ANN ARBOR – Applications are now open for CUAA’s entry-level occupational therapy doctoral (OTD) program.
Like many OT programs nationwide, Concordia University Ann Arbor has partnered with OTCAS, a centralized, web-based application service, in order to connect with prospective students.
OTCAS offers online checklists and step-by-step instructions to provide a convenient and efficient application process for candidates. The service stores students’ transcripts and references, and allows them to track which colleges have received or viewed their materials.
The OTCAS application went live in late July and already, applications for CUAA’s new doctoral program are flowing in. Pending accreditation approval, CUAA expects to launch its classes in summer 2022.
The program must be granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) before students can be admitted. While candidacy is not guaranteed, Concordia is on track and has met all requirements thus far for the application process. A decision from AOTA is expected in December 2021. Prospective students will then be informed of acceptance into the program in spring 2022.
Highlights of CUAA’s OTD program
CUAA’s OTD program prepares graduates to excel within the complexities of both traditional and emerging practice areas.
- 28 students per cohort
- 109 credits/3 years of study for post-baccalaureate applicants
- Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Science (BSRS) to OTD format for incoming freshman allows completion of bachelor’s and doctorate degrees in 4.75 years total
- Program threads include occupation as a centering concept, spirituality as a lens through which we view the client, professional identity as the foundation of who we are as practitioners, deliberate practice and advocacy as primary tools for addressing occupational performance, and an innovative, engaged, and transformative curriculum design
- Hybrid program delivery combines structured online learning with hands-on practice both in the classroom and in the community
- State-of-the-art classrooms, laboratories, and simulation center
- 24 weeks of full-time fieldwork experiences are designed to ensure students achieve the entry-level generalist competencies of the occupational therapy profession
- 14-week individualized capstone project and experience allow students to gain an in-depth exposure to one or more areas of practice
New program, new space
When classes ultimately begin for the entry-level OTD, it will mark the first campus-specific doctoral offering for CUAA. The campus also plans to add a Doctor of Physical Therapy program, with a start date visualized for fall 2023.
Both the OT and PT programs will be housed in Concordia’s North Building, and renovations are currently underway for their occupancy.
Director of Occupational Therapy Juliane Chreston, OTD, OTRL (right), and OT professor Jennifer Bueby look over blueprints for the renovations that are underway for the OT program.