Doctorate of Occupational TherapyHenry Predolin School of Nursing, Business, Education, and Health Sciences

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Discover and pursue what inspires you as an Occupational Therapist

The Edgewood College Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program helps you achieve your goals faster. You’ll earn your doctorate degree in just two years, preparing you to pursue advanced opportunities in the dynamic and impactful field of occupational therapy. The hybrid program offers you the opportunity to stay in your own community while you pursue your degree.

These are a sampling of courses students will take in the program:

Foundations in OT Practice
OT Interventions
Wellness and Health Promotion
Neurorehabilitation
Technology in OT

Our evidence-based curriculum is accelerated and rigorous, providing the knowledge and skills you’ll need to help clients heal as an occupational therapist. The curriculum is delivered online through an advanced, responsive and experiential virtual environment. You’ll travel to the Edgewood College campus in Madison, Wis. each semester for intensive hands-on practice during lab immersions. Fieldwork I and II experiences are where you’ll apply your skills and deliver occupational therapy services to clients. Finally, the doctoral capstone is what sets doctoral OT education apart from the master’s degree. Your doctoral capstone provides in-depth exposure to a specialty area through mentored experiential learning.

Career Outcomes

As an occupational therapist, you can bring positive change every day as you inspire people to achieve their goals. You’ll work with clients in all stages of life and in a variety of settings that may include clients’ homes, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, outpatient clinics, community settings and more. By investing in a Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from Edgewood College, you’ll begin your work as an OT sooner and with an advanced degree that opens doors to additional professional opportunities. The occupational therapy field will continue to grow over the next decade, with tens of thousands of occupational therapists needed in communities across the country.

With your Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from Edgewood College, you can pursue meaningful careers as an Occupational Therapist in settings like these:

Pediatric Clinics
Schools
Mental Health Facilities
Assistive Tech Centers
Hospice and Palliative Care
Private Practice

Featured Courses in Occupational Therapy

OTD 811 – Foundations in OT Practice

This course examines the historical foundations, philosophical base, core values, and code of ethics of the profession. Occupation-based models of practice and the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF) are examined with a focus on analysis of the domain of occupational therapy. Structured learning experiences facilitate professional development and the transition to professional roles. Includes an experiential lab component.

OTD 812 – Research I: Foundations to Scholarly Review

This course introduces general research principles and evidence-based practice. The student becomes oriented to the University library system and technology resources and becomes familiar with the steps required to develop a research proposal, conduct a research study, and disseminate research results. The student learns to frame evidence-based practice questions, explore methods of obtaining peer-reviewed research to address those questions, and develops beginning competence in the fundamentals of conducting

OTD 813 – Functional Anatomy

This course provides students with lecture and laboratory study of human musculoskeletal anatomy. The emphasis is on functional understanding of the clinical application and function of common injuries and conditions related to bones, muscles, and peripheral nerves. The lab portion of this course provides students with the study of musculoskeletal structures through 3-D anatomy software and synthetic human anatomical models for a hands-on experience aimed to enhance lecture material.

Explore All Courses For This Program

Hybrid OT Education at Edgewood College

Hybrid education offers many benefits, from the flexibility of managing when you complete coursework, to the convenience of living where you choose during your time in the program – whether that’s home or somewhere else. Don’t worry – distance doesn’t deter connection in this program. We’ve put an intentional focus on providing our OTD students opportunities to connect with peers and faculty to form meaningful relationships.

During lab immersions, you’ll travel to and stay in Madison, Wis. and get a chance to explore all this bustling city has to offer. Campus is located just minutes from downtown. Learn more about Madison here.

Fieldwork Education

Fieldwork education is an essential part of creating critical thinking, dynamic occupational therapy students. Fieldwork education supports the process of becoming an OT professional through the mentorship provided by fieldwork educators. It engages students in the real-world context to improve their related strengths, skills, and capabilities. The fieldwork opportunities in Edgewood’s OTD program reflect the phases and foci of the curriculum by preparing students in the traditional, nontraditional, and emerging settings.

