Ã山ǿ¼é

JWU’s Entry-Level Occupational Therapy Doctorate Degree program is designed to enable students who have earned a baccalaureate degree — and have completed specific prerequisites — to enter the profession of occupational therapy. Students receive an entry-level practice degree at the clinical doctoral level.

The doctoral degree in the profession includes extensive education and training in normal development, structure, function and impairments in body systems and body functions, and participation problems, concerns and solutions.

There is also work focused on advanced practice including clinical reasoning, occupational therapy theory, evidence-based practice, research, and advocacy and leadership.

Graduates are prepared to work with individuals, groups, communities and populations to implement programs inclusive of occupational therapy services. Interprofessional and intraprofessional education and practice models are emphasized. 

OTD Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the program, graduates are expected to:

• Assist clients with maximizing health, well-being, and quality of life through interventions that support normal human development and functioning
• Provide effective client-centered solutions utilizing evidence-based practice
• Facilitate and support client participation in occupations
• Practice collaborative leadership as an occupational therapy professional

_{Individual states may require specific licensing or professional certification in addition to earning a degree in order to practice in the field. Review for more information.}

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Accreditation Status

Updated May 2024

The Ã山ǿ¼é entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) degree program is accredited 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 .

The first students entered the Ã山ǿ¼é Occupational Therapy Doctorate program in June 2019 and graduated in 2022. Additional data will be posted as it becomes available.

Graduation Year: 2024
Students Entering/Graduating: 21/20
Graduation Rate: 95%

Graduation Year: 2023
Students Entering/Graduating: 17/15
Graduation Rate: 88%

Graduation Year: 2022
Students Entering/Graduating: 12/11
Graduation Rate: 92%

TOTAL: 50/46
Graduation Rate: 92%

Graduates sit for the national exam given by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). For the class of 2022, 100% of students passed the NBCOT exam within 1 year of graduating.

After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order 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.