Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Program Mission

To glorify God by preparing students to become occupational therapists who exhibit excellence in clinical practice, research, and servant leadership in order to holistically treat patients and serve communities in which they live and work.

Program Vision

To earn a reputation as a leading contributor to the field of occupational therapy by graduating exceptional occupational therapists who have a heart for service, advancing the field through the development of distinguished faculty members, promoting academic and professional excellence through academic research, and serving the local community through exemplary therapy services.

Program Goals

In order to achieve our mission and fulfill our vision, the OT program has set the following program goals:

1. Teach students to apply research skills and the principles of evidence-based practice in order to provide relevant, quality services to all patients.

2. Train students to engage in inter-professional practice and the integration of faith into clinical practice to serve the community with holistic healthcare services.

3. Prepare graduates to be servant-leaders in their communities and professionals of integrity by promoting the values and ethics of occupational therapy.

4. Provide a quality academic experience that results in retention and graduation rates of 80% or above for each cohort.

5. Graduate students with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve a pass rate on the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy Examination (NBCOT) at or above 80% within twelve (12) months of graduation.

6. Produce competent therapists, as evidenced by an OTR employment rate within twelve (12) months of graduation at or above 80%.

Student Learning Outcomes

In order to fulfill the intent to teach students via implementation of the experiential learning theory, the program developed the following Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs):

1. Synthesize foundational knowledge, theories, and basic tenets of occupational therapy for entry-level practice across the lifespan and the continuum of care.

2. Conduct the clinical process, including referral, screening, assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and discharge, in order to deliver client-centered, evidence-based, and occupation-based services.

3. Apply knowledge of professional issues, including ethics, values, and responsibilities, to leadership and management of all service delivery contexts.

4. Employ interpersonal and communication skills necessary to effectively communicate and collaborate with all healthcare team members, as well as communicate with patients and their families to provide optimal inter-professional care.

5. Engage in qualitative and quantitative research in order to describe and interpret the scope of the profession, build research capacity, establish new knowledge, and apply this knowledge in practice.

6. Utilize knowledge and skills to serve the local and global community to be the hands and feet of Christ.

Admission Requirements

*Application must be completed in OTCAS.

Degree and GPA Requirements

• Applicants must complete a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution prior to the start of the OTD program and have a cumulative undergraduate institutional GPA of at least a 3.0 (Relevant graduate work may be considered at the discretion of the admissions committee). The program does not admit students based on the ability to benefit.

Prerequisite Courses and Prerequisite GPA Requirement

• All applicants must complete each of the following prerequisites with a grade of “C” or better and must have a minimum prerequisite grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or greater on a 4.0 scale.
  • 4 credits Biology, Physics, Chemistry, and/or Kinesiology credits (lab not required)
  • 4 credits Anatomy & Physiology I or Anatomy credits (lab required)
  • 4 credits Anatomy & Physiology II or Physiology credits (lab required)
  • 8 total credits Psychology and/or Sociology
  • 3 credits Mathematical or Psychological Statistics credits
• *If a prerequisite is retaken, the higher of the first or second grade attempt will be used to calculate the prerequisite GPA.
• *No more than two prerequisite courses can be repeated.

Letters of Recommendation

• Two letters of recommendation are required with the application.
  • One letter must be from a licensed occupational therapy practitioner (OT or OTA) who can provide information about your professional demeanor, communication skills, and understanding of occupational therapy.
  • One letter must come from a professor, a community leader (such as a coach, mentor, or former employer), or a trusted individual in a position of moral or ethical guidance who can speak to your character, sincerity, and dedication to completing a graduate professional program.

Observation Hours

• Minimum 20 hours observation required with licensed OT or OTA. (pediatrics, mental health, home health, acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient clinic, etc.) *2 different settings are preferred.

Personal Statement

• The personal statement is expected to be your own work not generated, enhanced, or developed with AI.

Complete the Supplemental Information, Attestations, and Essential Functions Form (located in OTCAS under the program questions) 

Partcipate in Interview

The program does not award credit to students for any previous course or work experience. The Faulkner Occupational Therapy Program does not accept transfer students.  