This program is a 2-year hybrid, accelerated program consisting of one year of coursework and one year of fieldwork and capstone work. During that time, students will participate in three Level I fieldwork experiences (occurring during lab immersions) and two Level II fieldwork experiences, 12 weeks each at an assigned clinical site. The program design reflects the importance and critical nature of fieldwork experiences for creating knowledgeable, critically thinking, entry-level occupational therapists.

Doctoral Capstone Experience and Project

The capstone process begins following the successful completion of all Year 1 coursework. The process builds on foundational courses, especially those related to research, administration, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education, theory, and practice courses. The capstone process creates and enhances the students’ professional skills and abilities, allowing them to acquire advanced knowledge in their chosen area.

There are four phases of the capstone process:

Development of a scholarly doctoral project, including a literature review, needs assessment, learning contract, supervision plan, and identification of a potential capstone site and expert mentor
Completion of a capstone project proposal and Institutional Review Board documentation, finalization of capstone site and expert mentor, and poster presentation of capstone proposal
Completion of 14-week doctoral capstone experience
Dissemination of capstone project results

Edgewood College OTD Mission

The Dominican values of our founders in 1927, the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, continue to provide the blueprint of our mission today. With our strong reputation of commissioning compassionate difference makers in the health care field, the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at Edgewood College aligns with our passion for building professional and personal meaning in the world – one student and one experience at a time. Our program emphasizes the values of the College – truth, community, and justice. Our goal is for students to apply what they learn in the program to their own communities to see where occupational therapy can make a difference in the lives of those who are underserved by health care.

Accreditation

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation 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 ℅ AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org.

The program must be granted Candidacy Status, have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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 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. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork and an individual 14-week capstone experience within 12 months following the completion of the didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after the completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork, as well as the completion of preparatory activities defined in the 2023 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3.

OTD Admissions Overview

The OTD program admissions process uses both cognitive and non-cognitive traits to evaluate the strength of applicants to ensure more balanced admissions decisions. Non-cognitive traits are demonstrated through things such as work experience, volunteerism, responses to written and video recorded questions, and statements given on OTCAS that show applicant skills as a communicator, collaborator, health advocate, and professional. Cognitive traits or academic elements include undergraduate cumulative grade point average and grades in prerequisite courses. After review, eligible candidates will be invited to complete an interview, beginning as soon as applications are being reviewed. Only applications submitted via OTCAS will be accepted.

Admissions Requirements

Completion of a baccalaureate degree in any discipline from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants are required to achieve a minimum of a 3.00 grade point average (GPA) on a 4.00 scale. Individuals with an undergraduate GPA lower than a minimum of a 3.00 will be considered if they achieve a 3.20 GPA or above in the last 60 hours of their undergraduate degree.

Degree must be completed before the student begins the OTD program. Students must submit a final official transcript to the program indicating degree completion.

Prerequisite Courses

Completion of all prerequisite courses taken at a regionally accredited institution. All prerequisites must be completed before the student begins the program. Applicants must achieve the minimum of a 3.00 GPA on a 4.00 scale, and all prerequisite course grades must be a “C” or higher.

Students must send the program a final official transcript demonstrating that all courses have been completed.
Anatomy and Physiology courses should be taken within the last 5 years, unless the individual provides evidence of ongoing work experience keeping the knowledge current.

