Online Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate

OTD

Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate

Online

Inspire change in the community you serve and transform the profession with Quinnipiac’s online Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate.

Student plays with an infant as part of OT instruction and therapy demonstrations in the Movement Lab

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Program Overview

An occupational therapy student evaluates a patient in the simulation suite — **Transform into an agent of change.** See how the Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) is designed for practicing registered occupational therapists who want to merge their experience and practical skills with contemporary professional knowledge and scholarship.

Become a change leader in occupational therapy

Occupational therapy is an evolving profession that will continue to expand new health services into a wide range of environments. Our Post-Professional OTD program produces agents of change who stand out as leaders in moving the profession forward.

The program is ideal for practicing registered occupational therapists who want to merge their experience and practical skills with contemporary knowledge and scholarship. We provide an ideal pathway for you to expand your role within your current practice, further your credibility to open or enhance your own practice, or transition into a teaching role.

The curriculum is designed for working professionals, consisting of 32 credits broken up into unique modules that may be completed in less than 2 years. There is a single, week-long residency requirement that is completed during your first summer in the program; the rest is completed entirely online. Coursework emphasizes an evidence-based approach to modern challenges and explores systems of practice, program development, advocacy, and leadership. All work within the program can be tailored to your own unique interests and practice area.

Practicing occupational therapists with a bachelor’s degree may enter the program via completion of our BS to OTD track.

Which OT Program is Right for You?

Earning a Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT) or Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree allows you to take the national certification exam and become a licensed occupational therapist. Our degrees in occupational therapy position graduates to promote health and participation for people across the lifespan — whether you are a newcomer to the field or an experienced practitioner looking to advance your credentials.

Explore and compare our Occupational Therapy programs

Our Reputation

Named a Best Grad School for Occupational Therapy

U.S. News & World Report

Ranked #3 - Best Rehabilitation & Therapeutic Professions Schools in the New England Region (2022)

College Factual

Program Statistics

+60% National Recognition

Over 60% of OTD students in the online program have had their work accepted for dissemination.

7 AOTA Fellows

Being an American Occupational Therapy Association fellow provides these faculty with a vast network of information and resources for keeping pace with an evolving profession.

Actively making a difference

Students, faculty create AI-powered tool to improve quality of life for those with physical disabilities

November 8, 2024

Quinnipiac students and staff created a prototype for AccessiMove, an AI-powered accessibility tool that allows those with motor impairments to use computers. The tool uses facial recognition such as “nose-bridge tracking” to anticipate the needs of users.

Connect With Your Admissions Counselor

Grover Lee Boyd

Associate Director of Graduate Admissions

Bachelor of Arts in Professional Studies Admissions Representative

Bachelor of Science in Health Science Studies Admissions Representative

In Their Own Words

Taylor Rahe ’19, MOT ’21, OTD ’23

“In terms of having the confidence and capacity to transition into private practice, I think the overall spirit of the OT department helped develop that. The professors are super passionate about their work and our profession and I think that passion instilled in me is a major driving force in my career.”

Chris Ryan, OTD ’20

“My experience in the Post-Professional OTD program at Quinnipiac was one filled with opportunities to develop each of those skills that I am now passing on to my own students as a faculty member of another occupational therapy program. The strength of the QU program is the faculty. Throughout my time in the program, I found them to be both challenging and supportive. I was continuously challenged to step outside my comfort zone and when I did, the faculty provided direction and encouragement to facilitate my personal growth. In short, my time at QU was the most fruitful of all of my academic experiences.”

Katherine Chinnici ’16, MOT ’18, OTD ’22

“I was working in the neuro-ICU at Tampa General as a student in 2017, and almost four years to the exact day, I started working there full-time as an employee. Without Quinnipiac making that initial connection, I wouldn’t have built those relationships. I truly feel Quinnipiac is the reason I am where I am today and working at one of the best hospitals in the area.”

Tracey Zeiner, OTD ’17

“Learning the techniques and tools to function effectively in this new world gave me the confidence to pursue my dream of teaching and to ultimately participate in developing a new school of occupational therapy in Fort Smith, Arkansas.”

Kassi N. ’20

"The last seven weeks were like discovering new areas of our childhood home, or making a new turn in a familiar neighborhood: just as we thought our understanding of the field was maturing to a point of comfortability, we learned that whatever brief plateau we had was merely a stepping stone to a deeper, more robust understanding of an amorphous field that requires collaboration and transfer of knowledge just as it does individual comprehension and mastery."

Dennis Aptaker, OTD ’15

"Through my participation in this program, I have developed and enhanced the skills necessary to bridge research and practice, which has increased my distinct value as a member of the health care workforce."

Mindy Garfinkel, OTD ’15

“We are encouraged to share our experiences with our classmates in an effort to bridge theory and practice. Although I have over 25 years of clinical experience, the education that I’ve received in this program has deepened my understanding of factors relating to my practice, and I believe that it has helped me to become a better clinician.”

Shannon Scott, OTD ’15

“I was employed as an OT practitioner while pursuing my advanced OT degree and was able to immediately apply everything I was learning, including research on current evidence in my area of interest. The depth of my knowledge, understanding and application improved with each new course and new assignment. I not only gained confidence in my current position but in my ability to take on new roles within my professional organization and be a more effective practitioner at the individual level, organizational and societal levels.”