Post-Professional Doctorate Program

The Misericordia University Online Post Professional Doctoral Degree is the academic experience you are looking for to launch into the next phase of your career, whether it be into academia, to re-invigorate your clinical practice, or to establish an entirely new direction based on your unique years of experience and vision for the future.

With over 100 doctoral graduates, we have the outcomes to demonstrate that our program can prepare you for a role in academia, academic leadership, as a private practice practitioner or business owner, entrepreneur, advanced practice clinician or theorist. Our graduates have gone on to achieve recognition through AOTA, conduct numerous presentations and publications, present nationally and internationally, and attain leadership positions on various boards, advocating for the profession.

When you enter our program, we will support you in deciding upon a Clinical Dissertation, which will be your individualized way to express your passion for occupational therapy, and is a unique element of our post professional degree. Some of the assignments in other coursework, and your choice of electives, may contribute to your clinical dissertation, which is done under the mentorship of a faculty member in two sequenced courses.

Doctoral students are required to take 6 credits of electives, which may be transferred in from other graduate education upon approval of the PPOTD Program Director and Registrar. Electives offered are varied and include courses on teaching and transitioning to academia; mental health, trauma and interoception; vision therapy, issues surrounding current school-based practice, geriatric care management, upper extremity rehabilitation and acute care practice. For further program information, feel free to reach out to PPOTD Program Director Dr. Ellen McLaughlin, OTR/L, FAOTA at emclaughlin@misericordia.edu.

The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education does not recognize post professional degrees, yet has been approved by received the Middle States Association and the Pennsylvania Department of Education for the Doctorate of Occupational Therapy Program.

OT Student Capstones & Accomplishments

Click here for OT Student Accomplishments

Why a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy?

OTD graduates are agents of positive change, social responsibility, and ethical care who are prepared for major career advancements. With a doctorate in Occupational Therapy, you can choose from a variety of available career paths such as:

Influence public policy with knowledge of how occupation impacts health
Start your own business or private practice
Develop and research programs that will enable occupational therapists to be responsive to public health concerns of the 21st century
Enter academia as a faculty member, academic fieldwork coordinator, or OTA program director.

Let us know if you're interested

Required

Curricular Synopsis

The total program is 24 credits. The 18 credits of “core” OTD coursework address the competencies required of leaders and advocates in the profession and emphasize evidence based practice, current theories and trends, public policy and advocacy, scholarship and program development. This efficient curriculum is comprehensive with specialized knowledge, to support your future goals. Clinical Dissertation requires the integration of these content areas into an individualized advanced project. Each student also completes 6 credits of electives, for a total of 24 credits of doctoral coursework.

Program Delivery

The program is designed to be completed part-time (2 classes per semester) over a 4 -semester sequence, beginning each Fall.
Spring starts and revisions to the curricular sequence are possible, and may be discussed for consideration with the PPOTD Program director
All courses are offered online, some with both synchronous and asynchronous components.
“OTD Scholar Days” are opportunities for all doctoral students and a faculty to get together for both social and academic experiences twice a year…one each fall and spring. These 1day experiences are held on campus, and students have the opportunity to attend face to face or virtually through Zoom.

Program Sequence and Routes of Entry

Applicants must possess either an ELM degree in OT or a bachelor’s degree in OT and a post professional master’s degree to be considered for the program.

The OTD curricular sequence includes the following 2 courses each semester:
Fall 1: OTD 633 Issues and Evidence and Elective
Spring: OTD 657 Program Development and Grant Writing and OTD 655 Clinical Dissertation I
Summer: OTD 643 Education, Presentation and Publication and Elective
Fall 2: OTD 625 Supporting Public Policy and Advocacy and OTD 656 Clinical Dissertation II

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