Trine launching Doctor of Occupational Therapy program

FORT WAYNE – Trine University will begin offering a Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree in May 2025 after receiving approval from the Higher Learning Commission.

Trine will begin accepting applications for the new program in July.

Trine University’s OTD program is also in the accreditation process with the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy (ACOTE). The OTD program is in Applicant Status and will submit for Candidacy status in August 2024.

Trine University can accept applications for the May 2025 cohort but cannot admit students until the Candidacy decision is made in December 2024.

The program is designed to prepare students from diverse backgrounds for an occupational therapy career. Any student with a bachelor's degree from an accredited school and a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0 can apply. For more details, visit trine.edu/otd.

Trine will offer several 3+3 direct-entry pathways from undergraduate programs on its Angola campus into the OTD program. Such pathways allow students to count their first year in the OTD program toward undergraduate degree completion.

Students first

Designed with student experience and outcomes as the priority, Trine’s OTD curriculum includes five integrated clinical experiences, giving students extensive exposure to real-life occupational therapy practice before starting their 24-week full-time rotation.

The curriculum incorporates interdisciplinary learning experiences, instruction across disciplines, integrated lab experiences and interactive instruction, all designed to build confidence and competence in OTD students.

Graduates will be prepared to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) examination.

“The OTD faculty are invested in student success and are transforming graduate healthcare education by focusing on one of Trine’s top priorities, putting students first,” said Beth O’Rourke, program director. “We are excited to provide an innovative doctoral program that will help meet community needs through the relationships and partnerships we build.”

Brooks College of Health Professions

The OTD program will be offered through Trine’s Dr. Earl D. and Melanie N. Brooks College of Health Professions (BCHP), which also includes the university’s physical therapy, physician assistant, nursing, and surgical technology programs.

“Adding occupational therapy allows Trine University to help meet the growing need for trained healthcare professionals while providing another program that complements our existing offerings,” said Lisa Clemens, dean of the BCHP. “Since many of these professions collaborate in the healthcare world, it makes sense to have our students train together with those in other disciplines.”

The OTD will be located with Trine’s health professions programs in the new Brooks College of Health Professions facility opening this fall. Developed in close collaboration with Parkview Health, that facility will employ 100 faculty and staff and serve nearly 700 students.

The new facility will offer state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories, including a technology lab, makerspace, 3D printing suite, activities of daily learning lab, sensory room, pediatric lab and musculoskeletal lab.

In partnership with the Parkview Mirro Center, the building will feature an innovative Simulated Patient Care Center (SimCenter), which includes mock surgery and emergency room suites, and exam and patient rooms.

The Bureau of Labor Services predicts that the number of occupational therapy jobs will grow by 12% over the next decade. 

For more information about the OTD program, visit trine.edu/otd.

ACOTE accreditation

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation 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. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. The program must be granted Candidacy Status, 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). 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 a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure. Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork as well as an individual 14-week capstone experience following the completion of the didactic portion of the program.