Occupational Therapy, Flex OTD

Occupational therapy is a health and rehabilitation profession. Occupational therapists provide services to individuals of all ages who have physical, developmental, emotional, and/or social deficits. Occupational therapists practice in public and private schools, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, hand therapy clinics, home health agencies, and in private practice.

USAHS offers an alternative path to the OTD degree through the Flex OTD program. This program combines online education and weekend labs on campus in an entry-level program designed for the student who is unable to attend classes on campus during the week per the residential schedule.

The Flex model represents an expansion of the entry-level OTD campus-based program currently in place at the USAHS. The campus-based and flex paths share a common mission and curriculum while the delivery format, length of program, and number of credits per term differs. The Flex program prerequisites, admission requirements, academic calendar, and policies are the same as the campus-based program.

Mission Statement

The mission of the University’s Flex OTD program is to graduate a diverse population of OT practitioners with the doctoral skills necessary to analyze human occupation and to implement science-driven and evidence-based interventions that promote quality of life for the clients who they will serve. The OTD graduates will contribute to their profession and to a global society through their competence, ethical standards, and professionalism. Upon successful completion of the OTD program, graduates will demonstrate preparation beyond the generalist level in practice, theory and research skills, leadership, advocacy, and program development.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the Flex OTD program, graduates will demonstrate the ability to

• apply the skills of a lifelong learner reflective of a professional occupational therapist,
• advocate for the profession of occupational therapy while collaborating with other members of a health care team,
• design and perform optimal programs or interventions treating occupational deficits by using effective clinical reasoning,
• create optimal and culturally competent verbal and written communication of occupational therapy services,
• implement principles of ethical and professional behavior in the delivery of occupational therapy services,
• advance the role of occupational therapy by performing as effective leaders,
• produce evidence-based information that contributes to the advancement of occupational therapy,
• synthesize information, problem solve, and think critically to judge the most appropriate theoretical basis, assessment and/or intervention strategies for individuals and populations,
• apply theoretical and empirical knowledge from the foundational bases of physiological, behavioral, social, and occupational therapy in the planning and implementation of occupational therapy in current and emerging areas of practice,
• apply OT practices to different populations, cultures, et cetera based on an expanded view of individual client interventions to a global perspective of OT, and
• disseminate findings of scholarly inquiry that delve deeply into a clearly articulated problem facing OT professionals that impacts future practice.

Program Prerequisites

Please see Admissions, Records, and Registration  for prerequisites and application information. 

Delivery of Coursework

The Flex OTD program is 117 credits and is offered over 12 trimesters. More than 50% of the coursework is delivered online to the student. The online courses consist of web-based text with extensive graphics, videos, and audio clips. There are opportunities provided for faculty-to-student and student-to-student synchronous and asynchronous interactive collaboration. Assessment of online learning outcomes includes a wide variety of evaluation tools depending on the course outcomes, such as (1) regular quizzes completed online, (2) graded bulletin board assignments, (3) case reports, (4) group projects, (5) research papers, and (6) article critiques.

In courses with a lab component, students come together for up to 16 hours of laboratory classes per selected weekends during a 15-week trimester. The lab sessions provide an avenue for teaching activities not well suited for online delivery, such as the hands-on learning that is vital to occupational therapy education, as well as oral presentations, lab practical testing, and socialization activities. Additionally, students may have to make arrangements for online exams at other times, which may include non-lab weekends.

Students in the Flex program complete two full-time fieldwork experiences that are 12-weeks each in length in the second half of the program. Generally, this portion of the curriculum is completed with full-time attendance by the Flex OTD student, although alternate arrangements can be made when this is not possible.

There are 2 cohort groups of students admitted per year, with a maximum of 20 students per group and a minimum of 8 students. If the number of Flex OTD cohort students drops below 8, the University reserves the right to delay the start of the cohort by one trimester to combine with the following group.

Note: Flex OTD students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork within 24 months following completion of all prior didactic portions of the program. Students must complete an individual 14-week capstone experience within 18 months following completion of the remaining didactic portion of the program. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as well as completion of preparatory activities defined in 2018 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3.

For further information about accreditation contact: Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929, phone (301) 652-AOTA, www.acoteonline.org.

Standard Occupational Classification codes for which program is intended to prepare graduates: Occupational Therapist (29-1122); Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary (25-1071)

California OT Licensure

As of the date of publication of the catalog/handbook, in order to be eligible for professional licensure as an Occupational Therapist in California, Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) or Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program graduates must hold a degree from an accredited Occupational Therapy program. MOT/OTD graduates that are applying for licensure in the state of California are required to submit the CA application for OT licensure, application fee, Proof of Passing Exam from the NBCOT and submit an official transcript showing MOT or OTD degree to the California Board of Occupational Therapy.

Washington State Residents

Occupational Therapy program students should check with the Washington Department of Health, Health Profession Quality Assurance Division, to determine if their program will prepare them for licensure in Washington State.