Credit for Previous Courses/Work Experience

• The program does not award credit to students for any previous course or work experience. The Faulkner Occupational Therapy Program does not accept transfer students.

Applications will be considered once everything is submitted and verified in OTCAS.

2025/26 Admissions Timeline

The Faulkner OTD Program has developed a timeline for potential program applicants. If invited for an on-site interview, please anticipate meeting with faculty of the Faulkner OTD Program, completing a writing prompt, and touring the College of Health Sciences.

2025 Interview Schedule.pdf ​ ​

If selected for admission, the non-refundable $500 seat deposit will be due on the published seat deposit due date. If selected for admission and unable to enroll after paying the seat deposit due to extenuating circumstances, applicants may petition the program in writing to request a one-time/one admission cycle deferral; a final deferral determination to be made by the program. The program admits student cohorts each Fall semester.

Deferment of Admission 

Extenuating circumstances may impact an applicants’ ability to accept admission into the Faulkner University Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program. Applicants may request to defer acceptance into the program once. Applicants who have paid a seat deposit after being offered admissions but are unable to enroll during the cycle in which they were admitted, may petition the program to defer their admission into the program for one admission cycle (12 months). The applicant will forfeit their seat and seat deposit if they do not enroll during the subsequent cycle. Failure to enroll in the next cycle forfeits the deferment and the applicant will need to restart the application process for consideration in other admission cycles. Applicants requesting deferment must provide a written request that includes a detailed explanation of the reasons for the deferment (i.e. - family emergency, death in the family, catastrophic or life changing events, extreme financial hardship, military service, etc.). The written request must be submitted to the OTD program director no later than July 31st. The OTD program will review the request to make a determination. The OTD program will notify the applicant in writing of the final decision within 30 days of receiving the request.

Student Employment
Due to the rigorous nature of the curriculum, students are highly discouraged from engage in off-campus employment. If a student is approved for federal work-study, the student may be permitted to work a limited number of hours per week on campus. Some students with exemplary knowledge of course work may function as a paid peer tutor. Matriculation through the OTD program at Faulkner University is a full-time responsibility. Students should expect OTD program activities to occur Monday through Friday between 7:30am and 5:30pm, as well as some nights and weekends.

Technology Requirements
Occupational Therapy program students are required to have a laptop with a camera, microphone, and WIFI capabilities. The laptop should also be compatible with the minimum system requirements for ExamSoft.

https://examsoft.com/resources/examplify-minimum-system- requirements/

Students are expected to maintain their own technology equipment throughout their time in the OTD program. The program is not responsible for students’ personal equipment that is left unattended in the building.

Health Insurance
All students are required to provide evidence of personal health insurance upon admission to the OTD program. This insurance will be needed for coverage of laboratory testing and medications (if necessary) in the event of an exposure incident. Additionally, health insurance may be required as a site-specific requirement for fieldwork placements. It is the responsibility of the student to maintain health insurance coverage (i.e. - active status) throughout the program of study.

Immunization Requirements
Immunization records must be submitted upon being admitted to the program prior to orientation. All vaccine/immunization records must include full date details (i.e., month/day/year) and the health care providers’ signatures. Health care provider initials may be considered sufficient if the document is on the letterhead (including the name and address of the practice) of a health care provider. School records which merely reflect dates of administration will NOT be accepted. Immunization records submitted without thorough documentation such as date received, lot #, expiration date, etc., may not be accepted at clinical sites, and student will be required to repeat vaccines or obtain titers in lieu of vaccines if applicable.

Proof of the following immunizations is required prior to any clinical participation:

• Tdap - Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis (must be renewed every 10 years)
• Tuberculin Skin Test or chest X-ray as indicated (within the past year and again annually while participating in program)
• MMR - 2 doses or Positive Titer - Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (must submit lab report)
• Varicella - 2 doses or Positive Titer (Lab report required for Titers.)
• Hep B Series - 3 doses (dose 2 (30) days after dose 1, does 3 (5 months) after dose 2).
• Meningitis - complete primary dose/series or Positive Titer (Lab Report required for Titers).

