SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES
Occupational Therapy Doctorate
OTD
Program Details
Start Term
Fall
Deadline
final deadline: June 20
Program Details
Start Term
Fall
Deadline
final deadline: June 20
Whole Person Care and Lifestyle Medicine
Students will learn to achieve therapeutic outcomes by addressing the complex interplay of whole person factors that influence occupational engagement, including both physical and mental health, family systems, social factors, and the environment. An emphasis on lifestyle medicine will teach students to integrate health management strategies in all practice settings.
Occupational Therapy in Higher Education
KGI offers occupational therapy services to students to help them navigate the complexities of graduate school. KGI OTD students will learn how to provide occupational therapy services in higher education settings through coursework, electives, and the option of fieldwork to help advance this important emerging practice.
Community-based Practice
KGI OTD students will learn the process of determining the needs of a community, identifying grant and funding sources, and developing programs in a variety of areas. Students will gain experience in providing therapeutic services to the community through experiential learning opportunities and collaborations with other disciplines in the KGI community.
Health Equity and Occupational Justice
Students will learn about occupational therapy using an occupational justice lens to understand inequities related to poor health outcomes and access to services. Students will apply this knowledge, at the practice and policy levels, in order to advocate for issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion while also developing lifelong skills to be culturally responsive practitioners.
Innovative Curriculum
KGI’s innovative OTD curriculum is based on an integrative and systems approach that utilizes active learning experiences, in teams and labs, with occupation as the core subject to prepare students for the future of practice. Inter-professional experiences will enhance student learning and professional growth.
Innovations in Practice
KGI OTD students will be trained on the use of innovative practices therapeutically utilizing occupation and technologies to promote health and well-being for clients in a way that pushes occupational therapy forward in traditional and emerging areas of practice.
KGI's Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program prepares graduates to be leaders within the occupational therapy field. This degree program showcases active-learning, hands-on lab and fieldwork experiences, and team collaboration that will prepare you to become resourceful, ethical, and agile problem solvers.
About the Program
The OTD program envisions the innovative potential for therapeutically utilizing occupation to promote and sustain health, well-being, participation, and inclusion to meet a wide range of ever-changing, real-world needs.
Through a transformative and dynamic educational process, graduates become innovative occupational therapists who utilize the therapeutic potential of occupation to promote and sustain health, well-being, participation, and inclusion with individuals, group, and populations to meet a wide range of ever-changing, real world needs. Students will learn to work with people of all ages and ability levels in client-centered, culturally responsive ways.
Students benefit dynamic teaching, active learning, and collaboration with occupational therapy classmates and students from other professional programs and disciplines. The program provides a solid foundation in the scholarship of practice where professional thinking is built upon evidence and theory to meet clients’ needs.
OTD students consider innovative possibilities for the future of practice by pioneering new approaches to occupational therapy care
Through a transformative and dynamic educational process, the mission of KGI's OTD program is to develop innovative occupational therapists who utilize the therapeutic potential of occupation to promote and sustain health, well-being, participation, and inclusion with persons, groups, and populations to meet a wide range of ever-changing, real-world needs.
KGI's OTD program will prepare practitioners who are leaders and scholars of practice dedicated to providing optimized, occupation-based care and translating advances into the profession in a wide range of current and future occupational therapy contexts. Our graduates will advance the occupational therapy profession in practice, leadership, and academic roles while upholding a steadfast commitment to innovation, cultural responsiveness, and advocacy for the benefit of society.
The Goals of KGI's OTD Program
- Recruit, educate, and nurture the growth of a diverse range of students as compassionate, ethical practitioners who act with integrity and authenticity in every step of the occupational therapy process.
- Provide a solid foundation in the scholarship of practice where professional thinking necessarily utilizes research, evidence, and theory to meet client, group, and population needs for optimizing occupational performance and participation.
- Utilize active and authentic learning practices that foster professional reasoning, critical thinking, problem solving, and self-directed skills to build a foundation for lifelong learning.
