Online Doctorates in Occupational Therapy: A Look Inside

In this guide, we’ll break down the benefits of earning your doctorate, degree options, curriculum details, and your job and salary outlook after graduation. To help you in your decision, we’ve also surveyed and vetted online OTD programs and PhD programs throughout the U.S. to come up with a list of the top online doctorates in occupational therapy. Keep reading to get started on your journey toward the highest echelons of occupational therapy.

Benefits of Earning a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy

Interested in working at the very top levels of the occupational therapy profession? Then an OT doctorate is likely in your future. The path to your doctorate, however, may or may not include a master’s in occupational therapy. Here’s a look at the main benefits of going for an OTD or PhD degree in occupational therapy.

After Your Master’s Degree

If you’re a practicing occupational therapist with a master’s degree, there are plenty of benefits to continuing on with your education. First and foremost, earning a doctoral OT degree can immediately make you more attractive to employers and place you directly in line for higher-paying and more advanced OT positions when compared to job candidates with only a master’s degree. And if you’re goal is to land a job as an OT teacher or researcher, earning a post-professional PhD in occupational therapy is highly recommended. In short, pursuing a post-professional OTD or PhD means higher pay, greater job growth potential, and a direct path to become a leader in your profession.

Instead of Your Master’s Degree

There are several reasons to consider skipping the OT master’s degree and going straight from your bachelor’s or non-OT master’s degree into an entry-level OTD program. Start with all of the benefits of holding an OTD degree discussed earlier. Additionally, going straight to an entry-level OTD program will save you time and money compared to earning an OT master’s and OTD separately. Here’s another good reason to consider an entry-level OTD degree over a master’s. The agency for administering accreditation of OT degree programs in the U.S., the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), has taken the position that the doctoral OT degree should eventually become the entry point for all OT professionals in the United States.

Exploring Degree Options for Online OT Doctorates

There are three primary OT doctorate options available with some level of online academics. Here’s a detailed look at each:

Entry-Level OTD (Doctor of Occupational Therapy)

The entry-level OTD degree is designed for individuals seeking to become leaders in the occupational therapy profession, but who are not currently working as licensed OTs. Admission requires a previously-earned bachelor’s or master’s degree from a properly-accredited program, and although the degree may be in practically any major, applicants are often required to have completed coursework in a number of relevant subjects. Most entry-level OTD programs are offered in a full-time study format requiring two-and-a-half to three years to complete. And while programs may feature some coursework that can be completed online, most require on-campus attendance for a substantial portion of the coursework, particularly non-doctoral level classes. Students are also be required to complete substantial in-person internship/fieldwork/practicum hours at an approved facility offering occupational therapy services. Graduates will be eligible to sit for NCBOT exam to become a licensed OT.

Post-Professional OTD (Doctor of Occupational Therapy)

If you’ve already earned your occupational therapy bachelor’s or master’s degree and are a licensed OT, the post-professional OTD is the next step in your pursuit of top-tier positions as an advanced practitioner. There are plenty of post-professional OTD programs that feature the vast majority (and sometimes all) of the required coursework online, as well as part-time study options. Credit hour requirements and program lengths vary somewhat depending on whether you enter your program with a bachelor’s or master’s degree (bachelor’s degree holders can expect to complete more courses than those with their master’s). OT master’s holders can expect to complete around 35 to 40 credit hours. Three years of part-time study is typical, although many programs allow longer, and full-time students in accelerated programs may be able to complete all degree requirements in a little as one year. All OTD curriculums culminate in completion of a capstone project.

PhD in Occupational Therapy (Doctor of Philosophy)

The PhD in Occupational Therapy is primarily for OT professionals interested in careers in academia as teachers, researchers, or both. Online OT PhD programs are rare and limited to post-professional programs. Two examples are those offered by Nova Southeastern University and Texas Woman’s University. Students normally complete their degrees with four to six years of study. However, students are typically allowed substantially more time (up to 10 years in some cases) to complete all program requirements. Online programs typically require some brief visits to campus throughout their courses of study, and programs require completion of a dissertation which may require an in-person presentation and defense.

