OTs rooted in Christ, changing communities

The OT program at Concordia University Wisconsin prepares students to obtain employment in a variety of settings. The didactic coursework, community-based experiences, and clinical education come together to prepare students as entry-level occupational therapists. Students participate in clinical experiences which include individual and group treatment sessions in pediatric and adult populations. At CUW, we prepare uncommon OTs who are ready to serve their communities and clients.

Credits83-97
Tracks Offered
  • Accelerated
  • Bridge
  • Post-Baccalaureate
Faith Based

We are committed to engaging your mind and spirit for service to Christ in the church and the world.

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Program Overview

The mission of Concordia University’s Occupational Therapy Doctorate program is to positively impact communities by developing Christ-centered occupational therapists who empower others to reach their highest potential through leadership, best practice, advocacy, and innovation. We emphasize the importance of serving all clients with the best care possible. You’ll develop the skills necessary to enable people (persons, groups, or populations) to do their daily occupations to improve or enabling participation (OTPF-4, 2020). By combining classroom, laboratory, and supervised clinic-based instruction, our courses train you for a wide range of occupational therapy settings. An emphasis on advocacy, leadership and research will prepare you for a role as a change maker in the system you work in.


Our occupational therapy curriculum offers you exposure to many real-world scenarios that will test your knowledge. You’ll have multiple opportunities for client contact, ranging from children to older adults, school systems to acute care and community wellness programs. Some of these experiences are clinical fieldwork placements, while others are client evaluation and consultation in a classroom or community setting. In your first year, you’ll begin working with clients in the community to put theory into practice.

This is a full time graduate professional program taught in a blended format. Students interact with their classmates and professors online before and after in person classes, which focus on active learning and/or lab activities. Students enroll in one of three tracks, as determined by their educational background:

  • Accelerated: students starting as a freshman at CUW looking to earn a bachelor's and doctoral degree in under 5 years
  • Bridge: COTAs looking to further their education and opportunities as an OTR
  • Post-baccalaureate: applicants holding a bachelor's degree

Students should expect to pay the tuition and fees as noted on the Tuition & Fees tab.

Students enter the entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) degree through the MOT program . Throughout the first semester of the MOT program, students explore the OTD option. During the second semester, students choose to continue in the MOT program or apply to the OTD program. Students who apply to the OTD program will be evaluated by the OTD admissions committee to determine eligibility and appropriate fit for the OTD coursework, which requires higher thinking, commitment, and additional curricular requirements.

OTD Program Highlights

Individualized Capstone Topic
  • Upon entry into the OTD program, students discuss topics of interest and possible projects with the Doctoral Capstone Coordinator. Students guide this process and pick a topic of interest to them, rather than being added onto faculty projects.
  • Once a topic and badge area are chosen, OTD students are re-matched with a faculty advisor who will continue to mentor and advise them through the completion of their Capstone Experience. These faculty advisors are doctorally-trained and have a clinical or research background consistent with the OTD student's area of interest or topic.
Flexible Hybrid Format
  • Our hybrid format grants you the flexibility you need to keep that school-life balance you need. Online OT coursework allows for distance learning, and in-person classes focus on active learning and/or laboratory experiences.
Hands-on Learning
  • Beginning in the first semester you'll be introduced to our interprofessional Community Clinic, which serves clients across the lifespan. You'll increase your involvement and autonomy in the evaluation and treatment of clients as you progress through our program.
  • CUW's Interprofessional Education (IPE) events encourage you to work through real-world scenarios alongside a team of future healthcare professionals.
Earn a Digital Badge
  • OTD students earn a badge in 1 of 5 areas of interest: administration/policy/program development, advocacy, education, leadership or research.
  • Students complete unique assignments to develop a specific skill set.
Build a Personal and Professional Network
  • All OT students are advised by full-time faculty members, and the OT program has a peer mentorship model where you'll work with others in your track as both a mentor and mentee.
  • You'll have opportunities to be involved in student and professional organizations, the Pi Theta OT honor society, and faculty-mentored research opportunities.
  • You'll build community connections through required service opportunities each term.

Hear from our students and faculty


Accreditation

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree (OTD) 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 www.acoteonline.org.

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

Program data specific to the OTD program at Concordia University Wisconsin on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Exam can be found here.

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