- Guide students to utilize and discover innovative solutions and possibilities for current and future practice contexts where pioneering new approaches to occupational therapy care will be valued in the marketplace.
- Sustain a culture of professionalism and collegiality for faculty, students, clients, and community partners where effective communication, listening, and a collaborative spirit infuse interactions.
- Prepare students to lead and proactively advocate for health equity, occupational justice, participation, and inclusion.
- Form trusted partnerships and collaborate with healthcare and community partners to provide students with rich learning experiences and opportunities for advancing the profession.
- Employ assessment and evaluation through all phases of the program to ensure desired outcomes.
- Recruit, develop, and retain highly qualified faculty from a diversity of backgrounds who are forward-thinking, supportive, and skilled at training, inspiring, and advising future occupational therapists.
KGI's innovative OTD curriculum is based on an integrative and systems approach with occupation as the core subject to prepare students for the future of practice. KGI specializes in active learning, and our OTD students will experience a wide range of hands-on, engaged, and authentic teaching and learning strategies with ample time to work in labs and in teams. We understand that there are key concepts that can apply across all practice settings, and we have created curricular threads (CT) that will stream throughout the program. KGI's OTD curricular threads include:
- CT1: Occupation as change agent and healing modality
- CT2: Optimized service delivery based on skilled professional reasoning and evolving theory
- CT3: Innovations in practice
- CT4: Research, evidence, and scholarship
- CT5: Lifestyle medicine for whole person care
- CT6: Cultural responsiveness
- CT7: Professional identity, leadership, and life-long learning
Students will have the opportunity to explore these curricular threads in a variety of learning modalities, topics, and assignments to create a richly dynamic and transformative experience highlighting these important areas.
KGI's institutional learning outcomes (ILOs) are as follows:
- ILO1: Communicate and interact effectively with others
- ILO2: Use creativity and critical thinking for problem solving and innovation
- ILO3: Act ethically and in conformity with high standards of professionalism
- ILO4: Conduct research, evaluate research findings, and apply them appropriately
- ILO5: Apply what they have learned
- ILO6: Collaborate in and lead teams effectively
KGI's ILOs encompass aspects of professional reasoning and skills, research knowledge and practice, and the ability to relate learning to real-world scenarios and working with and leading others. Each of these considerations are reflected in and expanded upon in our OTD program learning outcomes (PLOs) which are as follows:
- PLO1: Provide client-centered care with occupation as primary therapeutic agent.
- PLO2: Demonstrate professional reasoning based in evidence, theory, process, and interprofessional collaboration to achieve optimized therapeutic outcomes.
- PLO3: Enact the skills of professionalism, communication, compassion, ethics, and life-long learning as foundations for professional identity and therapeutic use of self.
- PLO4: Analyze and conduct research to advance the profession and develop as a scholar of practice.
- PLO5: Implement and advocate for health management and promotion services to address society's current and future occupational needs.
- PLO6: Act with cultural responsiveness to provide optimal care and to address systemic and occupational injustices for persons, communities, or populations by advocating for equitable access and inclusion.
- PLO7: Serve as leaders to advance the occupational therapy profession through innovation, inquiry, and advocacy.
Each course in KGI’s OTD curriculum has course learning outcomes (CLOs) written to help focus both teaching and assessment. The CLOs are specific and measurable statements reflecting the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that students will demonstrate upon completion of each course.
Fieldwork
Students take the theoretical and hands-on skills that they’ve learned in the classroom and apply them to real clients in the context of authentic practice environments.
Fieldwork opportunities provide students with the ability to:
- Discover the client’s occupational performance needs through evaluation and assessment
- Plan, develop, and execute occupation-based interventions
- Identify opportunities for innovation, advocacy, and leadership development in practice
- Aligns with the material being taught in the respective trimester
- Serves as an opportunity for students to experience selected portions of occupational therapy process
- Placements include hospitals, schools, skilled nursing facilities, outpatient clinics, community-based programs, and simulation
- Students master skills needed to transition from the role of a student to that of an entry-level practitioner
Students learn foundational therapeutic skills in traditional settings while also exploring opportunities in non-traditional, role-emerging, and innovative practice areas. students are challenged to explore ways to bridge innovation with traditional therapeutic settings through the infusion of whole-person care, lifestyle medicine principles, and innovative practice skills.
