OTD in Occupational Therapy

The Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program is limited each year to 30 students.

To be considered for the OTD program, applicants must apply to BOTH the Arkansas State University
(AState) graduate school and OTCAS. Admission to the graduate school does not guarantee admission into
the OTD program. We prefer applicants to apply to the graduate school before you submit your program
application in February. If you do not have a Bachelor’s degree, please include your most current
transcript through the Fall semester before your application in the Spring semester. Apply here now!

In order to be eligible for admission to the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program, applicants must
meet the following minimum requirements:

• Completed a Bachelor's degree or are within 1 semester of completing a Baccalaureate
  degree from an accredited University or College.
• Complete an application to AState graduate school.
• Complete OTCAS application.
• Submit all transcripts to OTCAS. (Submit a transcript from every college/university you
  attended after high school even if it was for a single class.)
• Earn a final grade of “B” or higher for all prerequisite courses. Applicants must
  have a minimum of 20 prerequisite credit hours completed at the time of
  application on February 1.
•  A prerequisite GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
•  A cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale of all college work attempted.
• 30 hours of documented community service. 20 hours must be in a single location.
• 3 pre-professional recommendations (must use admission packet forms).
• English proficiency requirements, if foreign born (see application p. 6).
• Applicants scoring 70 or higher on the admission application will receive automatic
  consideration by the admissions committee.
• Scores between 65 and 70 will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for admission.
• Scores below 65 will not be considered for admission.
• Any incomplete application will not be considered for admission.
  
  

Prerequisite courses:

If you are applying from another university, the course titles may be different. Examples of course titles that will substitute for prerequisite requirements can be found below. This list is not all inclusive. Contact the OTD program
director to see if your prerequisite courses are acceptable. Course descriptions for Arkansas State
University are in the undergraduate bulletin.

Biology:

• BIO 2203 & 2201: Human Anatomy and
  Physiology I & Lab
• BIO 2223 & 2221: Human Anatomy and
  Physiology II & Lab

Health Professions:

• HP 2013: Medical Terminology

Physics:

• PHYS 2133: Physics for Health
  Professions
• PHYS 2054: General
  Physics (Algebra-based not Calculus based. Sometimes called “College
  Physics”.)

Psychology:

• PSY 2013: Intro to Psychology
• PSY 2233: Abnormal Psychology
• PSY 2133: Developmental Psychology

Statistics:

• STAT 3033: Statistics for Health Science
  Majors
  or
  
• STAT 3233: Applied Statistics I
  or
  
• PSY 3103: Quantitative Methods in
  Psychology
  or
  
• SOC 3383: Social Statistics
  [Course must include inferential Statistics]
  (Biostatistics, Business statistics, or
  Research & Statistical Methods in
  Exercise Science are not accepted as a
  substitute)
  
  

Background Check:
Based on recent legislation in Arkansas, students are required to complete a background check AFTER
they receive conditional admission into the program. Arkansas State University’s College of Nursing and
Health Professions works with Verified Credentials, Inc. to establish an acceptable screening procedure.

The cost of the background check is $100.

Personal insurance:
The Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program requires all OTD students to carry personal health
insurance. Students must provide hard copy proof of health insurance to the department Chair after
acceptance into the program. Students must provide proof of health insurance by mail, fax, or hand
delivery no later than August 1 every year in the program. Clear copies of both sides of insurance card will
suffice as proof.
AState OTD students are required to carry a minimum of $1,000,000 (one million) of liability insurance
the entire time they are in the program. Student liability insurance cost varies but typically does not
exceed $90 per year.

As of July 18, 2025, the application process for the Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program at AState will be through OTCAS.

How to apply to OTCAS

• Create an account and apply to OTCAS
• Submit completed OTCAS application. All OTCAS applications must be VERIFIED on or before
  February 1st. We recommend submitting your OTCAS application no later than January 5th.
  Incomplete applications will not be considered. Late applications will be considered on a case-by-case
  basis. Students will be notified of their acceptance status by March 31.
• The first 3 sections of the application contain information required by the OTCAS system. Section 4 is for
  specific information required for Arkansas State OTD application.
  
  

Section 1: Personal Information - Complete all sections

Section 2: Academic History - We do not require
any standardized tests like the GRE so you can select "none" for that section.

Section 3: Supporting Information - This includes recommendation evaluations and personal
statements. We do not require observation hours, but if you have hours you may list them in this section.
You may also list resume items such as work experience in this section.

Section 4: Program Materials - This section is for adding Arkansas State OTD program as one of the choices for you to send your application to. Click on "Add a Program" in the Program Materials Box.
Once you click, you will see ADD PROGRAMS, Scroll down to Arkansas State University and select Occupational Therapy Doctorate.

• When you click on "Occupational Therapy Doctorate", our program description box pops up.
• To add Arkansas State University OTD program to your application, click on "+" sign next to our program
  name.
• Once you add a program, you will be taken to the payment screen. An application with a single program is
  $169.00. Each additional program selection is $71.00.
• Once you select our program, you will go back to section 4 and select the "Arkansas State OTD" link.
  Once you click on the link, you will land on our program page.
  • Click on the "Questions" tab to complete your essay. Click on the "Documents" tab to upload your
    volunteer reflections and signed documentation of your completed hours. The prerequisites tab will prompt
    you to go back and check your transcript to make sure you have all the required courses.
    Once you have completed the entire application, review your materials for accuracy. When you are happy
    with your information, click "submit application".
• After you submit your application, you can check on the progress of your application by clicking on "check
  status."
  
  

Application scores include the following factors:

• Academic status – prerequisite and overall GPAs
• Application essay
• 3 OTCAS requested evaluations.
• Community/Volunteer service (Does not have to be with an Occupational Therapist,
  healthcare related, or in a healthcare facility.)

