Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD)

This course examines occupational contexts and their influence on occupational engagement in populations, groups, and communities. An additional focus will be on contextual barriers for occupational engagement in vulnerable populations and the attitudes, systems, and policies that relate to overall health and participation as well as those that shape occupational therapy services. Students will explore the occupational engagement needs and contextual barriers in specific populations, groups, or communities of their choice.

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 writing a literature review and beginning the first phases of needs assessment for the doctoral capstone project. Students select topics and guiding questions for their doctoral capstone project and write literature reviews. Emphasis is on the development of skills required for substantiating a need for primary care or community-based programs, critiquing published articles and databases, and writing a synthesized review of the literature to support an occupational therapy-based intervention or program. Students also begin to implement the needs assessment for their capstone project, adapted from phases 1-4 in the Precede-Proceed Model: social assessment and situational analysis; epidemiological assessment; behavioral and environmental context; and educational and ecological assessment.

This course focuses on program development in occupational therapy practice, utilizing the doctoral capstone project as a practical example. Students use evidence and theoretical models and apply the precede-proceed model 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, timeline, and sustainability. Students also begin to draft the paperwork required for partnership with the community site, such as memorandum of understanding/formal agreement, and any other site requirements, such as background check, or health and medical forms.

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 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. Students explore the role of occupational therapy in community and population health, identify the community for their capstone project, assess its resources, and developing resources for community health interventions.

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 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 program evaluation plan and outcome measures, IRB application, and grant proposals. Students meet weekly with capstone mentors and/or course instructor(s) to review and coordinate the completion of tasks in an efficient and effective manner.

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. Students finalize the capstone proposal as well as the formal agreements and collaboration plans with community partners. They create a capstone portfolio, obtain IRB and other required approvals, and begin 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 organizational and academic structures and leadership skills and applies them to contemporary higher education systems, regulations, policies, and practice. A focus is on academic leadership including curriculum development and strategic planning. Students reflect on and develop professional goals related to academic leadership.

This colloquium provides advanced education in specialty areas of practice by scholars and experts in the field. Specialty topics are selected by the program director and/or course instructor and emphasize current trends, evidence, and scholarship in specialty and emerging areas of practice, and in teaching, learning, and leadership in higher education. In addition, students reflect on and plan for their professional development and service as practitioners, educators and leaders with an advanced professional doctoral degree.

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 an electronic poster and manuscript describing their capstone project. The course culminates with presentations of the capstone project.