OTD Program Prerequisite Courses	General Course Descriptions	Edgewood College Equivalent
Anatomy and Physiology I & II with labs(8 credits) Required course	Anatomy and Physiology I with lab (4 credits) Description: The study of the structure and function of the human body – Part I. The course may be 3 credits with a 1-credit lab (if university offers separately). If Anatomy and Physiology are separate courses, then a 3-credit human anatomy course with a 1-credit lab and 3-credit human physiology course is accepted. Anatomy and Physiology II with lab (3-4 credits) Description: The study of the structure and function of the human body – Part II.	BIO 210 – Anatomy and Physiology I (4 credits)BIO 211 – Anatomy and Physiology II (4 credits)
Human Development/Lifespan(3 credits) Required course	An integrated study of the processes and major influences throughout the human experience from the beginning of life through aging (infants, children, adolescents, adults, and older adults). May be offered as a developmental psychology course	PSY 345 – Lifespan Development (3 credits)
Statistics(3 credits) Required course	The course includes descriptive and inferential statistics with the emphasis on drawing meaningful conclusions from data. Topics may include measures of central tendency and dispersion, the normal distribution, z-tests, t-tests, linear regression, and more.	MATH 121 – Statistics (3 credits)
Abnormal Psychology(3 credits) Required course	The course introduces students to a wide range of psychological disorders and conditions of psychopathology, along with contemporary treatment approaches.	PSY 340 – Psychopathology (3 credits)
Social Sciences(3 credits) Required course	Any course will be accepted in psychology, sociology, anthropology, public health, ethnicity, gender studies, religious studies, or philosophy.	Any course in the social sciences (3 credits)
Biomechanics or Kinesiology(3 credits) Recommended course	Introductory courses of either discipline. If no such course exists at the applicant’s university, a general physics introductory course is satisfactory.	PHYS 220 – Intro to Biomechanics (3 credits)PHYS 130 – General Physics (3 credits)
Medical Terminology(1-2 credits) Recommended course	The course covers basic medical terminology associated with body systems & disease in preparation for fields in the health sciences. Emphasis will be placed on root words, prefixes, and suffixes.	BIO 202 – Medical Terminology (2 credits)

Observation Hours

Completion of a minimum of 30 hours of observation of occupational therapy exploration activities (in-person, virtual, or by alternative means to be determined by the program). Applicants must provide evidence of the completion of activities.

Application Procedures

All applications are processed through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application System (OTCAS). The Edgewood College OTD Program follows the timeline of OTCAS. Each year, OTCAS opens its applications in mid-July, and the cycle remains open until early June of the next year. Each year, the OTD Program will post specific application cycle dates.
Applicants are to complete an essay by following instructions within the system. They are also required to provide three (3) professional references. One should be an academic recommendation. The other two professional references can be from a volunteer or professional supervisor/manager, an occupational therapy practitioner, or an academic reference. The applicant will request references through OTCAS, and all references are to be submitted through OTCAS. Please note: OTCAS requires applicants to obtain official transcripts of all higher education institutions an individual has attended. Students are required to enter final grades from transcripts as part of the application process.
Completion of an admission interview. Qualified students will be invited to interview after holistic review of their application materials. Admission to the program is on a rolling basis.
Demonstration of English language proficiency through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam. This is required for applicants for whom English is not their first language or those who have completed a degree and prerequisite courses outside of the United States.
Demonstration of meeting the OTD program’s Technical Standards for admission.
Applicants to the OTD program must adhere to all general requirements for admission as established by Edgewood College’s Graduate Admission Requirements: https://catalog.edgewood.edu/content.php?catoid=16&navoid=1246#graduate-admissions

Post-Admission Requirements

Health Requirements
- Vaccinations (TB skin test, Tdap – once, current tetanus vaccine, MMR [2 doses or titer], Varicella [2 doses or lab results], Hepatitis B – 3 doses, COVID 19 vaccines and boosters, annual flu vaccination, additional requirements specified by clinical sites)

CPR certification – All students are required to be certified or recertified in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for Health Providers by the American Red Cross or the American Heart Association.

Completion of an approved Drug Screening and Criminal Background Check. Students accepted into the program may require additional testing closer to beginning fieldwork experiences.

Additional Admissions Policies

Because of the hybrid, accelerated nature of the program and its influence on the curriculum’s course sequence, students admitted to the OTD program are not eligible for transfer of credit, credit for experiential learning, and prerequisite or work experience requirements, with one exception. As described in the section on Prerequisite Courses, Anatomy and Physiology prerequisite courses must be taken within the last 5 years, unless the applicant provides evidence of ongoing work experience keeping the knowledge current.