Capstone
The 14-week doctoral capstone is an in-depth experiential learning opportunity that develops advanced skills in:
- Clinical practice skills
- Research
- Program or policy development
- Leadership
- Advocacy
- Administration
- Education
- Theory development
Students identify capstone areas of interest that align with their professional goals, and are paired with a faculty mentor and a community site to collaboratively develop a plan for their doctoral capstone.
Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork and an individual 14-week capstone experience following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework, Level II fieldwork, and preparatory activities defined in 2023 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3.
Student's application of occupational therapy knowledge is showcased through program curriculum, clinical pathways, innovative technologies, and research studies.
What Can You Do With An OTD Degree?
Your Occupational Therapy Doctorate degree offers the competencies and strategic-thinking skills needed to pursue roles in several areas of physical therapy, rehabilitation, long-term care, and many more areas. Explore the careers and salary information that many of our graduates continue into after obtaining their KGI OTD degree.
Accreditation Status
The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program at Keck Graduate Institute 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. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
If you are a prospective student, please read this linked letter from ACOTE. KGI’s OTD program is approved by the Western Association of Schools & Colleges.
Successful OTD Students
at KGI
Current students and alumni share how earning an OTD degree at Keck Graduate Institute helped them discover their passion and purpose.
Justina Necola, '26 OTD
Shares how Keck Graduate Institute is preparing her to become an occupational therapist
Ini Adebodun, '25 OTD
Shares how Keck Graduate Institute is preparing her to become an occupational therapist
Inside Look at OTD Program
Explore our OTD classroom through your screen with 360 degree views.
Program Faculty and Staff
Program Requirements
In order to graduate with an Occupational Therapy Doctorate degree from KGI, a student must:
- Successfully complete all required OTD coursework. The curriculum will be 126.5 credit hours total with required didactic coursework of 84.5 credits, the choice of at least one elective at 1.5 credits each, fieldwork level I at 4.0 credits, fieldwork level II at 24 credits, and the doctoral capstone experience at 14 credits.
- Maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at the end of each trimester and at the completion of the program.
- Demonstrate competency in professional skills within the OTD program.
- Successfully pass two fieldwork level II experiences (24 credits for a total of 960).
- Successfully pass the doctoral capstone experience (14 credits for a total of 560 hours).
- A minimum of 100 Professional Development points before graduation.
- Complete the KGI graduation application process prior to the established due date.
- Meet all KGI financial requirements and obligations, which include ensuring there are no outstanding tuition payments, program fees, graduation fees, library charges, or other institutional fees.
- Complete the OTD program within the maximum time-to-completion, which is defined as 150% of the program length (i.e., 3.375 years). Deceleration and remediation must also be completed within this timeframe. Delays due to approved personal or medical leaves of absence are excluded from the maximum time-to-completion requirement. Please refer to the “Leave of Absence” section in this handbook and the KGI Academic Policies and Procedures Handbook for further details.
Once all graduation requirements are met, graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®). After successful completion of this exam, the graduate will be an occupational therapist, registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT certification examination. A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.
All students in the OTD program will be required to successfully complete courses each trimester to progress through the program. The OTD Student Progression Committee (SPC) will serve to review each student’s academic performance and progress through didactic courses, fieldwork, and capstone. The OTD SPC will make recommendations to the Dean on plans for remediation, placement on probation, or withdrawal from the program. To successfully progress through the OTD program, students will:
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. If a student’s GPA drops below 3.0, they will be placed on academic probation and be given one semester to raise their GPA to 3.0 or above. Failure to meet this GPA requirement in the extended time period may result in dismissal from the program.