The following immunizations are recommended by the college, but may be required by clinical sites as a site-specific requirement:

• Flu - Due annually and must be current flu season (September - April). Receipts not accepted.
• COVID-19

*** Please note than any titer results that are negative may require a repeat of vaccine doses and additional titer screening.

Background Check Policy
Graduation from the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program at Faulkner University requires students to interact with others in various settings, both inside and outside of the classroom. One of the graduation requirements is the successful completion of the fieldwork education component of the curriculum. Because many fieldwork education sites are legally required to perform background checks on all individuals who interact with patients, background checks are often required for student placements. Therefore, a criminal background check is required of all students admitted into the Faulkner Occupational Therapy Program. Students may be required to have additional background checks as a site-specific requirement during fieldwork. Students are responsible for the cost of these additional background checks and any other site-specific fieldwork requirements such as drug screens, immunizations and such.

The initial background check report completed at admission is included in the clinical fee and will be made available online to the OT Program Director. Reports will be permanently archived online with Universal Background Screening Inc. Printed copies can be made available to the student upon request. When a fieldwork site requests a copy of the report, it is the student’s responsibility to deliver the report. The academic program will only provide a copy of the report to a student’s fieldwork education site if specifically requested by the site and student. Students acknowledge and agree to the release of this information to the fieldwork education site when they sign the Student Agreement Form. The offer of admission will be revoked for failure to complete a background check within the defined timeframe or if the results are unsatisfactory.
In the event the institution receives an affirmative background check response, the student will be notified of the results and be provided an opportunity to clarify the items in his or her background prior to a final admission decision. If any criminal history, sanctions, debarments, exclusions, suspensions or other adverse results are reported in subsequent background checks, the student will be dismissed from the program. Students will not be allowed to progress with fieldwork placements or be retained in the program if criminal history, sanctions, debarments, exclusions, suspensions or other adverse results are reported.

Disclaimer: The Criminal Background Check Policy and process at Faulkner University does not guarantee the safety of students, faculty, patients or staff, nor is it able to predict the individual’s future behavior in the program or the profession. An acceptable student background check, as determined by the institution, state or experiential site, does not guarantee the student will be eligible to complete the program, fieldwork affiliation, obtain an occupational therapy license or employment. An NBCOT Early Determination Review or affiliate/fieldwork site may interpret the results of the background check differently or discover other information not present in previous searches.

Graduation Eligibility

To qualify for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy Degree, the following conditions must be met:

1. The student must complete all Institutional requirements for graduation, including meeting all financial obligations, and completing all required courses, including Fieldwork and Capstone, with requisite grades.

2. The student must successfully complete all Occupational Therapy courses with a cumulative 3.0 GPA or higher.

3. The student must earn a passing rate on their fieldwork assessments (AOTA Fieldwork Performance Evaluation: FWPE) at the completion of each Level II fieldwork experience.

4. The student must successfully complete Capstone (Project & Experience) including dissemination.

5. Students must complete all program requirements according to the Degree-Plan Course Sequence guide. The program is aware that circumstances may arise that would require an extension of the time needed to complete the program course requirements and that delays may affect an on-time, on-schedule graduation. Attaining the Faulkner OTD degree requires the successful completion of all didactic courses, clinical fieldworks, and a capstone project and experience as sequenced into eight consecutive semesters. Students must complete all didactic coursework in the first five (5) semesters with satisfactory progress to advance to Level II fieldwork in semesters six and seven. All didactic and Level II fieldwork must be successfully completed before starting Capstone. Completion of all Level two fieldworks and the Capstone must be completed within a 24-month period of time after the completion of the didactic portion of the program.

Degree Requirements

Licensure and/or Certification Note

This program leads to licensure and or certification. For more information regarding licensure or certification in your state, please see the link below: https://www.faulkner.edu/consumer-information/state-authorization/