Dual Degrees
The Occupational Therapy Doctorate and the Doctor of Philosophy
Are you interested in becoming a faculty member in an occupational therapy educational
program? Would you like to discover new knowledge through a research career? To prepare
you for a faculty position in academia or as a researcher, we offer the dual degree
of Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) and a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) with majors
in exercise science or in health education. The dual degree is designed to meet the
growing need for occupational therapy faculty members who are prepared to conduct
and mentor research. The graduates of the dual degree program will have the credentials
and skills to practice as occupational therapists and to succeed in careers in academia.
Admission to the OTD/PhD is a two-step process. The first step is admission to the
OTD program. In the first, second or third year of the OTD program, the student completes
the second step by applying for admission to the PhD program. If selected for admission,
students may apply up to 18 credits of their OTD program for credit in the PhD program
in exercise science or up to 19 credits in the PhD program in health education. This
is the first such dual degree in the country and an exciting opportunity for students
interested in pursuing an academic career path. More details are available from the
Occupational Therapy Program.