- Pass all courses at a C or above (74% or greater). Earning one final course grade of F (below 74%) during didactic courses, fieldwork, or capstone after remediation efforts have been exhausted will result in academic dismissal from the program.
- Successfully complete course remediation, if applicable. If a student is failing a course in the semester, they will have the opportunity to remediate prior to the beginning of the next semester pending recommendation by the OTD SPC. Students may only remediate two courses total in the program.
- Meet the time-to-completion requirement of 150% of the allocated time for the program. There may be exceptions for students who are delayed due to approved personal or medical leaves of absence.
- Follow the KGI Honor Code and demonstrate professionalism in didactic, fieldwork, and capstone contexts.
Retention of students will be supported on several levels from program leadership, faculty, and Student Affairs staff. All parties will provide opportunities to promote student success. Each OTD student will be assigned an OTD Faculty Advisor that will meet with advisees throughout the program. Course coordinators will utilize the SHS early warning system to help alert students who are academically at-risk where a plan will be established to assist students to successfully pass courses.
Admissions Procedures & Requirements
Holistic Approach
KGI’s OTD program engages in a holistic admissions process. Access and diversity matters and we understand the importance of an anti-biased, equitable process for admissions into our program. We recognize that life has its ups and downs, and challenging times do not necessarily define your potential for professional excellence and growth in the future. Our multifaceted admissions process aims to understand each applicant from a whole perspective where a fit with our department’s mission, vision, and values plays a major role.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
KGI’s OTD program welcomes diversity in all of its forms and celebrates people as individuals. We recognize that a diversity of perspectives, identities, and life experiences makes for a stronger learning community and fosters meaningful growth. We aim to intentionally create a program culture where everyone feels a freedom to be and express who they are. We are committed to utilizing resources for faculty and staff education on diversity, equity, and inclusion to help foster conversations and engagement to confront racism and integrate meaningful dialogue and education on these vital topics into our department culture and curriculum.
Prerequisites
The following prerequisites were chosen to prepare you in foundational knowledge that will best serve your transformation into future occupational therapists. The prerequisites include perspectives from the basic, social, and health sciences. The courses will help springboard you into holistic and diverse explorations of engagement in occupation and the scholarly support of such work.
The prerequisites include:
- Human Anatomy: 4 semester credit hours / 6 quarter credit hours / Lab
- Human Physiology: 4 semester credit hours / 6 quarter credit hours / Lab
- Human Lifespan Development or Development Psychology: 3 semester credit hours / 4 quarter credit hours
- Abnormal Psychology: 3 semester credit hours / 4 quarter credit hours
- Introduction to Sociology or Cultural Anthropology: 3 semester credit hours / 4 quarter credit hours
- Statistics: 3 semester credit hours / 4 quarter credit hours
- Medical Terminology*: 1 semester credit hours / 1 quarter credit hours
* A certificate of completion for a medical terminology course is also acceptable
Applications will be accepted even if some of your prerequisite courses are in progress; however, prerequisites must be completed prior to starting the OTD program. All prerequisite courses must be taken at accredited institutions and need to have been completed in the last seven years. A GPA of 3.0 and above is preferred for prerequisite courses, but lower GPAs will be considered alongside other admissions factors.
Official Transcripts for Completion of Baccalaureate Degree
There are many undergraduate degrees that prove a good fit for occupational therapy. We welcome the diversity of perspectives that a variety of disciplines will bring to any given OTD cohort. You will have the opportunity to share your voice as informed by your undergraduate training in many discussions and projects across the curriculum.
If you have not yet completed your baccalaureate degree, you can still apply to KGI. Please submit an intention to complete your baccalaureate degree with your official transcript. Your degree must be completed prior to starting the OTD program. An overall GPA of 3.0 and above makes for a more competitive application, but other admission factors will be considered alongside a lower GPA and does not preclude applying at KGI.
Graduate Record Exam (GRE)
KGI does not require the GRE and submitted scores will not be considered in the admissions process.