Curriculum Details for Online OT Doctorate Programs

Regardless of the specific degree type or program you choose, there are certain core concepts and topics your OT doctorate curriculum will cover, and specific skills you will attain through your coursework, clinical hours, completion of your capstone project or dissertation, and continuing professional OT practice. Graduates gain knowledge and skills in all of the following areas:

• Leadership, decision-making, and advocacy.
• Team and interdisciplinary communication and collaboration.
• Professional ethics and social justice.
• Development of client-centered care from an inclusive, global perspective.
• Critical analysis, synthesis, and application of evidence-based information and data.
• Commitment to purposeful life-long learning.

FAQs About Online Occupational Therapy Doctoral Programs

Can you earn an occupational therapy doctorate completely online?

With the exception of some post-professional OTD programs, the answer is no. While many post-professional programs feature 100% online coursework, most also require some on-campus participation in the form of orientation sessions commonly at the beginning of each term or semester. And students opting for an entry-level program will find that, in most cases, a substantial amount of their coursework will be completed on campus. Entry-level program students will additionally be required to complete in-person internships, practicums, and/or fieldwork.

How long does it take to complete an occupational therapy doctorate online?

Below are common program length estimates for the different types of online OT doctorates. Bear in mind, however, that program lengths vary – sometimes substantially – by type of degree (entry-level OTD, post-professional OTD or PhD), curriculum requirements, specific program and school, and more. Another major factor affecting program length is how long it takes to complete the required capstone project or dissertation.

How much do online OT doctorate degree programs cost?

This depends on the degree type as well as the specific program. Other factors impacting cost include total program length, the number of credits that can be transferred in, and whether you are considered an in-state or out-of-state resident for tuition purposes. Another often significant factor is whether the program you choose is offered by a public or private university. With that in mind, we’ve included below tuition rates (as of fall 2019) for three online OT doctorate programs. Your total program costs will likely be greater, however, due to the cost of books, supplies, and additional fees.

Nova Southeastern University

Post-Professional PhD in Occupational Therapy

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Total Credits: 61

$677/credit

Towson
University

Occupational Therapy (OTD) – Post-Professional

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Total Credits: 33

$439/credit (in-state); $908/credit (out-of-state)

University of Nevada
Las Vegas

Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate (PP-OTD)

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Total Credits: 36

$285.75/credit (resident); $600/credit (non-resident)

Accreditation for Online OTD and PhD Occupational Therapy Programs

Accreditation of postsecondary schools and the programs they offer is the means by which those schools and programs are vetted for quality and determined to meet stated minimum academic standards. In short, proper accreditation is your way to be sure that the degree program you choose will be worth your time and money. There are two basic forms of postsecondary accreditation to look for. Institutional accreditation refers to the college or university as a whole. Institutional accreditation of U.S. colleges and universities is handled through several regional and national agencies approved by the Department of Education.

Programmatic accreditation concerns the quality of individual degree programs offered by postsecondary schools and is typically administered by one or more professional associations representing specific occupations. Accreditation of occupational therapy doctoral programs in the U.S. is administered by The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).

Information regarding current institutional and programmatic accreditation of OT degree programs can normally be found on the program’s official website or the school’s accreditation page, or by checking this DOE database. Institutional accreditation can also be confirmed by visiting the appropriate accrediting agency’s website. Accreditation of OT doctorate programs can also be checked on this AOTA accredited program list.

Job and Salary Outlook for OTDs and PhD Educated Occupational Therapists

For those considering a doctorate in Occupational Therapy (OTD) or a PhD in the field, the career outlook and earning potential are promising. Nationally, demand for occupational therapists is projected to grow by 11.5% by 2030, adding 16,000 jobs, with an average of 9,600 openings per year due to growth and retirements. States with strong demand include Arizona, with a projected growth of 28.3%, and Tennessee, at 27.7%.

Salary potential is also a draw: occupational therapists earn a national median salary of $96,370, and some states offer particularly high wages. In California, the median annual income is $112,390, while in New Jersey and New York, it's over $100,000. For top earners, salaries can reach up to $158,080 in New York and $148,760 in California. With high demand and strong salary potential, a doctorate in occupational therapy opens doors to impactful, well-paying roles.