Utica College

Programme overview

Utica University offers a fully online Post‑Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) intended for licensed occupational therapists seeking a terminal professional degree. The curriculum is built around the occupational therapist as a change agent and culminates in a capstone project that demonstrates achievement of the program goals. Students may enroll full‑time or part‑time with either a Spring or Fall start.

What you'll study

The program prepares graduates to function in multiple advanced roles. Core emphases include advanced best‑practice clinical reasoning across individuals, populations and systems; instructional design and educational theory for roles as educators; systems analysis and strategies for advocacy aimed at occupational justice and health equity; the process of theory development to propose alternative practice models; and analysis of leadership models to enact context‑appropriate change. A capstone project is required to synthesize learning and demonstrate competency in program outcomes.

Entry requirements

• Current, unencumbered occupational therapy license
• Either current employment in occupational therapy or a minimum of two years of OT experience
• Master’s degree in occupational therapy with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher
• At least 42 credit hours of graduate‑level coursework completed
• Two recommendations from graduate faculty or professionals in the field
• Evidence of writing ability (examples: master’s thesis, capstone project, or a portfolio of substantial documents)

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared to work as advanced‑practice occupational therapists, educators designing and delivering curricula, advocates for systems change to improve occupational justice and health equity, theory developers contributing new models of practice, and leaders capable of evaluating and applying leadership approaches in clinical, community or educational settings.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

Because this is a professional doctorate for licensed practitioners delivered online, prospective students should explore employer tuition benefits, professional association scholarships, federal student aid eligibility for graduate study, and institutional graduate funding options; contact the university graduate enrollment coordinator for program‑specific guidance.