Online Doctorate in Occupational Therapy Programs (OTD) provides an easy, accessible way for people with a passion for occupational therapy to obtain the skills needed to advance their careers. Explore this Guide and discover what colleges offer programs for occupational therapist education by reading about their program offerings, tuition rates, and other statistics.
Suppose you are an occupational therapy student or graduate looking to expand your knowledge and credentials. In that case, you can use the Guide to Online Doctorate in Occupational Therapy Programs (OTD) to find the right program for your needs. In addition, find top online OT graduate programs that will broaden your career opportunities for Online Courses.
Doctoral Requirement for Entry-Level Occupational Therapists
Occupational therapy doctoral programs will prepare OTs to practice entry-level occupational therapy in various settings. The doctoral requirement for entry-level occupational therapists is a graduate degree in occupational therapy (OT). In addition, OTs who want to receive Medicare reimbursement must be licensed by the state they plan to practice.
Thus, the typical educational requirements include a master’s degree or doctorate and several hundred hours of clinical experience. The number of hours required will vary according to the program, but all schools require at least 120 hours of clinical experience.
Occupational Therapy Doctoral Degree Curriculums
Online Occupational Therapy Doctoral degree programs will provide students with skills to practice entry-level occupational therapy in various settings. Each school’s curriculum is different, but each will include clinical experience and coursework that focuses on research, theory, and application of occupational therapy.
The online doctoral degree program is typically part-time, with students spending between five and six years in graduate school. The curriculum includes psychology, sociology, and health services administration coursework that enhances the students’ understanding of their role as occupational therapists. In addition, the clinical experience students receive in their doctorate programs will prepare them to work with clients who need occupational therapy.
Occupational Therapy Doctoral Degree Online Costs
Doctoral in Occupational Therapy Degree online costs vary by program. Many schools offer tuition discounts for their online OT degree programs, so check their website for information on tuition rates, financial aid, and scholarships. These discounts can make a program that might have been out of reach financially more affordable. Some schools also offer merit-based scholarships.
Occupational Therapy Doctoral Degree Online Advantages
Online Occupational Therapy Doctoral programs can help students prepare for their future careers. Students will be able to learn from the comfort of their own homes, and they will be able to communicate with professors and classmates by e-mail and participate in virtual classrooms.
Online OT programs use many methods as on-campus programs to deliver course material, such as videos, text documents, and interactive discussions. Students who choose an online physician occupational therapy program could save money on tuition and complete their program in a shorter amount of time than on-campus students.
Occupational Therapy Doctoral Degree Online Information Sources
The Guide to Online Doctorate in Occupational Therapy Programs (OTD) is a comprehensive resource that contains hundreds of programs and statistics on undergraduate, graduate, and professional occupational therapy degrees. It can help new OT graduates find programs with affordable tuition and those who are already pursuing specialized education.
The site can also help occupational therapist students make informed decisions about their college careers by showing the number of clinical hours required for each program. The Guide also provides information on licensing requirements for occupational therapists and provides details about entrance exams for each school’s degree program.
Occupational Therapy Doctoral Degree Career Opportunities
Occupational therapists who hold doctoral degrees can practice in clinical or academic settings or pursue research or administrative roles. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for OTs is expected to grow 16% between now and 2020. Occupational Therapy Doctoral Degree Online Programs
Online occupational therapy programs provide the same online education as their on-campus counterparts, except they are not held on campus. They also offer a limited number of clinical hours to maintain an enrollment of students who work full-time.
Occupational Therapy Doctoral Degree Specializations
Occupational therapy programs provide students with the opportunity to learn how to apply occupational therapy principles in a variety of clinical settings. These areas of specialization are generally available in both academic and community settings and include pediatrics, neurology, geriatrics, women’s health, sports medicine, and vision impairment as how to sell online courses.
OTs will have many different job responsibilities depending on their specialty. For example, occupational therapists specializing in pediatric occupational therapy may work primarily with children at daycare centers and schools or provide follow-up care in outpatient or inpatient settings following a child’s injury or illness.