Accreditation

The Occupational Therapy Doctorate program at Arkansas State University is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE):

Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education
American Occupational Therapy Association
7501 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite 510E
Bethesda, MD 20814
Phone: 301.652.6611
Email: accred@aota.org
Website: www.acoteonline.org

Matriculation

The Occupational Therapy Doctorate program consists of 9 semesters totaling 120 credit hours. Upon graduation from the OTD program, students must take the required National Board exam hosted by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) to practice occupational therapy. Students are strongly encouraged to take the NBCOT board exam within six months after graduation.  

The National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) requires all graduates to pass a background check prior to taking the NBCOT board exam. Failure to pass the NBCOT background check prohibits the licensed practice of occupational therapy.

Upon passing the NBCOT examination, the student will become a registered Occupational Therapist (OTR) and then may apply for state licensure. All 50 states have regulatory laws for occupational therapists and require licensure. Frequently state requirements for licensure are met through the same education and training required to maintain certification with NBCOT.

The OTD program is a lock-step program. Students must maintain satisfactory grades in each semester; otherwise, the student can be placed on probation or dismissed from the program. The OTD Program requires timely completion of the all degree requirements, including all didactic coursework, Level II Fieldwork rotations, OTKE exam for third-year entry and Capstone. To progress in the professional curriculum, students must: 

1. Maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA in all Occupational Therapy Program courses, fieldwork, and Capstone.
2. Receive grades of 75% or better in all professional courses.
3. Maintain academic integrity and professional behavior in classroom, laboratory, any fieldwork sites visited, and in the community.
4. Maintain the standards of affiliating fieldwork facilities.

Exhibit affective behaviors consistent with the Professional Behavior Expectations and AOTA Code of Ethics.

Fieldwork Requirements

Level I:
The curriculum includes four (4) Level I fieldworks, allowing the student to acquire 40 hours of clinical experience in each of the following areas: aging adults, psychosocial, neurorehabilitation, and pediatrics. The Level 1 fieldwork supports students’ integration of learned information into applied clinical contexts. Fieldwork assignments are designed to help students develop clinical reasoning skills and to develop knowledge about the principles of the occupation. Level I experiences are integral to the curriculum design and include direct observation and participation in selected aspects of care. Level I experiences may relate to occupational therapy service delivery, or they may be under the supervision of related professionals in emerging practice areas. 

Level II:
The curriculum also includes two (2) Level II fieldworks, every 12 weeks in length. Students are at fieldwork sites full-time during Level II experiences. Level II Fieldwork is designed to facilitate the student’s personal and professional development. The integration and application of clinical reasoning and practical skills will be required in both of the Level II experiences, during which students will provide occupational therapy services to a range of individuals. The fieldwork experiences are provided at approved facilities with supervision to meet professional accreditation standards. Students are responsible for all aspects, including expenses, of the occupational therapy process during the Level II experiences.

The student must successfully complete all coursework and Level II fieldwork and pass a pre-NBCOT competency practice examination requirement prior to the commencement of the doctoral experiential component.

Capstone Experience:
The third level of fieldwork is called Capstone and affords students a final learning experience in clinical practice, research, theory, leadership, program development, policy development, advocacy or education.  Capstone is a minimum of 14 weeks or 560 hours and must occur under the supervision of a mentor with expertise in the area of the Capstone. Prior fieldwork or work experience may not be substituted for Capstone. Capstones may not occur at a student’s place of employment. Capstone is student-driven and provides the opportunity to apply didactic knowledge, leadership, and advocacy skills in an area of interest. Students participate in two capstone preparation courses to develop their capstone project. The semester leading up to the Capstone rotation focuses beyond generalist content in order to round out the student's skills for the capstone experience. 

**Students are responsible for all fieldwork and Capstone expenses.

Program Completion and Graduation

To graduate from the program, students must achieve a final grade of 75% or higher on all didactic courses, have a 3.0 overall GPA at the time of graduation, pass all fieldwork levels, and pass Capstone.

Students have up to 24 months after completion of the didactic coursework to complete both Level II Fieldwork rotations and Capstone experience. Timely completion of the program is monitored by the student and his/her faculty advisor using the Degree Works system.

Certification and Licensure

NBCOT Certification Exam Procedures

Graduates of our program are eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for Occupational Therapy, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of the exam, the individual will be a registered Occupational Therapist (OTR). NBCOT Exam Handbook.

To be eligible to take the NBCOT certification exam, OTR candidates must graduate with an entry-level occupational therapy degree from an ACOTE®-accredited occupational therapy (OT) program.
View Eligibility

NBCOT® Academic Credential Verification Policy: U.S. graduates examining for the first time must submit an official final transcript from the university that confirms eligibility for admission to the examination.

NBCOT® Academic Credential Verification Policy: U.S. graduates examining for the first time must submit an official final transcript from the university that confirms eligibility for admission to the examination.

Licensure in the State of Arkansas: 
In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. The Arkansas State University OTD Program school code is 30508.

Felony Conviction Statement: A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

2024 - 2025 In State, On-Campus

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Doctoral graduation fee is $45

National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) Exam Fees - First attempt is $540, each additional attempt is $430.

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Anything with a * see explanation below for more details. Cost of attendance is calculated with the most current academic year data. However, tuition, fees, and other costs are subject to change.

*ot program fees

Year 1: Application Fee to Graduate Program (One-time fee), Exxat (One-time fee), Background Check (One-time Fee), Name tag, Black Fieldwork Scrubs, Initial American Heart Association BLS for Healthcare Professionals Course with CPR (Renewal every 2 years), Professional Liability Insurance (1 million minimum) (Annual Renewal), TB Mask Fitting (Annual), Student OT Association (SOTA) Annual Dues, AROTA Student Membership Annual Dues, AOTA Student Membership Annual Dues and Required Lab Supplies. 

