PP-OTD Doctoral Capstone

PP-OTD Doctoral Capstone

Students in the PP-OTD will complete a culminating scholarly project as a condition of graduation. This project is known as the doctoral capstone. 

  • The PP-OTD doctoral capstone is an individualized project that includes a final version of students’ 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
    • Theory development
  • The doctoral capstone is an independently mentored project as partial fulfillment of a post-professional clinical doctoral education in which students implement a scholarly process that evaluates or defines professional practice, service delivery and/or professional issues. 

The capstone process includes the following steps:

Development and exploration → Planning and creation → Implementation and assessment → Professional dissemination

Get more information about the project

The Post-Professional OTD Student Manual contains additional, detailed information about the capstone project. Students are strongly encouraged to thoroughly review this information. In addition, PP-OTD students will complete coursework that will prepare them for the capstone project.