Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

A Faster Path to Transformative Care

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program at UWS offers a flexible, faster, and more affordable path to professional practice for aspiring occupational therapists. Built on UWS’ 120-year legacy of whole-person health education, this streamlined OTD program allows you to jump-start your career without sacrificing the high-quality training you need to provide transformative care.

Our meticulously crafted curriculum will train you to help individuals rebuild their lives, regain independence, and return to the activities that give life meaning.

The Hybrid Format

You can earn your doctorate in as little as two years thanks to our accelerated hybrid online format. As a hybrid student, you will complete all coursework online and attend only three in-person residencies at our campus in Portland, Oregon.

Designed to maximize hands-on learning while minimizing your travel requirements, our OTD program allows you to complete fieldwork experiences in adult rehabilitation centers, outpatient pediatric centers, mental health clinics, or other settings in your own neighborhood.

The traditional hybrid pathway offers the same comprehensive education, completed over three years to provide flexibility without compromising rigor.

Realistic Clinical Simulations

Our OTD program uses standardized patients (SPs)—actors trained to accurately simulate real patients—across multiple courses to help you build and refine clinical skills in both in-person and virtual settings. You’ll practice assessing SPs, developing intervention strategies, and communicating effectively while improving your evaluation, documentation, and treatment skills in a safe, low-stakes environment.

These simulations prepare you to handle a diversity of client needs, including physical and mental health scenarios, so you can enter full-time fieldwork confidently and ready to make a meaningful impact.

Comprehensive NBCOT ® Exam Preparation

Comprehensive preparation for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) certification examination is integrated throughout our OTD curriculum. You will receive focused training, resources, and guidance to set you up for success on the exam and in your future career.

ACOTE Praises Our Program’s Strengths

The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) has granted Candidacy Status to our OTD program, noting zero identified weaknesses in their official program review.

This rare distinction reflects the exceptional academic quality, expert faculty, and student-centered design you will find in the occupational therapy program at UWS.

Here are excerpts from ACOTE’s report highlighting our program’s standout strengths:

  • Delivers a cost-effective education, with lower tuition and fewer required credits than comparable regional programs
  • Offers flexible and remote learning formats, including limited residency requirements, asynchronous coursework, and the ability to complete the program without relocating—ideal for students with work or family commitments
  • Enhances clinical training through a robust standardized patient program featuring both physical and mental health simulations
  • Promotes interprofessional collaboration through shared learning experiences with other UWS graduate health programs
  • Demonstrates strong program leadership, with a program chair who brings extensive academic and grant experience, curriculum development expertise, and accreditation knowledge

Open the menu below to read the full report findings, including all our strengths, areas of concern (none), and ACOTE’s final action.

ACOTE's Candidacy Application Review Findings

The following are the results of the Candidacy Application Review:

Strengths:

  • Expands access through inclusive admission criteria that welcome applicants from all undergraduate backgrounds, provided prerequisite coursework is met
  • Offers flexible and remote learning formats, including limited residency requirements, asynchronous coursework, and the ability to complete the program without relocating—ideal for students with work or family commitments
  • Provides multiple academic pathways, including a traditional three-year track and an accelerated two-year option for motivated students seeking quicker entry into the workforce
  • Facilitates a smooth transition for practicing OTAs by not requiring additional prerequisites, making the program OTA-friendly and accessible
  • Emphasizes applied learning and professional practice through a doctoral capstone experience, eliminating the traditional dissertation requirement
  • Delivers a cost-effective education, with lower tuition and fewer required credits than comparable regional programs
  • Enables remote participation, making it the only OTD program in Oregon offering this level of geographic flexibility
  • Demonstrates strong program leadership, with a program chair who brings extensive academic and grant experience, curriculum development expertise, and accreditation knowledge
  • Leverages institutional innovation and a national reputation in holistic healthcare education, supported by UWS’s success in delivering remote graduate programs
  • Provides access to dedicated campus facilities, including specialized labs and a nearby cadaver anatomy lab, with plans for a future occupational therapy center
  • Enhances clinical training through a robust standardized patient program featuring both physical and mental health simulations
  • Promotes interprofessional collaboration through shared learning experiences with other UWS graduate health programs
  • Utilizes institutional expertise in accreditation, benefiting from the university’s successful track record across multiple graduate programs
  • Strengthens infrastructure through integrated support from The Community Solution Education System, including shared resources for course development, marketing, and assessment
  • Supports student success with comprehensive university wide services in admissions, financial aid, and academic support, ensuring continuity from enrollment through graduation

Remaining Issues:
Upon review of the Candidacy Application and the additional materials requested, there are no remaining issues related to compliance regarding the Candidacy Application.

