occupational therapy practitioners across a variety of clinical and academic settings. A range of learning theories and strategies across the lifespan are explored in detail as they relate to occupational therapy practice and education. Students develop and apply teaching skills appropriate for varying audiences and settings.

This course explores contemporary leadership and management theories and practical tools to help students develop skills necessary to become change agents. A focus is on personal leadership styles as well as change theories, entrepreneurial skills, management of innovative practice, and ethical considerations as they relate to policy and system development. Students reflect and explore personal and professional goals related to their own leadership development.

This is the first of two (2) courses required to implement the doctoral capstone project. Students work closely with faculty mentors. Students and mentors decide together on the specific activities and assignments to be completed each semester, as well as timelines and due dates. Students meet weekly with faculty mentors to review and coordinate the completion of the student’s tasks in an efficient and effective manner. In Capstone Project I students finalize formal agreements and collaboration plans with community partners. They collaborate with the community partners to implement the proposed activities. They search for suitable journals and begin writing a manuscript describing the capstone project for potential publication.

This course explores academic and leadership skills and apply them to contemporary higher education systems, regulations, policy, and practice. A focus is on academic leadership including curriculum development and pedagogy. Students reflect on and develop professional goals related to academic leadership.

This colloquium provides advanced education in specialty areas of practice selected by the program director. Presented by scholars and experts in the field, topics may include, but are not limited to: Current trends and scholarship; Advanced practice in specialty areas of practice; Advanced topics in teaching and learning in higher education; OT in emerging areas of practice such as primary care; Advanced topics in productive aging; Advanced topics in pediatrics; or Specialty certifications.

This is the second of two (2) courses required to implement the doctoral capstone project. Students work closely with faculty mentors. Students and mentors decide together on the specific activities and assignments to be completed each semester, as well as timelines and due dates. Students meet weekly with faculty mentors to review and coordinate the completion of the student’s tasks in an efficient and effective manner. Students implement their capstone project and program evaluation and identify conferences for future dissemination. They write a conference proposal and complete the manuscript describing their capstone project. The course culminates with presentations of the capstone project.