Students may receive credit for advanced placement only if these appear on a college transcript and credit is awarded by the institution. For example, Edgewood College has a policy for students to receive credit for previous learning when applying for undergraduate admission: https://www.edgewood.edu/academics/credit/

The OTD program’s admissions process is an alignment with Edgewood College’s mission and vision, which reflects efforts to recruit and admit a diverse student population: About Edgewood College – Edgewood College – Modern Campus Catalog™

There are three types of graduate admission statuses at Edgewood College: regular, provisional and contingent.

Regular Status

The status of regular admission to the graduate programs at Edgewood College is awarded to applicants who meet the requirements for their classification.

Provisional Status

When applicants have a cumulative entering GPA, computed on the highest degree held at the time of admission, less than what is required by the program, they may be admitted with provisional status. If accorded provisional status, the student must attain a 3.00 GPA for the first nine credits in courses numbered 600 and above taken at Edgewood College, or the student will be dismissed from the College. Applicants must still meet the minimum GPA requirement of their selected program. Please refer to the specific program for minimum GPA and other program specific admission requirements.

Contingent Status

Contingent status is accorded to individuals who are admissible to the College based upon the admission requirements for his/her program of interest; except that one or more original pieces of admission information (or specific School or department requirements) are missing from the student file. This status is used only in cases where it is clear that the student will be admissible with regular or provisional status when the missing information has been received. Contingent status is applicable for one semester only. Students will not be allowed to register for a second semester while on contingent status.

Cost of Attendance

Cost of Attendance: 2025 – 2027 OTD Cohort

Tuition

$17,412.50 per term

Six terms

$104,475

Computer

$2500

One time expense

$2500

Textbooks, learning apps

$3750

One time expense – Cost dependent on book type (printed versus e-book)

$3750

OT Kit (equipment)

One time expense

$365

AOTA and State OT Association Membership

$115 annually

Two years

$230

Travel*

$1640

Ten campus visits

$14,600

Total

$125,920

Tuition is reviewed by the Edgewood College Board of Trustees annually and may be subject to annual increases.

*Travel expenses for attendance at lab immersions are the responsibility of the student. Costs will vary, depending on the type of transportation required to and from Madison, Wisconsin, housing, meals, and other miscellaneous expenses. Students in the OTD program will travel to six lab immersions in Year 1 and three in Year 2. Students are encouraged to plan and budget accordingly. We recommend sharing expenses with other students in the cohort.

Faculty Spotlights

Kelly Alig, PhD, OTR/L

Program Director | Academic Fieldwork Coordinator

Dr. Kelly Alig has been an occupational therapist for 31 years. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from LSU Health Sciences (LSUHSC) – New Orleans in 1993, and then completed her Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University in Denton, Texas in 2001. She completed her Ph.D. in 2014 in Educational Administration (Higher Education Concentration) from the University of New Orleans. After full-time occupational therapy practice in adult rehabilitation in the outpatient, inpatient, and skilled nursing settings, she joined the academic ranks of her alma mater. Her career at LSUHSC – New Orleans spanned 22 years. She spent the last 8 years there as Department Head/Program Director of the Department of Occupational Therapy. Following her retirement, Dr. Alig was hired to develop the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) Program at Edgewood College in August 2023. Her calling to work at Edgewood College is credited to the alignment of the college’s values with core occupational therapy beliefs. She is excited about witnessing the students’ ability to apply Edgewood College values in everyday life to better the lives of the communities and people we serve.

Courtney S. Sasse | PhD, MA EDL, MS OTR/L, MA DPS

Director of Curriculum

Courtney S. Sasse, PhD, MA EDL, MS OTR/L, MA DPS has been an occupational therapist for over 12 years. Dr. Sasse completed her undergraduate work at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Education, specializing in Exceptional Student Education for people with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities. Her desire to support opportunities for life-long learning for others, and particularly for marginalized special populations, led her to earn a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from Troy University in 2003. While education was one path to an increased quality of life for the people she served, Dr. Sasse realized quickly how poverty, health inequity, and other social determinants of health such as exposure to violence and trauma, could negatively impact overall well-being and occupational function. This led to her desire to earn a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of South Alabama in 2011. As an occupational therapist, Dr. Sasse has worked in skilled nursing, school, and behavioral health settings, as well as in higher education for more than 10 years. In 2015, she earned a Master of Arts in Somatic Depth Psychology from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Santa Barbara, California. In 2018, Dr. Sasse earned her PhD from Pacifica Graduate Institute, and published her dissertation, Alive for Death: Exploration of the Death Doula with a research emphasis on alternative and integrative healing practices, hospice, and palliative care practices.

