Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Caitlyn Foy, OTD, MOTR/L, Program Director

Our post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program uniquely positions you as a future leader, advanced content expert, or academic, with an emphasis on interprofessional collaboration. Choose a specialty track that meets your needs and interests, including Remedial Vision Rehabilitation, Low Vision Rehabilitation, and Health and Wellness. The program is designed to be convenient for full-time working professionals.

What We Offer:

1. Learn online: All but two courses are online using interactive computer based technology.
2. Learn didactically and experientially: Come twice to our beautiful campus in suburban Philadelphia to study face-to-face with our faculty and engage in dynamic hands-on learning activities and community-based experiences during two five day (Wednesday through Sunday) residency courses.
3. Two options in program length: 16 months (two-three courses per semester) or 27 months (one-two course per semester), both using a distance learning format, plus two on-campus 5-day residency courses.
4. Choose one of our three specialty tracks; each specialty track reflects a unique cutting-edge area of OT practice that aligns with Salus University’s highly regarded niche in health care.
   • Low Vision Rehabilitation: This track is designed to prepare occupational therapists to specialize in working with persons with severe visual impairment via state-of-the-art training from an internationally recognized faculty of experts in the field of low vision. Courses concentrate on low vision assessment and intervention techniques to enhance participation in occupations and daily living skills for clients for whom vision impacts their independence and quality of life.
   • Remedial Vision Rehabilitation: Pediatrics and Acquired Brain Injury: This track is designed to enable occupational therapists to gain a comprehensive understanding of vision problems that are prevalent in the acquired brain injury and pediatric populations. Students will learn how to screen for the most commonly occurring problems and perform remedial vision rehabilitation for clients with these problems with ongoing collaboration with an optometrist.
   • Health and Wellness: This track is designed to enable occupational therapists to gain a comprehensive and advanced/evidence-based perspectives of holistic and innovative health care for individuals, groups or populations with or at-risk for chronic illness or disability. Students will be exposed to OT's role in health assessment and health promotion activities across the life span, global and cultural perspectives, community initiatives, primary care, and women's health.
5. Learn from nationally recognized faculty members who have published research and written textbooks in their fields of specialization.
6. Start Date: January 2021; applications will be accepted until November 15, 2020
7. Total credit hours: 30

Specialty Track Certificates

Earn a specialty certificate as a stand-alone program or to be applied to the post professional doctoral degree. You will have the opportunity to learn from nationally recognized faculty members who have published research and written textbooks in their fields of specialization.

Choose one of our three specialty tracks; each specialty track reflects a unique cutting-edge area of OT practice that aligns with Salus University’s highly regarded niche in health care.

Each track consists of four 3 credit courses. Two courses are online, and two are given as five day residency courses to facilitate hands-on experiential learning.

Low Vision Rehabilitation

This track prepares occupational therapists to specialize in working with persons with severe visual impairment via state-of-the-art training from an internationally recognized faculty of experts in the field of low vision. Courses concentrate on low vision assessment and intervention techniques to enhance participation in occupations and daily living skills for clients for whom vision impacts their independence and quality of life.

Remedial Vision Rehabilitation

Pediatrics and Acquired Brain Injury: This track is designed to enable occupational therapists to gain a comprehensive understanding of vision problems that are prevalent in the acquired brain injury and pediatric populations. Students will learn how to screen for the most commonly occurring problems and perform remedial vision rehabilitation for clients with these problems with ongoing collaboration with an optometrist.

Health and Wellness for Occupational Therapists

This track will enable occupational therapists from any area of clinical practice to develop advanced expertise in holistic and innovative health care skills to assist individuals, groups or populations with or at-risk for chronic illness or disability. Students will be exposed to health assessment and health promotion activities across the life span, global and cultural perspectives, women's health care, community initiatives and primary care.

Start date: January each year; applications will be accepted until November 15 prior to the start of the spring semester.

Total credit hours: 12 (four 3 credit courses)

Admission requirement: An applicant to the post-professional Specialty Track Certificate Programs must have completed a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy program, or a bachelor's degree in a related profession, from an accredited undergraduate college or university.

