Transform the future of healthcare with an entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate
Built on the Mercy principles of hospitality, discovery, sacredness of creation and service, Carlow’s fully Accredited Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program will help prepare you for a meaningful career in healthcare. You will develop deep roots in humanistic theory, emphasizing a balance of physical, emotional, and social health and wellness, participate in interprofessional experiences, engage in community service, and complete applicable fieldwork.
Upon graduation, you will be prepared to transform the future of practice using an occupational justice-informed approach to health and well-being.
Quick facts
- Accredited by ACOTE.
- Learn interprofessionally (alongside other aspiring healthcare professionals)
- Become a powerful citizen of justice in society and healthcare
- Prepare yourself to be an innovative leader in healthcare
▸ Read about theCarlow difference [pdf]
Lock in your tuition!
If you plan to start your occupational therapy (MSOT, OTD) degree in Fall 2026, you are eligible to lock in your per-credit tuition rate for your whole program duration as long as you are continually enrolled in the program.
Credits required:
100 credits
Cost per credit:
$950/credit
Time to degree:
As few as 8 semesters
Delivery:
On campus
Occupational Therapy Doctorate curriculum
Throughout the OTD curriculum, we have integrated interprofessional experiences into course-based learning activities and community-based experiences. Shared spaces and faculty create daily interprofessional interactions, while critical thinking and ethics courses provide interprofessional discussion and reflection. You will participate in fieldwork experiences (Level I & II) that allow you to bridge your knowledge between classroom and practice using an occupational justice-informed approach. Completion of a doctoral capstone project will position you to identify areas of need in practice to address under-resourced individuals, groups and populations.
- Level I fieldwork (3 required): discover, develop and enhance your professional identity and apply your classroom knowledge to your experiences located on campus and in the surrounding Pittsburgh, Pa community
- Level II fieldwork (2, 12-week required, pre-requisite of the doctoral capstone experience): apply clinical and technological skills in a variety of supervised practice settings (interprofessional & evidence-based) and focus on environment and community concepts (education & advocacy)
- Doctoral Capstone Experience (14-week course): address a link to the domain of OT, occupational justice, and health and wellbeing to promote occupational engagement of clients (individuals, groups, or populations).
▸ View or download our program’smission and outcomes [pdf]
The OTD curriculum is taught through a whole-health perspective that works to develop your whole person for innovative practice in healthcare, dedicated to optimizing health and well-being as a path to occupational justice.
Career opportunities for Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapists, as defined by the American Occupational Therapy Association, are skilled health care professionals who use research and scientific evidence to ensure their interventions are effective. With strong knowledge of a person’s psychological, physical, emotional, and social makeup, occupational therapy practitioners can evaluate how your condition (or risk for one) is affecting your body and mind, using a holistic perspective.
Ranked one of the best jobs by U.S. News & World Report, OT is slated to grow 14% over the next 10 years (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).
▸ View or download theoccupational therapy information sheet[pdf]
Admission requirements and application process
At Carlow University, our Occupational Therapy program, uses a holistic admissions process. In this process we evaluate you as a whole person and acknowledge a student’s lived experiences, work, and service initiatives. These areas are specifically given credit during your application process. We look forward to meeting you and guiding you throughout the process.
Applications are open on the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application System (OTCAS).
▸ View the full list ofadmissions requirements and application process.
Early assurance (conditional admission) for High School students to apply: View our helpful fact sheet [pdf] that offers guidance on the process and requirements.
Apply now!
Start term:
Fall
Program Director Erin Phillips
“I invite you to discover the new Occupational Therapy program at Carlow University! We would love to have you join us as a part of your graduate educational journey toward a career in OT. Through the lens of Catholic social teachings, guided by the Sisters of Mercy, we will discover what it means to work for and thrive in a “just and merciful world.” As part of the OT program, it is our desire to help you transform into a person-centered health care provider and socially conscious citizen. Today, as you investigate this career, you take the first step toward a lifetime of meaningful work.”
– Erin Phillips, OTD, MSOT, OTR/L, DipACLM, Associate Professor & Founding Program Director for Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy faculty
Elizabeth Sherman, PhD, OTR/L Assistant Professor and Doctoral Capstone Coordinator
Blythe Westendorf, OTD, MS, OTR/L Assistant Professor
Alyssa Kuster, OTD, OTR/L Field Coordinator/Assistant Professor
Ainsley Dillon, PhD, OTR/L Assistant Professor
Jessica Durci, MOT, OTR/L, CPAM Adjunct Instructor
Contact Admissions
If you are interested in this graduate program, our Admissions team is available to help you with the next steps, including scheduling an on-campus visit or attending an upcoming event.
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Accredited Entry-Level Doctoral degree level Occupational Therapy Program
The Carlow University entry-level occupational therapy master’s degree program and entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program are FULLY accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E, Bethesda, MD 20814. ACOTE’s telephone number, c/o AOTA, is (301) 652-6611, and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the 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 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.
- View or download theProgram Goals and Outcomes [pdf]
Program Outcomes
Program outcomes with regard to graduation rates and NBCOT certification exam results are updated and posted yearly. See the results on NBCOT for School Performance Home page.
Carlow University’s entry-level Doctorate in Occupational Therapy program admitted the first cohort in Fall of 2022. Carlow offers both entry level MSOT and entry level OTD programs. Our graduation rate is calculated by comparing the total number of students who began the program in either the MSOT or OTD degree program the total number of students who graduated from those programs. We allow students the opportunity to switch degree programs at the start of the second semester. There may be some fluctuation in the number of students within each degree. In addition, these numbers may include students who graduated out of sync due to medical or personal leave.
The following table represents final OTD degree candidates and graduation rates by year:
| Graduation Year | # of students started | Withdrew for non-academic reasons | # of students graduated | Graduation Rate* | NBCOT Exam New Grad Pass Rate |
| 2025 | 11 | 1 | — | — | TBD |
| 2026 | 4 | — | — | ||
| 2027 | 7 | — | — | ||
| 3-year Total/Average |
*Graduation rate is minus those who withdrew for reasons other than academic performance.
Program results from the National Board for Certification of Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) can be found online at https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance
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