Year 2: Student OT Association (SOTA) Annual Dues, AROTA Student Membership Annual Dues, AOTA Student Membership Annual Dues, Professional Liability Insurance (1 million minimum) (Annual Renewal), and TB Mask Fitting (Annual). 

Year 3: American Heart Association BLS for Healthcare Professionals Course with CPR (renewal), Professional Liability Insurance (1 million minimum) (Annual Renewal), TB Mask Fitting (Annual), Student OT Association (SOTA) Annual Dues, AROTA Student Membership Annual Dues, AOTA Student Membership Annual Dues, and NBCOT OTKE Test (One-time fee).

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*Rooms are based on 1 bedroom/1 bath in The Village. This amount will differ if living off campus or with parents.

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*Meal Plans for graduate students living on and off-campus are optional. The voluntary meal plan is the least expensive.

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*Transportation:
Year 1: Based on the weekly gas around Jonesboro and the University's annual parking permit.
Year 2: Based on weekly gas around Jonesboro, the University's annual parking permit and transportation costs for the first level II fieldwork placement.
Year 3: Based on weekly gas around Jonesboro, daily parking fees, transportation costs for second-level II fieldwork placement, and Capstone placement. The amount will differ if living off campus or with parents, or in a fieldwork or capstone placement.

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*Loan Fees; are based on the US Department of Education Direct PLUS loan fee of 4.228% of the total loan. Other government loans and private loans may have different fee structures.

According to FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), cost of attendance is defined as total amount of attending the program, which includes tuition and fees, books, supplies, transportation, loan fees as well as fees associated with distance education.

In concert with the beliefs and values expressed by the American Occupational Therapy Association, the Arkansas State University Department of Occupational Therapy’s philosophy is grounded in the Theory of Occupational Adaptation. Occupational therapy is based on the belief that occupations are fundamental to health promotion and wellness, remediation or restoration, health maintenance, disease and injury prevention, and compensation and adaptation. It is our belief that in order to engage the power of occupations, human beings must have the ability to adapt to circumstances that present challenges or barriers to participation.

Philosophy and Curriculum Design Assumptions

The philosophy and curriculum design are based on a narrative meta-model. A narrative meta-model is predicated on the assumptions that learning is:

• Non-linear
• Evolving
• Competency fluid
• Constructivist
• Process and performance over finished work (OT Model Curriculum, AOTA, 2009 and Occupational Therapy Curriculum Design Framework, AOTA, 2021)

 

Occupational Therapy Profession Philosophy, Vision, and Trends

The practice of Occupational Therapy is guided by the fundamental principles articulated in the Philosophical Base of Occupational Therapy (2017). Five specific principles frame the philosophy of AState occupational therapy: 

• Persons are born with an internal drive to participate in meaningful occupations.
• Participation is an essential element of health. Health and wellness are the building blocks of adaptation. 
• The outcome of occupational engagement is a fluid experience due to the micro and macroscopic changes of internal individual drive, contextual conditions, and qualities of the occupation.
• Occupation is the cornerstone for “health promotion and wellness, remediation and restoration, health maintenance, disease and injury prevention, and compensation and adaptation”.
• It is essential to understand the impact of occupation at the individual, community, and population levels (Commission on Education, 2017, p. 1). 
  
  

The American Occupational Therapy Association’s Philosophy of Occupational Therapy Education (2018) influenced the development of the program’s philosophy, mission, and vision through:

• The fundamental belief that both curriculum and pedagogy is necessary to fully articulate a program’s view of students engaged in a process to learn about humans as occupational beings where participation is a right and affects a person’s health.
• The fundamental belief that “education promotes clinical reasoning and the integration of professional values, theories, evidence, ethics, and skills.
• The fundamental belief that education is the way students acquire their professional identity. 
  
  

Therefore, a program’s philosophy and mission should mirror the values of occupational therapy education by:

• Including a “client-centered, occupation based, and theory driven” clinical reasoning process.
• Using “best evidence and outcomes data” to drive teaching and learning decisions.
• Designing a curriculum that includes “active and diverse learning” in and out of the classroom.
• Developing learning that is collaborative and builds on previous knowledge.
• Creating opportunities for students to self-reflect, evaluate, and use professional judgment.
• Promoting life-long learning (AOTA, p.1).
  
  

The Occupational Therapy Doctoral program at Arkansas State University affirms the aforementioned professional and educational beliefs and values as articulated by the American Occupational Therapy Association.

Philosophy of Teaching and Learning

As described in the Occupational Therapy Curriculum Design Framework (AOTA, 2021), a philosophy of teaching and learning is a “set of beliefs about the processes by which people learn and change and the teaching practices that influence that change, including common foundational beliefs about knowledge, how people obtain knowledge, what roles context plays in learning, and what constitutes evidence that learning has occurred.” (p. 7). The four core documents used to frame our Philosophy of Teaching and Learning are the OT-PEP Professional Education Paradigm (Wright, 2012), Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy (Krathwohl, 2010), the Spatiotemporal Adaptation Theory by Gilfoyle, Grady, and Moore (1990) and the Theory of Occupational Adaptation (Schkade and Schultz, 1992)

Kielhofner wrote that a paradigm “allows therapists to understand, in a very broad way, what they are doing when they practice” (p. 10). The OT-PEP (see Figure 1) emerged from the Occupational Therapy body of knowledge to reveal, in a very broad way, what educators are doing, and what the students are becoming in a program.