Dr. Sasse’s area of expertise within occupational therapy is behavioral mental health, geriatric practice, and qualitative research, which are highlighted in the recent publication as co-author of the textbook, Early’s Mental Health Concepts and Techniques for Occupational Therapy, Sixth Edition (2024). She holds certification as a Death Vigil Doula (CDVD) through the International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA), and she is also a certified Daring Way ™ Facilitator. She has written, received, and facilitated grants through the Florida Department of Corrections, the Department of Education, and a variety of public and private foundations, including The Florida Governor’s Family Literacy Initiative and The Barbara Bush Literacy Foundation. When she isn’t teaching, you might find Dr. Sasse reading, painting, or writing poetry, cooking, and spending time with family and friends.

Jocelyn Weber | OTD, OTR/L

Director of Admissions

Jocelyn Weber, OTD, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist for four years. Dr. Weber received her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy at Huntington University in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She attended Virginia Tech for her Bachelor of Science in Human Development with a minor in Gerontology.

Dr. Weber started her occupational therapy journey working in a skilled nursing unit, then switched into acute care. Dr. Weber has a passion for working with patients in the ICU setting focusing on functional early mobility. After participating in a mentorship program within the hospital system, Dr. Weber landed her first job in academia in January 2023. She fell in love with sharing her passion for the profession with others who are just as excited to flourish in their occupational therapy journey. Although her academic journey has not been long, Dr. Weber has obtained two grants for assistive technology in the classroom, presented at a state conference, and led the college in professional development opportunities. She serves as a board member for the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte.

Lisa Tekell | OTD, MS, OTR/L

Director of Capstone and Research

Lisa Tekell, OTD, MS, OTR/L has been an occupational therapist for over 24 years. Dr. Tekell received her Bachelor of Science in Psychology at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. She received her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She received her post professional Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in St. Augustine, Florida. Her capstone project was titled Establishing an Occupational Therapy Intervention Program for the Foundation for Peace in the Dominican Republic.

While working in academia, Dr. Tekell has been an Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, an adjunct faculty member, a research mentor, a capstone expert mentor, and has led efforts for ACOTE accreditation at the associate, master, and doctoral levels. Dr. Tekell has presented nationally and regionally. Dr. Tekell’s scholarly presentations and publications include works related to collaboration, entrepreneurship, education, mental health, trauma informed care, foster care, family, and community-based services.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Doctorate in Occupational Therapy

Are there additional admission requirements for international students?

Demonstration of English language proficiency through the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam. This is required for applicants for whom English is not their first language or those who have completed a degree and prerequisite courses outside of the United States.

Do students need to pass a background check for this program?

Completion of an approved Drug Screening and Criminal Background Check. Students accepted into the program may require additional testing closer to beginning fieldwork experiences.

Is an interview part of the admission process?

Qualified students will be invited to interview after holistic review of their application materials. Admission to the program is on a rolling basis.

Are there any post admission requirements for this program?

Health Requirements
1. Annual physical exam
2. Vaccinations (TB skin test, Tdap – once, current tetanus vaccine, MMR [2 doses or titer], Varicella [2 doses or lab results], Hepatitis B – 3 doses, COVID 19 vaccines and boosters, annual flu vaccination, additional requirements specified by clinical sites)
CPR certification – All students are required to be certified or recertified in Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for Health Providers by the American Red Cross.
Completion of an approved Drug Screening and Criminal Background Check. Students accepted into the program may require additional testing closer to beginning fieldwork experiences.

How can I learn more about the OTD program?

View our OTD Student Manual to learn more about the program or contact us with any questions!