Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program
- Home
- Faculty
- Careers in Occupational Therapy
- Admissions
- Course Delivery Model
- Purposeful Living: The Role of Occupational Therapy
- Accreditation
- Continuing Education
Contact Us
Professor, Director, Occupational Therapy Program
Office: HH 2102B
Phone: 419.530.6692
Fax: 419.530.4780
alexia.metz@utoledo.edu
UToledo’s OTD Program
Curriculum Design
The UToledo Occupational Therapy Doctoral (OTD) Program is eight consecutive semesters. The first five are all on campus, and the rest are full-time experiences in occupational therapy practice settings. The curriculum includes a scholarly research project and a capstone semester. Working closely with faculty members, students plan and implement individualized projects, to connect with the program’s four organizing elements: Practice, Advocacy, Research, and Autonomous Decision Making (PARADM).
Scholarly Projects
The 2023 Standards for an accredited educational program for the Occupational Therapist, officially adopted by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education, require that graduates of OTD programs have the ability to design and implement a research study. The OTD student learns to appreciate the process of scientific inquiry and gains valuable insight for evidence-informed practice. OTD students conduct research that advances knowledge and practice in occupation-based therapeutic approaches. Students present their projects during Spring Final’s week.
Capstone Experience
The Capstone Experience prepares OTD students to be autonomous decision-makers by allowing them to plan and conduct a project at a self-selected site. It occurs in the program’s final semester (after 24 weeks of full-time supervised fieldwork). It is a full-time, 15-week, on-site experience. Capstone projects can be Case Study, Program Development/Modification, Course Development, Advocacy or Research. Students present their projects during Spring Final’s week.