OT-PEP Model

• Defines and describes the fundamental tenets of the occupational therapy education process.
• Explains what faculty are doing/creating when they teach.
• Provides a foundation for curriculum design, teaching methods, course sequence, etc.
• Both faculty and students are learners, each proceeds through the paradigm simultaneously, and both groups increase their internal adaptive repertoires as they go through the OT-PEP.
• The OT-PEP describes the elements of the education process that are reflective of the philosophical underpinnings of the profession and brings together these understandings as a unified whole.
• The learners are at the center of the paradigm with the three core concepts and their respective elements interlaced to form a framework for occupational therapy education.
• All of the core concepts and corresponding elements can and do occur simultaneously.
• The OT-PEP is deliberately circular and circuitous by nature.
• The internal adaptive repertoire of a learner can be measured both at a specific point in time and longitudinally.
  
  

Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy

Bloom’s revised taxonomy below is pictured as an upward spiral to demonstrate our belief that learning is also a developmental process that builds on prior knowledge and experience. Skill-based behaviors and foundational knowledge translates, over time, to internalized professional behaviors and clinical application that can be continuously analyzed, synthesized, and evaluated to perpetuate professional development.  The spiral also represents learning as an active process where the learner has the potential to engage in all levels of the spiral simultaneously depending on experience with a topic. 

Spatiotemporal Adaptation

Embedded inside the spiral are the last two models. First is the Spatiotemporal Adaptation Theory by Gilfoyle, Grady, and Moore (1990). The following seven principles come from Spatiotemporal Adaptation Theory (Appendix 10 – A, p. 275).

Development is a function of maturation that occurs through the process of person-environment adaptation. Therefore, students cannot be expected to bypass any of the stages of the spiral. A student can only mature by experiencing the curriculum in sequence, moving from knowing to evaluating, and expanding their repertoire to include transitional and
mature behaviors.

Adaptation is contingent on attention to and active participation with purposeful events within the spatiotemporal dimensions of the environment.  Principle two reinforces our belief in providing an education experience that includes active “real world” experiences. 

Purposeful events provide meaningful experiences for the enhancement of maturation by directing a higher level of adaptive response by the “doer”.  All classes, labs, fieldtrips, fieldworks, and scholarly activities are designed to provide meaningful experiences that help the “doer” retain the information for application, synthesis, analysis, and evaluation.

Higher responses result from integration with and modification of acquired lower level responses. One cannot analyze, synthesize, or evaluate without knowing, comprehending, and applying. Principle four supports a program where attendance is mandatory for maximum student success.

Adaptation spirals through primitive, transitional, and mature phases of development occurring at the same time with different learning. Principle five suggests that at any given time a person can be at simultaneously at multiple points on the spiral as new information and more familiar information is presented. Principle five also supports the program’s activity of presenting concepts multiple times in multiple ways for maximum internalized maturity.  
 

Environmental experiences may present situations of spatiotemporal stress. With stress, the system calls forth past acquired strategies and sequences to act upon the demands of the environment and maintain the system’s homeostasis. Thus acquired strategies and sequences are adapted with the present situation to direct higher-level responses. Gradual spatiotemporal stress is necessary in education in order for students to move from primitive behaviors to mature behaviors.  In occupational therapy this is known as the “just right challenge”. Creating more difficulty in tests, assignments, labs, etc. must be done incrementally so that a student does not become overwhelmed and can gradually adapts existing learning strategies or create new strategies to be successful. Thus, the curriculum is designed with more structured courses in beginning moving forward each semester with courses that require higher and higher levels of integration. 

Spatiotemporal distress provokes behaviors that result in dysadaptation. Spatiotemporal stress can become distress when persons are unwilling or unable to move away from primitive strategies. Distress then becomes dysadaptation when persons try to apply primitive strategies to every situation. Such dysadaptation is a result of delayed or absent development which is why the curriculum is designed developmentally to try to avoid dysadaptive behaviors. We provide courses in a specific sequence to maximize movement through primitive and transitional developmental processes before fieldwork.

Occupational Adaptation

The second model embedded, but unseen, in the upward spiral is Occupational Adaptation. Occupational adaptation is unseen because it is an internal process. The only indication that an adaptive response has occurred is through a change in behavior from primitive to transitional to a mature response. A key concept in Occupational Adaptation, germane to the curriculum design, is relative mastery. Relative mastery is the moment in time when a person knows they have used the right combination of knowledge and skills to be efficient, effective, and satisfying to self and others (Schkade & Schulz, p. 835). Relative mastery, however, is fleeting as new challenges are constantly arising. Therefore, the ultimate outcome of this program’s curriculum design is to create in each student a repertoire of knowledge, skills, and behaviors that allows them to respond masterfully to all the demands of an entry-level practitioner.

Philosophy of Adaptation

The Theory of Occupational Adaptation informs us about the way occupational beings adapt.  The authors of Occupational Adaptation based the theory on two assumptions:

• Occupation provides the means by which human beings adapt to changing needs and conditions, and the desire to participate in occupation is the intrinsic motivational force leading to adaptation.
• Occupational adaptation is a normative process that is most pronounced in periods of transition, both large and small. The greater the adaptive transitional needs, the greater the importance of the occupational adaptation process, and the greater the likelihood that the process will be disrupted (Schkade and Schultz, 1992).
  
  

How Occupational Beings Adapt

• Combination of a person’s internal desire for mastery and external demand for mastery creates a press for mastery.
• Press for mastery creates an occupational challenge that the occupational being combines with their occupational role expectation.
• An occupational being considers their internal adaptive repertoire in order to create an adaptive response. The adaptive response then becomes an occupational response.
• If an occupational being’ internal adaptive repertoire is sufficient for a task, the occupational response occurs without stress.
• If the occupational response is evaluated as masterful, then it will be integrated into the internal adaptive repertoire for use again.
• Occupational beings can use existing, modified, or new adaptive responses to address an occupational challenge.
• An occupational being becomes dysadaptive when their internal adaptive repertoire is insufficient to overcome occupational challenges. 
  
