Occupational Therapy (OTD)

An entry level doctoral degree in occupational therapy will prepare you for a career supporting people in the daily activities that are important to them from dressing, to cooking, to work or school, to leisure and hobbies. UNH will prepare you to enter a fast-growing field to work with people of all ages in a range of settings by developing strong foundational skills in occupational therapy assessment and intervention, advanced training in clinical skills, leadership and advocacy, clinical research, and program development. Our program emphasizes the understanding that engagement in valued activities fulfills social needs, gives meaning to life, and is essential to the development, adaptation, and well-being of individuals and populations. You will learn to evaluate, plan and provide intervention, and monitor the outcomes of clients facing a variety of illnesses, injuries, and disabilities such as autism, traumatic brain injury, stroke, substance abuse and musculoskeletal injuries.

When entering the OTD Program you will complete 3 years (9 semesters) of professional courses to prepare you for all areas of occupational therapy practice. Coursework begins in the summer session and continues throughout 3 calendar years, including one January term for a level I fieldwork experience. Courses are primarily in-person, particularly during the academic year, with some distance learning activities. Courses are scheduled during weekdays during the day and into early evening. Some courses require experiential, off-campus learning. The curriculum includes 24 weeks of full-time fieldwork. You may also choose to complete a graduate certificate in assistive technology while in the OTD Program. As an OTD student, you will conclude your education with a 14-week doctoral capstone where you apply and expand your knowledge to take on a leadership role to develop a new program addressing specific client needs, conduct research, promote policy changes, or provide education. After completing your degree, including fieldwork and the doctoral capstone, you will be eligible to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy examination to become a registered occupational therapist (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 your ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

OTD Program Accreditation Status

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD  20852-4929, (301) 652-AOTA. The program must 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). The UNH Program is scheduled for on-site evaluation in the fall of 2025, prior to a May 2026 graduation.

Academic Standards and Policies

In addition to the academic standards outlined in the requirements for the program, students must meet professional behavior standards, which are explained in detail in the OT Department Policy and Procedure Manual, provided to all occupational therapy students during their first semester

Because curriculum review and revision are undertaken annually, occupational therapy faculty work closely with students during academic advising sessions and share information about any policy and requirement changes during registration periods as well as throughout the academic year. Students are expected to take an active role in verifying expectations and requirements and should check with their departmental advisers each September for updated policies and requirements. Program requirements and policies for retention in the major are posted annually in the OT Department Policy and Procedure Manual, which is available on the OT department’s organization site on the Learning Management Platform, MyCourses.

Students participate in a variety of off-­campus and fieldwork experiences throughout the course of study and are covered with basic personal liability insurance through UNH for all practical components of the curriculum. Students are responsible for transportation to fieldwork sites and other off-campus learning experiences. Students are responsible for meeting the health and criminal record clearances established by their fieldwork sites and off-campus learning sites including capstone sites. Proof of immunization such as poliomyelitis, rubella, H1N1, and hepatitis B may also be required. For Level II fieldwork, health insurance and a physical examination, including a tuberculin test, are required. All fieldwork experiences are scheduled in centers approved by the Department of Occupational Therapy and with whom active Memoranda of Understanding with UNH exist. Fieldwork­ is planned collaboratively with the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and capstone is planned with guidance from the Capstone Coordinator.

Degree Requirements

In order to be awarded an OTD in Occupational Therapy from UNH, students must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 and earn a minimum of B- in all required occupational therapy courses and may not earn more than 8 credits of B- or lower in OT courses (700 level or above). Students must pass all competency (practical) exams as part of OT courses, pass all level I fieldwork requirements and receive a passing criterion score on the American Occupational Therapy Association Fieldwork Performance Evaluation for the Occupational Therapist in both 12-week Level II fieldwork experiences.

Occupational Therapy OTD Entry-level Program Student Outcomes at the completion of the professional entry-level OTD Program, our graduates will:

Demonstrate commitment and ability to use meaningful occupation for promoting health and well-being.

• Our curriculum emphasizes the idea that engagement in everyday occupations will lead to fulfillment of life roles and the promotion of health and well-being of individuals, communities, and populations. Our graduates are ready and dedicated to apply occupation-based evaluation and intervention techniques, and to share and expand authentic occupational therapy practice.

Demonstrate professional attitudes and behaviors in their interactions with clients and others.

• Our graduates will be dedicated to ethical, client-driven practice demonstrating cultural sensitivity, integrity, honesty, compassion, and fairness. They will demonstrate respect for all persons with whom they work, appreciating and considering individual identities, priorities, abilities, and life experiences. They will be able to collaborate in intraprofessional and interdisciplinary teams within various settings, understanding the roles and expertise of other occupational therapists and other professionals.

Demonstrate entry-level competencies as OT practitioners across diverse practice settings, skilled in the delivery evidence-based, occupation–centered evaluation and intervention techniques.

• Our graduates develop critical thinking skills and the capacity for creative clinical reasoning for providing client-centered, occupation-centered services. Graduates will apply a variety of evaluation methods for understanding a person’s occupational history, abilities, challenges and goals. They will apply occupation-centered intervention approaches and innovative technologies to address the needs of individuals and populations in traditional and emerging medical, educational, and other community-based practice settings.

Demonstrate skills for translating research-to-practice and generating new knowledge grounded in occupational therapy practice.

• Our graduates will be skilled in identifying, critiquing, and synthesizing relevant research for delivering evidence-based services. Graduates will demonstrate capacity to translate research evidence to influence practice. They will have skills for contributing to the body of knowledge that supports and advances the profession.

Demonstrate skills to become leaders and innovators as practitioners, researchers, advocates, educators, administrators, policy-makers, and entrepreneurs.

• Our graduates will apply leadership knowledge and skills, ethical reasoning, knowledge of policy and systems to be agents of change in diverse settings. Our graduates will be life-long learners and innovative thinkers committed to ongoing professional development. Our graduates will support and promote occupational justice for individuals, communities, and populations.