Admissions

The College of Health Sciences Education and Rehabilitation (CHER) Department of Occupational Therapy accepts applications to the post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) and Certificate programs online through the GradCAS application service.

The intended program start date of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) and Certificate programs is in the spring term, each January.

• Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. The deadline for the January 2020 start date is November 15, 2019.
• The Admissions Committee review and selection begins after applicants have sent all the necessary documents to the Office of Admissions.
• To receive priority consideration, applicants are encouraged to apply early and to complete the application requirements as soon as possible.

If you are interested in applying to the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) or Certificate programs or have questions regarding the application process, please contact an Admissions Counselor by email at [e-mail] or by phone at 800.824.6262 or 215.780.1301 prior to initiating the online application.

Criteria & Prerequisites

The College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation (CHER) is seeking individuals who have the educational background, interest and motivation for advancing their occupational therapy careers, consistent with the program’s stated mission, goals and objectives.

An applicant to the post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) degree program must have completed a master's degree from an accredited college or university.

An applicant to the post-professional specialty Certificate Programs must have completed a bachelor’s degree in an occupational therapy program, or a bachelor's degree in a related profession, from an accredited undergraduate college or university.*

*Applicants in the Low Vision Rehabilitation specialty track must have completed a bachelor’s degree in an occupational therapy program from an accredited undergraduate college or university.

To Be Considered, An Applicant Must:

Salus University is now accepting applications through the GradCAS centralized application service. Please follow all instructions as indicated on the application portal.

• Submit a completed application through GradCAS: If new to the GradCAS application portal, you will need to create a new account. Once your account is created:
  • Click Add Program at the top of the application home page.
  • Use the search filters to locate the Salus University, Post-Professional Doctorate or Certificate in Occupational Therapy programs.
  • Complete the application's four core sections: Personal Information, Academic History, Supporting Information, and Program Materials.
  • Utilize the GradCAS Applicant Help Center as a resource.
  • A non-refundable fee of $124.00 is required. Payment may be made through the GradCAS application portal.
• Submit official transcripts from all colleges (undergraduate, graduate, professional) attended. Partial transcripts should be submitted if courses are still in progress. Official transcripts must be issued directly to the GradCAS Transcript Processing Center from each institution, not to the student. A transcript marked "issued to student" is not acceptable, even when delivered in a sealed envelope.
  • Further instructions on submitting official transcripts.
• OTD Applicants: Submit copies of OT Licensure and NBCOT certification to the Office of Admissions (may be uploaded to GradCAS or sent via email to [e-mail]):
  • Proof of occupational therapy certification or eligibility for certification in the U.S. (copy of NBCOT certification, state license, or application for same).
  • Proof of licensure to practice (if applicable in the state of current practice).
  • International students must present their country of residence’s equivalent documentation.
• Specialty Track Certificate Applicants: Submit copies of your professional licensure to the Office of Admissions (may be may be uploaded to GradCAS or sent via email to [e-mail])
• Educational Resume/Curriculum Vitae – the document should list, in chronological order, an applicant's education and work experiences, publications, honors and achievements to date. Submitted through the GradCAS application portal.
• Arrange for one letter of evaluation to be submitted through the GradCAS application portal on your behalf. References will be contacted by GradCAS and provided with instructions on how to submit an evaluation electronically. The reference may be one of the following:
  • A teaching faculty member (at the undergraduate level or above) or research/clinical supervisor assessing your ability to complete graduate work, and qualifications for a professional scholarly career; or
  • A person with authority (i.e. work supervisor, OT professional, etc.) regarding your work and/or assessing your qualifications for graduate education, ability to complete graduate work, and qualifications for a professional scholarly career.
  • The reference should be from someone who is not related to the applicant and is familiar with the applicant's academic work, employment record, and/or personal characteristics.
• International Students, please review below any additional requirements needed.
• All credentials submitted on behalf of an applicant become a part of that applicant’s file with the University and cannot be returned.

Please note: It will be necessary for any OTD degree or certificate student to belong to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) in order to access certain library resources.*

*This requirement may be waived for the Specialty Track Certificate programs only, as determined on a case by case basis.

