Occupational Therapy, Post-Professional OTD (online only) (OTD)

Program Overview

NOTE: This program is exclusively online.

The Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (PP-OTD) degree program is for registered/licensed occupational therapists who already have a master’s degree and now want to earn a clinical doctorate.

The program builds on the experience occupational therapists already have, while providing the knowledge and skills needed to advance beyond therapist-clinician into areas such as occupational therapy education, clinical research, clinical practice, leadership or advocacy. 

The 36-credit-hour, part-time, Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy program uses a distance-learning format, with classes held in the late afternoons and evenings. Students attend online courses at specific times, but complete assignments and participate in discussion boards at their convenience.

The program is designed to be completed in five continuous semesters; semesters are composed of two 7-week sessions.

Degrees Offered

  • OTD in Doctor of Occupational Therapy

Internships, Research Opportunities and More

Students in the Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy program will complete a culminating scholarly project known as the doctoral capstone. This is an individualized project that includes a final version of the student’s capstone proposal that is suitable for professional dissemination about the findings from the student's scholarly work, relating theory to practice and demonstrating synthesis of advanced knowledge. The doctoral capstone is intended to promote the value of occupational therapy for individuals, communities and society by providing an in-depth exposure to one or more of the following: clinical practice skills, research skills, administration, leadership, program and policy development, advocacy, education and theory development. 

After You Graduate

OTD degrees are gaining popularity as the profession evolves and occupational therapists advance their careers. While not required to practice, a post-professional doctor of occupational therapy degree offers occupational therapists greater career flexibility and opportunity. With an OTD, occupational therapists are prepared for teaching positions in higher education and leadership roles throughout the healthcare industry.

Admissions Requirements

The following are required and will be evaluated for admission:

  1. You must be a practicing, licensed occupational therapist who graduated from an accredited Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) or World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) program and you must hold an earned master's degree.  

  2. You must have had an overall GPA of 2.75 or higher from the accredited occupational therapy program.

  3. Submission of the online application.

  4. Submission of academic transcripts from each college or university you have attended. 

  5. Submission of a personal statement, not to exceed 1,000 words or four double-spaced pages, that addresses your talents, experiences and proposed professional goals that align with the completion of a capstone project that qualifies for acceptance to a graduate program at Binghamton University

  6. Two letters of recommendation

  7. Résumé or curriculum vitae

  8. Virtual interview with program director or member of the OTD Admissions Committee may be required

NOTE: GRE scores are not required for Binghamton University’s online Post-Professional OTD program.

Students wishing to pursue a post-professional OTD degree must satisfy the general conditions and procedures for admission to Binghamton University's Graduate School. Further, they must adhere to all policies outlined in the Graduate School Manual.

For international students, the following are also required:

  • Proof of English proficiency (official TOEFL, IELTS or PTE Academic Scores)

  • Post-Professional OTD entry program requirements must also be met

 This information is subject to change. While we make every effort to update these program pages, we recommend that you contact the department with questions about program-specific requirements.  

For more information, visit the Occupational Therapy, Post-Professional OTD (online only) website.