  

OTD Program Purpose

The entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctoral program at Arkansas State University is dedicated to and in agreement with the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) requirement that students are educated as “generalists with a broad exposure” (Standards for an Accredited Educational Program for the Occupational Therapist, 2018, preamble) to a variety of traditional areas of practice as well as new and developing areas of practice. Once a student has successfully completed the OTD program didactic courses, all fieldwork experiences, the doctoral Capstone experience, and officially graduated from Arkansas State University, they are required to sit for and pass a national certification exam to become an occupational therapist.

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Mission Statements

Arkansas State University:
Arkansas State University educates leaders, enhances intellectual growth, and enriches lives.

College of Nursing and Health Professions:
The mission of the College of Nursing and Health Professions is to prepare leaders to meet current and future global healthcare demands and positively impact health and wellness in the Mississippi Delta region and beyond through innovative scholarship and outreach.

Department of Occupational Therapy:
The Department of Occupational Therapy in the College of Nursing and Health Professions at Arkansas State University is committed to the development of exceptionally safe, ethical and culturally aware practitioners, life-long learners, advocates, leaders, and scholars who will focus on the unique needs of local communities, the state of Arkansas, the lower Mississippi Delta region and beyond.

 

Vision Statements 

Arkansas State University:
Arkansas State University aspires to be an academic leader recognized for innovation and quality in teaching and learning, international standing in strategic research areas, and commitment to outreach and service to the Delta and beyond.

College of Nursing and Health Professions:
Optimize global health and wellness as a premier institution for healthcare education and research.

Department of Occupational Therapy:
We envision graduates from the Department of Occupational Therapy at Arkansas State University who are leaders and scholars that possess the knowledge and skills to advocate for and implement occupational therapy services that improve the health, well-being, and quality of life of those served locally, regionally, and beyond. 

Context of the Institution

Our Institution

Arkansas State University (AState) is nestled in the northeast corner in close proximity to the “boot heel” of southeast Missouri and northwest corner of Tennessee. Jonesboro, Arkansas is located in the lower Mississippi delta region of the United States forged from an agrarian past with modern key industries of advanced manufacturing, healthcare, logistics and transportation, technology and professional services, and agri-business . Arkansas State University plays a vital role in producing a workforce for all of the aforementioned industries in the lower delta region and beyond. The mission of AState is to “educate leaders, enhance intellectual growth and enrich lives". 

Our College

A-State began as an agricultural school in 1909. In January 1967, Arkansas State became Arkansas State University. The nursing program has existed on campus since 1969 and in 1982 the College of Nursing and Health Professions (CoNHP) came into existence. The college now boasts over 30 undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates through a wide variety of programs, departments, and the school of nursing.

Our Program

The Occupational therapy department houses both occupational therapy assistant and occupational therapy doctoral programs. The OTD program began in 2015 with the first class graduating in August 2018. As of August 2024, a total of seven cohorts of students graduated from the OTD program.

Growing more than cotton: How our ot program makes an impact

Agriculture is the heartbeat of the lower Mississippi delta including the home of Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, AR. Agriculture influences every facet of Jonesboro life from economy and culture to education, healthcare, and business. Hardworking, sunup to sundown people forge this land and take great pride in what they grow for the United States and beyond.

Cotton is a fascinating plant. Its true value shines when the leaves turn brown, and the flowers fall off. That’s when the bolls open, showing the soft, white fiber used in many everyday products.

Occupational Therapy works similarly. It often operates quietly in the background until someone needs help to live, work, and thrive. Just as farmers in Jonesboro grow cotton to meet vital needs, the Occupational Therapy program at Arkansas State University trains skilled practitioners to address critical healthcare needs in our region. When these needs are met, the impact extends far beyond, shaping ideas that influence and better our communities.

Our curriculum model reflects this growth process:

• Roots & Soil: Our foundation is the philosophy of Occupational Therapy, based on theories like Occupational Adaptation.

• Stem: Bloom’s Taxonomy and Spatiotemporal Adaptation Theory form the strong core supporting development.

• Bolls: These represent key elements—professional reasoning, ethics, advocacy, cultural awareness, health and wellness, and collaboration.

Together, these elements create the fabric of our department. Faculty blend scholarship, leadership, and clinical expertise so graduates graduate as entry-level practitioners, ready to make a difference where it matters most.

 

Curriculum Threads

Professional reasoning and practice: The purpose of the professional reasoning thread is to develop the learner’ ability to name and frame clinical situations using appropriate reasoning for the best outcome. The curriculum has a four-course Clinical Reasoning and Skills series where students are able to practice the necessary practitioner skills prior to Level II fieldwork.

Scholarly inquiry: Our five-course series teaches students how to use qualitative and quantitative research to become evidence-based and evidence-informed practitioners. Simultaneously, the series guides students to create a scoping review scholarly report appropriate for presentation and/or publication.

Ethics and Occupational Justice: The courses move from an implicit to explicit lens that considers the ethical, social, economic, political, and environmental opportunities and barriers to occupational participation. Older adult practice, Neurorehabilitation practice, Psychosocial practice, Pediatric and Adolescent Practice, Population Health Practice, Advocacy and Leadership, and Program Development and Assessment create a sequence where students internalize the ethical, social, economic, political, and environment needs of persons, groups, and populations who seek occupational participation. 

OTA/OTD Collaboration: Arkansas State University is unique in that both OTA and OTD programs exist in the department. Although the programs operate independently, opportunities occur for the two levels of practitioners to collaborate on assignments and other activities. Such collaboration assists both levels of practitioners to better understand their professional roles prior to entering clinical practice.