Three Letters of Recommendation
Three letters of recommendation help us get to know you better and should demonstrate your character, strengths, and professionalism. The sharing of specific examples where your abilities and work ethic are evidenced are of particular value.
Letters of recommendation should be written by people who know you well enough to write a detailed narrative. Letters can be written by a professor, therapist, or other professional or supervisor that can speak to your ability to experience success in an occupational therapy graduate program and as a future occupational therapist.
Recommended Occupational Therapy Observation
KGI does not require a specified amount of occupational therapy observation time as we know that sometimes it can be difficult to find shadowing opportunities. We understand how valuable it is to see occupational therapy in action in a variety of settings and highly recommend applicants seek out those experiences to make a more informed decision. Observation experiences might happen in a school, hospital, outpatient clinic, community-based site, long term care facility, or any other place occupational therapy professionals might be providing services. Mostly shadowing ends up being motivating and inspiring to see occupational therapy in action!
International Applicants
KGI welcomes applicants from outside of the United States. If English is not your first language, then we ask that you take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam.
Duolingo English Test: The Duolingo English Test is an online English proficiency test that can be taken online, on-demand, in under an hour for only $59. The test is taken via a computer with a camera and includes a proficiency score, video interview, and writing sample which are shared with Keck Graduate Institute when you send your results. Certified results are available within 48 hours of the test session.
Immunization
All students admitted to the KGI OTD program are required to have a proof of the MMR, DTaP, Hepatitis B, TB test, and Meningococcal vaccinations before they are placed for their fieldwork rotations and capstone sites.
Also, please note that the policy for immunizations and tests for KGI OTD students is to follow the current guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for healthcare workers. It is the sole responsibility of the student to complete and submit all of the correct requirements/documentation before the due date(s) and to never let any of those requirements/documentation expire. Failure to be compliant at any time can result in failure of the course, delay in graduation, and financial implications for the student.
Interviews and Getting to Know You
At KGI, we care about finding students that will thrive and maximize their professional and personal growth in our OTD program. We want to get to know you so we can make an informed choice about mutual fit with our mission, vision, and unique offerings. Interviews are by invitation and will be offered virtually and on-ground at KGI and also give you the chance to get to know us as well. We look forward to meeting you!
Application Review
The Admissions Committee is made up of faculty and senior administrators who will thoroughly and conscientiously review each application. Applications will be considered in the context of the total applicant pool, as well as in relationship to our general admissions standards.
All admissions decisions are final for the academic year in which they are rendered.
Admitted Students
Admitted students are required to submit a non-refundable enrollment fee to hold their spot in the program. Additionally, counselors maintain contact with admitted students to ensure all official documents are received.
Admitted students also receive regular communication for the Admissions Office with important information about preparing for study, student life, housing, orientation, and other topics of interest.
Advanced Placement
Transfer credits for didactic and experiential courses are not accepted. All KGI OTD program courses within the curriculum are required for graduation. No credit or advanced placement is granted for prior experiential learning, coursework, degrees, certifications, or advanced training.
Tuition & Cost of Attendance
The estimated tuition for KGI’s OTD program can be found on the link below and is inclusive of several valuable features including:
- Telehealth services through KGI and The Claremont Colleges Services
- Professional memberships in AOTA and OTAC
- OTD white coats, scrubs, etc.
- Lab fees
- Variety of student activities
- Graduation fees
Tuition and fees for the OTD program are determined by KGI’s Board of Trustees and are subject to change on an annual basis.
For tuition rates and financial aid cost of attendance of the OTD program, please visit Cost of Attendance page.
For Student Health Insurance information of the OTD program, please visit Student Health Insurance page.
How to Apply
KGI’s utilizes the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS) for all applications. All application materials are submitted directly into OTCAS. Be sure that your status is marked verified on OTCAS for a successful application.
- Application opens: Friday, July 19, 2024
- Priority Deadline: Friday, December 6, 2024
- Final Deadline to apply: Friday, June 6, 2025
*Applications will continue to be accepted and reviewed by the admissions team until the class is full.