International Students & Practitioners

International students who are interested in applying to the post-professional OTD program are advised to speak to the Office of Admissions prior to application. Please call 800.824.6262 to speak with an admissions counselor.

Note: For international students who wish to practice in the U.S., the post-professional OTD degree does not guarantee eligibility to sit for the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). For more information on eligibility requirements, please visit the NBCOT website.

International Transcripts

For international students and practitioners who have completed their college degree(s) outside of the U.S. or Canada, please submit the following information:

• A document-by-document credential review from an accredited agency, which evidences all post-secondary studies completed. Please consult the agency's website for requirements to complete the evaluation.
• An official evaluation may be sent from the agency directly to:
  • GradCAS Transcript Processing Center
    PO Box 9217
    Watertown, MA 02471
• These services are provided by various agencies including:
  • World Education Services
    PO Box 5087, Bowling Green Station
    New York, NY 10274-5087
    Phone: [phone]
    www.wes.org
  • Further instructions on submitting foreign credential evaluations.

English Language Proficiency

Fluency in written and spoken English is essential for success in a Salus University academic program as well as to help ensure patient/client safety and/or effective communication with members of a healthcare team. Official results from the TOEFL (or IELTS) examination are required for all students for whom English is a second language (ESL).

Exceptions will be made for ESL applicants who hold degrees or diplomas from accredited post-secondary institutions in countries where English is the official language and in which English is the language of instruction (e.g. the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand).

The TOEFL (or IELTS) examination must be taken within two years prior to the start date of the entering class to which an applicant seeks admission.

• If submitting TOEFL scores, please use the GradCAS code of B886.
• If submitting IELTS scores, please send scores directly to Salus University, Office of Admissions.

Admissions Selection Process

Admission procedures and policies include appropriate consideration of an individual applicant’s educational credentials and professional experience. In addition, it is expected that the successful candidate for the degree (OTD or Specialty Track Certificate) program will possess:

• A documented record of academic achievement.
• Demonstrated academic competency in mathematics/quantitative methods.
• English language skills (both written and oral) essential to the successful completion of the coursework.

Interview Process

During the review process, the academic background of the applicant is assessed to determine academic eligibility and his/her entry point into the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) or Certificate programs. Each candidate is evaluated by the College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation Admissions Committee and the evaluation includes a formal interview. The interview will provide further insight into the applicant’s character and motivation, and allows an applicant the opportunity to speak with faculty within the College. Interviews may be held via phone conference or Skype.

Notification of Acceptance

An applicant may be notified of his or her acceptance on a rolling admissions basis. Upon receipt of acceptance, an applicant is required to complete the Matriculation Supplement form in order to reserve a seat in the program.

Advanced Standing or Transfer Credit

As per the College of Health Sciences, Education and Rehabilitation policy, credit by transfer may be accepted for any course within the curriculum when it is determined that the transfer course is substantially equivalent to that offered by the College and OT program. This equivalency will be determined by the course instructor and the program director. Only courses in which the student receives a grade of ‘B’ or above will be considered for transfer. The maximum number of semester hour credits a student may earn by transfer is six (6) semester hour credits. No credit is given for experiential learning.

Deferment of Admission

An accepted student with an unforeseen, extenuating circumstance prohibiting them from matriculating may request a deferment of admission in writing. The request must be directed to both the Dean of Student Affairs and the OTD Program Director, and made via the Office of Admissions.

For deferment consideration, the following is required:

• A deferment request submitted in writing by December 15, before the January start of the academic year. Please note, submission of a deferral request by the deadline does not guarantee approval.
• Official documentation verifying the extenuating circumstance.
• All matriculation materials must be received (as directed in the University’s official Letter of Acceptance).

If deferment is approved:

• Admission will be extended to January matriculation of the next academic year.
• A deferment will not extend beyond one admission cycle.
• The student must contact the Office of Admissions, in writing, by November 15 of the deferred admission calendar year regarding his/her intention to resume enrollment.
• The student will be required to meet with a member of the Admissions Committee prior to matriculation (this may be done in person or via phone/online).

If a deferral request is denied:

• A student has the option to withdraw acceptance from the Program, and reapply through GRADCAS for future admission.