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Doctorate of Occupational Therapy: OTD Program

At a Glance

• Offered as: Doctorate
• Format: Hybrid (Online & On Campus)
• Credits: 111
• Avg. Time to Completion: 3 years
• College/School: College of Health & Human Services
• Campus Location: Chester, PA

Program Overview

Widener's doctor of occupational therapy (OTD) program consists of coursework, field experiences, and mentorship programs designed to enable students to become ethical, contemporary occupational therapy practitioners who adopt the values necessary to:

• Work interprofessionally to contribute to the vitality and wellbeing of the community or individual served
• Utilize evidence to inform professional reasoning and decision-making
• Practice using a client-centered, occupation-based approach
• Collaborate with individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations to identify culturally relevant personal and communal goals
• Strive to maximize the fit between the individual and their personal, social, cultural, physical, virtual, and community environments
• Serve as leaders in their community

ACOTE Accreditation

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

Curriculum & Coursework Requirements

The doctor of occupational therapy curriculum engages students in experiential learning, student-faculty scholarship, leadership opportunities, and service activities in Widener's culturally diverse surrounding community.

Technology Requirements for Online and Hybrid Courses

• Hardware:
  • PC, Mac or Tablet
    • Need microphone and headphones or earbuds
    • Need Webcam
  • Printer (Printing services are also available in the library)
• Software:
  • The Program uses Canvas (with Respondus Lockdown for testing purposes)
  • Microsoft Office: The Institute for Occupational Therapy Education uses MS Office for documents (MS Word); spreadsheet (MS Excel); and presentations (MS PowerPoint)
  • Safari, Google Chrome or Firefox - please be make sure it meets Canvas’ requirements

Licensure by State

To practice as an occupational therapist, individuals must graduate from a university that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), complete fieldwork requirements, and apply for and pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Certification Exam.

Career Outlook & Outcomes for OTD Students

• Avg. Salary: $85,570 per year (2021 median salary)
• Recent Employers:
  • Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
  • Einstein Healthcare System
  • AIDS Care Group
  • Christiana Care
  • Cooper Medical Center
• Potential Careers:
  • Gerontology
  • Pediatrics
  • Mental health & psychiatry
  • Physical rehabilitation
  • School systems
• Industry Growth: Employment of occupational therapists is projected to grow 17% by 2030, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Why Study Occupational Therapy at Widener?

• Benefit From Faculty Mentorship & Interprofessional Learning
• Engage in Community & Clinical Experiences
• Build Your Professional Network

Admissions & Aid

• Admissions Information:
  • Application Requirements:
    • Complete online application and pay application fee through OTCAS
    • The GPA for combined science courses is expected to be at least 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale)
    • Transcripts must be sent to OTCAS
    • You must have 20 hours of volunteer or paid experience in a supervised OT setting
    • Three letters of recommendations should be submitted through OTCAS
    • Interviews are held, with invitation
  • Admissions Pathways:
    • Enter with a Bachelor's Degree
    • Enter through Widener's Pre-Occupational Therapy Pathway
    • Accelerated 3+3 Program
    • 4+3 Program
    • Enter through an Articulation Agreement with a partnering institution
  • Prerequisite Coursework:
    • Anatomy and Physiology I and II with Lab
    • Statistical Methods
    • Lifespan Human Development or equivalent
    • Abnormal Psychology or equivalent
    • Sociology or Anthropology (preferably cultural)
  • Application Process & Deadlines:
    • All students must apply through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) website
    • Our soft deadline is November 15, and our hard deadline is April 15

Tuition & Fees Breakdown

• Items for all Students:
  • Tuition
  • Castle Branch account for program requirements
  • FBI fingerprints
  • PA Child Abuse Clearance
  • CPR And First Aid Course
  • OT Equipment Bag
  • Parking Permit
  • Anatomy Clothes
  • AOTA Membership (Student)
  • POTA Membership (Student)
  • Books
  • Graduate Student Fee
  • New Student Fee
  • Technology Fee
  • Simucase
  • NBCOT Practice Exam
  • Therapy Ed
  • Clinic appropriate attire
  • Vaccines (Optional)
  • Drug Screen (Depends on clinical placements requirements) (Optional)
  • Physical (Optional)
  • Phi Theta Epsilon (Optional)
  • Clinic Transportation (Optional)
  • TB Screening- PPDs or Bloodwork (Optional)
  • Flu Shot (Fall) (Optional)
  • Housing (Optional)

Paths to Savings

• 85% of Full-Time Grad Students Receive Aid
• Graduate Assistantships
• Employer Discounts & Tuition Reimbursement
• Widener Scholarships
• 20% Discount for Widener Alumni (some restrictions apply)