Health and wellness: The state of Arkansas ranks 47^th in the nation for health outcomes. Occupation, Health and Wellness in the first Fall semester, introduces the students very early to the essential relationship of occupation and health. Population Health and Health Care and Social Systems help students address the health and wellness needs of local, state, regional, national, and global populations. Additionally, the new course  Finally, the Capstone experience provides an opportunity for students to implement programs that address health and wellness needs in the community, education, and practice arenas.

Cultural awareness: Cultural awareness is a lifelong pursuit. Courses such as OT History, Language and Process introduce the students to the embedded value of cultural awareness in OT practice. Coursework also includes cultural awareness as part of our profession’s ethical responsibility and emphasizes cultural awareness as part of our “commitment to promoting inclusion, participation, safety, and well-being for all recipients in various stages of life, health, and illness and to empowering all beneficiaries of service to meet their occupational needs” (AOTA, 2015, p. 1). Although, the thread of cultural awareness ran through many courses, student exposure was superficial. Therefore, when we revised the curriculum in 2021, a full-course on cultural competency was added to the curriculum. Having a full course dedicated to this thread allows us to help the students develop both a breadth and depth of knowledge necessary for the modern healthcare practitioner.

Advocacy and Leadership:  From beginning courses such as OT History, Language and Process to the culmination courses of Advocacy and Leadership, Development & Assessment, and Capstone advocacy and leadership is a continuous thread. In the introductory courses, students learn that advocacy is an ongoing part of being an Occupational Therapy professional. In more advanced courses like Advocacy and Leadership, students learn about leadership theories, generational characteristics of leadership, leadership in different settings, and the uniqueness of one’s individual leadership journey. Furthermore, students learn how to use recent level II experiences and their emerging leadership abilities to develop advocacy projects to educate multiple stakeholders about the need for occupational therapy. All of a student' advocacy and leadership knowledge and skill developed in the program culminates in the delivery of their Capstone project.

Intra/Inter-professional Practice: Intra and Inter-professional Practice allows the students to understand collaboration leadership both inside and outside the profession of occupational therapy. Students are exposed to multiple opportunities to engage in inter-professional education experiences within the program in preparation for their practice experience during Level II fieldwork and Capstone.

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Curriculum Outcomes

Upon completion of the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program at Arkansas State University,
graduates will:

1. Use professional reasoning to name and frame clinical situations to provide
   evidence and occupation-based interventions.
2. Develop and carry out entry-level scholarship.
3. Provide intervention that is ethically, socially, economically, politically, and
   environmentally relevant to individuals and populations in the lower Mississippi delta
   region and beyond.
4. Understand the roles and responsibilities of OTA and OT practitioners to create
   collaborative partnerships in all settings.
5. Develop prevention, health and wellness programs for local, state, and regional
6. Use cultural awareness strategies to administer appropriate interventions for all
7. Promote the vision of Occupational Therapy as a diverse, equitable and inclusive
8. Apply leadership program development and assessment knowledge and skills to
   develop and implement a capstone doctoral experience.
9. Understand and apply the core competencies of intra and interprofessional practice.
10. Understand how social determinants of health can contribute to both occupational
    deprivation and occupational justice.

Arkansas State University is committed to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, education, and ethics. The Occupational Therapy Department will follow all requirements set forth by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

Curriculum and degree requirements can be found in the most current Graduate Bulletin.

Program Course Sequence:

Fall, Year 1
OTD 5013 - OT History, Language and Process Sem. Hrs: 3
OTD 5053 - Occupation, Health and Wellness Sem. Hrs: 3
OTD 5061 - Introduction to Documentation Sem. Hrs: 1
OTD 5082 - Scholarly Inquiry I Sem. Hrs: 2
OTD 5113 - Gross Anatomy and Neuroscience Sem. Hrs: 3
OTD 5163 - Clinical Reasoning and Skills I Sem. Hrs: 3
Sub-total: 15

Spring, Year 1
OTD 5103 - OT Philosophy and Theory Sem. Hrs: 3
OTD 5273 - Clinical Reasoning and Skills II Sem. Hrs: 3
OTD 6112 - Orthopedic Practice Sem. Hrs: 2
OTD 6154 - Older Adult Practice Sem. Hrs: 4
OTD 6162 - Scholarly Inquiry II Sem. Hrs: 2
OTD 6172 - Fieldwork I: Older Adults Sem. Hrs: 2
Sub-total: 16

Summer, Year 1
OTD 6074 - Neurorehabilitation Practice Sem. Hrs: 4
OTD 6123 - Clinical Reasoning and Skills III Sem. Hrs: 3
OTD 6262 - Fieldwork I: Neurorehabilitation Sem. Hrs: 2
OTD 7212 - Health Care and Social Systems Sem. Hrs: 2
Sub-total: 11

Fall, Year 2
OTD 6113 - Psychosocial Practice Sem. Hrs: 3
OTD 6152 - Fieldwork I: Psychosocial Sem. Hrs: 2
OTD 6302 - Intra and Inter-professional Practice Sem. Hrs: 2
OTD 6332 - Scholarly Inquiry III Sem. Hrs: 2
OTD 7271 - Capstone Preparation I Sem. Hrs: 1
OTD 7343 - OT Instructional Design Sem. Hrs: 3
Sub-total: 13

Spring, Year 2
OTD 6174 - Pediatric and Adolescent Practice Sem. Hrs: 4
OTD 6202 - Fieldwork I: Pediatrics Sem. Hrs: 2
OTD 6273 - Clinical Reasoning and Skills IV Sem. Hrs: 3
OTD 7122 - Scholarly Inquiry IV Sem. Hrs: 2
OTD 7123 - Population Health Practice Sem. Hrs: 3
OTD 7281 - Capstone Preparation II Sem. Hrs: 1
Sub-total: 15

