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Vanessa Hall Brown
College Web Manager
Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions
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ATLANTA–Georgia State University has received University System of Georgia Board of Regents approval to offer a Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree (O.T.D.).
Georgia State has also applied for accreditation for the O.T.D. program and has been granted candidacy status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The O.T.D. degree is a clinical professional doctorate and replaces the occupational therapy master's degree, beginning with a new class of students accepted in May 2021.
The four-year-old Georgia State occupational therapy master’s degree program received an inaugural national ranking for program excellence. Its first graduate cohort earned a 100 percent NBCOT pass rate, providing a strong foundation for the O.T.D. degree.
“We received ACOTE approval based on several factors, including our past success with the master’s program,” said Kinsuk Maitra, chair of the Occupational Therapy Department. “ACOTE also noted the strength of our research and clinical faculty when making their decision.”
ACOTE’s candidacy approval is needed for the program to accept students in the O.T.D. program. ACOTE cited the OT program’s home at Georgia State with providing diverse and consistently high-quality students and “access to the resources of an urban national research university at an affordable state tuition.”
The occupational therapy profession is transitioning to the O.T.D. for entry to the field as healthcare technology advancements demand more research and evidence-based practice. ACOTE, through its accreditation, certifies and assures the public the program provides education at a standard essential for the profession.
“Offering an O.T.D. over the master’s degree helps Georgia State remain competitive,” said Huanbiao Mo, dean of the Byrdine F. Lewis College of Nursing and Health Professions, which houses the occupational therapy program.
For more information, visit the OT website for updates on the OTD application process and accreditation.