ACOTE Action:
Grant Candidacy Status and proceed with the pre-accreditation review of the program.

Fieldwork Across the U.S.

Gain hands-on experience in a location near you! Explore our national network of Level II fieldwork placements and build your professional network without relocating.

Accreditation

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at University of Western States has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy 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®). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR).

More information about ACOTE accreditation is available at www.acoteonline.org. You may contact the Accreditation Council via the following:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 301-652-AOTA ext. 2915
Address: 7501 Wisconsin Ave., Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814

Licensure

Pending full accreditation, graduates of the University of Western States’ OTD 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. 

More information can be found on the UWS Professional Licensure Disclosure webpage.  

Program Data

Program Data
2023-2024 2024-2025 2025-2026 3-year total
Program Graduates 0 0 0 0
Graduate Rate 0 0 0 0
NBCOT Pass Rate 0 0 0 0

For further information on National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT®) program data results, see https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance.

Our Campus

University of Western States has a rich history in the Pacific Northwest and has ensured the longevity, sustainability and growth of health care education in the region. Our current campus is an impressive facility, located at 8000 NE Tillamook Street in Portland, Oregon, offering modern amenities to support our highly esteemed educational programs. Take a video tour of the campus!

Frequently Asked Questions

OTD stands for Doctor of Occupational Therapy, referring to a graduate-level program to study occupational therapy. This program is for people who want to pursue becoming occupational therapists.

The Doctor of Occupational Therapy program is offered in a hybrid format. Coursework for the program is completed online, while three in-person residencies are held at our campus in Portland, Oregon. These on-campus residencies include hands-on labs and fieldwork experiences that support your online learning and are required for program completion. For students in the accelerated pathway, the residencies take place during the first year of study and last five to seven days.

No, you are not required to have a master’s degree or take the GRE to enter the OTD program at UWS. Our holistic admissions model is designed to have as few barriers to admission as possible while meeting accreditation requirements.

There are a few different paths prospective students can take prior to applying to our OTD program. Outlined are the different OTD degree requirements:

  • A bachelor’s degree in biology, psychology, exercise science, pre-healthcare, or a related field.
  • Any other bachelor’s degree with pre-requisite courses in abnormal psychology or human development, statistics, and human anatomy
  • Completion of a minimum of 90 credit hours of undergraduate consisting of four years of undergraduate courses (College Credit Plus courses taken in high school count toward the four years) and an active certification and license as an Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) with at least two years of experience with a pre-requisite course in statistics.

We have completed all requirements for accreditation and have been approved for Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The next steps include submitting a self-study and completing an on-site evaluation while students are enrolled. We expect to receive notification about full accreditation in August 2027, before the first cohort is scheduled to complete the program.

The only required synchronous elements of UWS’ OTD program are the on-campus intensives held during the first year.

You will be required to complete a fully asynchronous Orientation Course. UWS also offers online meet and greet opportunities before classes begin; these sessions are recorded and shared if you are unable to attend live. You will also meet with your faculty advisor twice each semester, with meeting times scheduled based on your availability. Additionally, each instructor will offer three synchronous class sessions during the course, but these sessions are recorded if you cannot attend.

At UWS, all coursework and modules open on the Friday before each course begins, giving you full transparency into the upcoming workload and assignments so you can plan accordingly. You will have assignment due dates each week for every course. While you may work ahead to prepare for busier weeks, keep in mind that the OTD curriculum uses a scaffolded learning model, meaning concepts introduced in one week may be reinforced in later weeks. Faculty also provide feedback and participate in discussions on a weekly schedule, so working too far ahead may cause you to miss important feedback that is intended to help you with future assignments.

You should plan for approximately three hours of work per week for each semester credit. This averages to about 51 hours per week during the first three semesters depending on your study habits.

In semesters four through six, you will be at your clinical sites for 38-40 hours per week. When combined with the online coursework requirements, your total weekly time commitment during the clinical portion of the program is still approximately 51 hours, with the final semester typically requiring slightly fewer hours.

ACOTE requires fieldwork to be completed in at least two different practice settings. Occasionally, they can be completed within the same hospital system if the settings are different (acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient, home health, etc.) Most students

choose to complete one pediatric setting and one adult setting. The capstone experience is completed at a third site based on your interests and capstone objectives.

UWS Commencement takes place each June. A purple coat ceremony is held on Friday during the fall on-campus lab.

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