Summer, Year 2
OTD 625V - Level II Fieldwork Sem. Hrs: Variable
Fall, Year 3
OTD 720V - Level II Fieldwork Sem. Hrs: Variable
Spring, Year 3
OTD 7103 - Culturally Competent Practice Sem. Hrs: 3
OTD 7232 - Advocacy and Leadership Sem. Hrs: 2
OTD 7312 - Scholarly Inquiry V Sem. Hrs: 3
OTD 7333 - OT Business Principles Sem. Hrs: 3
OTD 7342 - Program Development and Assessment Sem. Hrs: 2
Sub-total: 12

Summer, Year 3
OTD 726V - Capstone Sem. Hrs: 4
OTD 726V - Level III Fieldwork: Doctoral Rotation Sem. Hrs: Variable
Sub-total: 14
Total Required Hours: 120

UNCONDITIONAL ADMISSION STATUS

View University Graduate Degree Policies

The following Graduate School admission requirements are minimum standards which identify the pool of applicants from which departments select students to be admitted in a degree program. To be granted unconditional admission status in the Graduate School, applicants must:

• Submit a completed online application for admission and the nonrefundable application fee of $30 for U.S. Applicants, $40 for International Applicants, or $50 for Doctoral Applicants to Graduate School Admissions, along with the required program documents, by the deadline on the department website.
• Earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution (or its equivalent as determined by the Graduate School).
• Achieved a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.00 scale or a 3.00 GPA on the last 60 hours.
• Achieved a minimum 3.00 GPA on any previous graduate courses completed at either Arkansas State University or another accredited university.
• Submitted official transcripts from each college or university as requested by the Graduate School. Official transcripts must be submitted directly from the registrar of other institutions to the office of the Graduate School at Arkansas State University.

CONDITIONAL ADMISSION STATUS

An applicant who fails to meet the GPA requirements for Unconditional Admission Status, who lacks the appropriate undergraduate background for a particular degree program, or whose baccalaureate degree is from an unaccredited institution, may be granted conditional admission status after:

• Submission of a completed online application for admission and the designated nonrefundable application fee mentioned above to Graduate School Admissions, along with the required program documents, by the deadline on the department website.
• Submitted official transcripts from each college or university as requested by the Graduate School. Official transcripts must be submitted directly from the registrar of other institutions to the office of the Graduate School at Arkansas State University.
• Achieving a minimum cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale or a 2.75 GPA on the last 60 hours for admission into a graduate program or for admission as a non-degree student.

PROGRAM ADMISSION CRITERIA

Meeting the minimum requirements for admission to the Graduate School does not necessarily ensure acceptance into a particular graduate degree program. Individual departments may establish requirements for individual degree programs above and beyond the standards for admission to the Graduate School.

 

1. SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION MATERIALS

Closely observe the deadline and required materials set by your graduate program of interest, including any additional documents requested of students who are seeking departmental funding through assistantships or fellowships. Complete the application and fax, e-mail or mail any materials that could not be submitted online to A-State Graduate Admissions.

General documents needed in the application process:

• A completed online application accompanied by the appropriate application fee ($30 for U.S. applicants, $50 for International applicants, $50 for Doctoral applicants), along with the required documents for that specific graduate program. See the program website for specific required documents. (There may be separate application forms for some programs, as noted on the departments' websites.)
• Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended since leaving high school. Transcripts must be mailed directly from the institutions previously attended. If you are a graduate of A-State, we will obtain your transcript for you.
• All students are required to present written documentation of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) immunization. This immunization must have been received after the first birthday and after January 1, 1968.
• Arkansas law requires that, in order to be eligible for enrollment at a public institution of higher learning, a male applicant between the ages of 18 and 25 who is a U.S. citizen must be registered or be exempt from registration with the Selective Service System.
• If a standardized test is required for your major, you may contact the Testing Center at Arkansas State University at (870) 972-2038 for information regarding tests and test dates.

 

2. REVIEW BY THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM

Once an applicant has submitted all required documents to Graduate Admissions, the admissions committee for that particular academic program will review their applicant file and make their decisions regarding admission.

3. FINAL REVIEW BY THE GRADUATE SCHOOL

Once the Graduate School receives the academic program’s admission decision, they email a copy of that Notice of Admission Decision to the applicant, unless the program notifies their applicants directly.

4. ADMISSION

If accepted into the degree program to which you applied, Graduate Admissions will admit you to the University and email you a copy of your Notice of Admission, unless that program notifies their accepted applicants directly. Admitted applicants need to check with their assigned advisor, as noted on their Notice of Admission, in order to be able to register for the semester.

Transfer students will be considered on a case-by-case basis.  Students that are currently enrolled in another accredited OTD program may apply to the AState OTD program using the regular admissions process. Should a transfer student be admitted to the AState OTD program, up to nine graduate credit hours may be used to satisfy degree requirements of the OTD. The OT department admissions committee reviews syllabi from previous OT program and determines which courses meet AState OTD standards.  The OT department admissions committee and AState graduate school determine if a student may transfer.

Application Procedure

1. Submit the full and complete application packet on or before February 1 using the following address:
   
        Christine Wright, Chair
        Arkansas State University – Jonesboro
        College of Nursing and Health Professions
        Occupational Therapy Department
        PO Box 910
        State University, AR 72467

Incomplete will not be considered. Late applications can be considered with approval from the department chair/OTD program director. Students will be notified of their acceptance status on or before March 31.

2. Apply to the graduate school at Arkansas State University. 
3. Submit all transcripts and immunization records to the graduate school. DO NOT send transcripts and immunization records to the Occupational Therapy department or submit transcripts and immunization records with the Occupational Therapy application.

Fieldwork Requirements

Level 1

The curriculum includes four (4) Level I fieldworks, allowing the student to acquire 40 hours of clinical experience in each of the following areas: aging adults, psychosocial, neurorehabilitation and pediatrics. The Level 1 fieldworks support students’ integration of learned information to applied clinical contexts.

Level 2

The curriculum also includes two (2) Level II fieldworks, each 12 weeks in length. Students are at fieldwork sites full-time during Level II experiences. Both experiences require the application of clinical reasoning and practical skills. Fieldwork takes place at approved facilities. Supervision ensures it meets professional accreditation standards. Students handle everything in the occupational therapy process during Level II, including costs.

The student must successfully complete all coursework and Level II fieldwork and pass a pre-NBCOT competency practice examination requirement prior to the commencement of the doctoral experiential component.

Capstone

The Capstone gives students a final learning experience in clinical practice, research, theory, leadership, program development, policy development, advocacy or education.  Capstone is a minimum of 14-weeks or 560 hours and must occur under the supervision of a mentor with expertise in the area of the Capstone. Prior fieldwork or work experience may not be substituted for Capstone. Capstones may not occur at a student’s place of employment. Capstone is student driven and provides the opportunity to apply didactic knowledge, leadership and advocacy skills in an area of interest. Students participate in two capstone preparation courses to develop their capstone project. The semester leading up to the Capstone rotation focuses beyond generalist content in order to round out the student skills for the capstone experience. 

**Students are responsible for all fieldwork and Capstone expenses.

Program Completion and Graduation

To graduate from the program, students must achieve a final grade of 75% or higher on all didactic courses, have a 3.0 overall GPA at the time of graduation, pass all fieldwork levels, and pass Capstone.

Students have up to 24 months after completion of the didactic coursework to complete both Level II Fieldwork rotations and Capstone experience. Timely completion of the program is monitored by the student and his/her faculty advisor using the Degree Works system.

NBCOT Certification Exam Procedures

Graduates of our program are eligible to sit for the National Certification Examination for Occupational Therapy, administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of the exam, the individual will be a registered Occupational Therapist (OTR). (NBCOT Exam Handbook).

To be eligible to take the NBCOT certification exam, OTR candidates must graduate with an entry-level occupational therapy degree from an ACOTE®-accredited occupational therapy (OT) program.

NBCOT® Academic Credential Verification Policy U.S. graduates examining for the first time must submit an official final transcript from the university that confirms eligibility for admission to the examination.

NBCOT® Academic Credential Verification Policy U.S. graduates examining for the first time must submit an official final transcript from the university that confirms eligibility for admission to the examination.

Licensure in the State of Arkansas

In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. The Arkansas State University OTD Program school code is 30508.

Felony Conviction Statement

**A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.**

essential functions of otd students

Upon admission, a student who discloses a properly certified disability will receive reasonable accommodations but must also be able to perform the essential functions of the curriculum and meet the standards for the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program.  Students seeking accommodations must contact Access & Accommodation Services. 

Essential functions for AState OTD students are as follows:

Motor Skills

Candidates for admission to the AState Department of Occupational Therapy must have sufficient motor function to elicit information from clients by palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other evaluation procedures.  Candidates must be able to execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general occupational therapy, including the physical strength to stand and ambulate with a walker, cane or crutches.  Candidates must have the physical strength to lift and transfer clients.

Therapeutic Occupational Therapy procedures require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and functional use of the sense of touch and vision.  For this reason, candidates for admission to the AState Department of Occupational Therapy must have manual dexterity and the ability to engage in procedures involving grasping, fingering, pushing, pulling, extending and rotation.

Sensory/Observational Skills

Candidates for admission to the AState Department of Occupational Therapy must be able to observe demonstrations and participate in laboratory experiments as required in the curriculum.  Candidates must be able to observe clients and be able to obtain an appropriate medical history directly from client or guardian.  Such observation necessitates the functional use of vision, hearing, and other sensory modalities.  Candidates must have visual perception that includes depth and acuity.

Communication Skills

Candidates for admission to the AState Department of Occupational Therapy must be able to communicate in English effectively and sensitively with clients.  In addition, candidates must be able to communicate in English in oral and written form with faculty, other health personnel, and peers in the classroom, laboratory and fieldwork settings.  Such communication skills include, but are not limited to, speech, reading and writing in English.  Candidates must have the ability to complete reading assignments, search and evaluate literature.  Candidates must be able to complete written assignments and maintain written records.  Candidates must have the ability to complete assessment exercises.  Candidates must also have the ability to use therapeutic communication, such as attending, clarifying, coaching, facilitating, and touching.  All of these skills will be needed in the classroom, laboratory, and fieldwork environments.

Intellectual/Conceptual, Integrative and Qualitative Skills

Candidates for admission to the AState Department of Occupational Therapy must have the ability to measure, calculate, reason, problem-solve, diagnose, and obtain, interpret, synthesize and document data.  These skills allow students to carry out proper assessments, make sound judgments; prioritize therapeutic interventions, and measure and record client care outcomes.  Candidates must have the ability to use computers for searching, recording, storing, and retrieving information.  In addition, candidates must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand spatial relationships of anatomic structures.

Behavioral/Social Skills and Professionalism:

Candidates for admission to the AState Department of Occupational Therapy must demonstrate attributes of empathy, integrity, concern for others interpersonal skills, interest and motivation.  Candidates must possess the emotional well-being required for use of their intellectual abilities, the exercise of sound judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities required for the evaluation and care of clients, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with clients.  Candidates must be able to adapt to ever-changing environments, display flexibility, and learn to function in the face of uncertainty and stress which are inherent in the educational process and clinical rotations. 

Candidates must have the ability to be assertive, delegate responsibilities, and function as part of an Occupational Therapy team.  Such abilities require organizational skills necessary to meet deadlines and manage time.