Cleveland State University’s entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), located at 6116 Executive Boulevard, Suite 200, North Bethesda, MD 20852-4929. ACOTE’s telephone number c/o AOTA is (301) 652-AOTA and its web address is www.acoteonline.org. Graduates of the program will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT). After successful completion of this exam, the individual will be an Occupational Therapist, Registered (OTR). In addition, all states require licensure in order to practice; however, state licenses are usually based on the results of the NBCOT Certification Examination. Note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the NBCOT certification examination or attain state licensure.

We began offering the OTD Program beginning Fall 2020.  Admission to the program is limited to 45 students each year. Applications are available electronically through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application System (OTCAS) on or around August 1 of the year prior to admission. All applications, transcripts, and GRE scores must be submitted electronically through OTCAS no later than October 1st of the year prior to admission.

ABOUT OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY: Occupational Therapists (OT) use everyday activities as the means to enable people to thrive, moving beyond disabilities or limitations, creating opportunities to maximize participation in life and quality of life. If you feel satisfaction from and enjoy helping others achieve competence, meaning, and self-fulfillment in their daily lives, then occupational therapy may be an excellent career choice for you.With anticipated growth of up to 23.8 percent between 2016 and 2026, the field of Occupational Therapy has been ranked by US News and World Report as one of the top 15 best jobs of 2019.

ABOUT CSU's OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY PROGRAM: CSU's OT Program has been in existence for 45 years, admitting its first Bachelor’s degree class in 1974. The program transitioned to an entry-level Master of Occupational Therapy degree in 2002. The Program transitioned to the entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate Degree beginning Fall 2020. 

The Cleveland State University (CSU) Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) Program welcomes your interest in our academic program. The OTD Program is located in the Department of Occupational Therapy and is housed within the College of Health.  The occupation-centered curriculum is designed using an adult learning model, integrating didactic, laboratory, and clinical experiences, as well as the doctoral capstone through eight consecutive semesters. Students must complete a minimum of 103 credits, which includes 24 weeks (940 hours) of full-time fieldwork and a doctoral capstone in order to be eligible to sit for the national certification examination and to apply for state licensure. Students must complete Level II fieldwork and capstone requirements within 24 months following completion of the didactic portion of the program.

Graduates of the CSU OTD Program will be prepared to work in both medical and community-based settings. They assume diverse roles in clinical practice, consultation, teaching, management, research, and advocacy.

The Program offers unique occupation-based programs in the community that are designed to provide our students with an opportunity to participate in innovative and emerging areas of practice that enhance engagement in meaningful occupations to improve the quality of life and health of participants.

The experienced faculty provide high quality instruction and learning opportunities, preparing graduates to become skilled and ethical practitioners who provide occupational therapy services to diverse individuals, groups, communities, and populations within complex interdisciplinary systems using the best evidence. To learn more about Faculty & Staff , please visit their faculty profiles.

 

OTD PROGRAM OUTCOMES

Graduation Rates The total number of graduates from the CSU Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program during the three-year period of 2023-2026 is 41 (no aggregated data available), with an overall graduation rate of 91% (no aggregated data available) Graduation Year Students Admitted Number of Graduates Graduation Rate within 150% of published program length 2023 45 41* 91%* 2024 45     2025 41     Total

 *2 students withdrew, 1 is going part-time, and 1 is delayed for various reasons.

 

NBCOT Certification Examination Results

After successful completion of the CSU OTD program, graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification exam administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

Please note that a felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the national certification exam and attain a state license.  Direct any questions to NBCOT and the Ohio Licensure Board.

CSU OTD Program NBCOT certification exam results also will be available at this link: https://www.nbcot.org/Educators-Folder/SchoolPerformance 

 

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program

COST OF ATTENDANCE

• The cost of attendance (COA) is a very important concept for students to understand-- it is considered the estimated educational expenses for 2 semesters. Generally, the COA is the sum of tuitions, fees, books (or other educational expenses), transportation, living (on or off campus), and misc. expenses.
• Each student will be charged tuition and fees, UPass, and all lab and technology fees. Tuition is based on a by credit fee and in-state residency, as well as an academic program. Each student is considered full time at 12 credit hours. Students living in dorms will be charged room and board. All other fees associated with the COA are estimates and will be dependent on the student.
• The Occupational Therapy Program has calculated COA based on the university estimates of COA and converted these costs to estimate annual and total costs for the program since the program meets all year round.
• Please refer to the CSU Treasury Services website for up-to-date information.
• Students interested in Financial Aid should refer to the CSU Financial Aid Office website.

OTD COST OF ATTENDANCE: In-State (Class of 2026)

Current Cost	OTD Program 2023 Fall Semester	OTD Program 2024 Spring Semester	OTD Program 2024 Summer Semester	OTD Program 2023-2024 Academic Year	Total Cost of Program (3 Year Program 2023-2026)
*Tuition	$8,311.55	$8,311.55	$8,311.55	$24,934.65	$59,459.55
**Books (buy)	$690.00	$414.00	$330.00	$1,434.00	$2,449.00
Lab Fees	$150.00	$145.00	$230.00	$525.00	$1,105.00
Loan Fees	$40.00	$40.00	$40.00	$120.00	$280.00
***Program Fees	$150.00 (no refund available)			$150.00	$150.00
****EXXAT Approve	$36.00 (no refund available)				$36.00
Distance Ed Fees	$75.00		$75.00 Only if took online elective.  $25.00 per credit hour	$150.00	$275.00
Total	$9,452.55	$8,588.15	$8,910.55	$27,349.65	$63,754.55

*Tuition and Fees are subject to change; See Tuition and Fees Schedule. Other costs are estimates.

**The Program uses several textbooks in multiple courses throughout the program, and students will want to use these texts during Fieldwork experiences as references. Students may choose to rent or borrow books to reduce costs.

*** This fee covers operational needs of unit, including clinical ed management. It is a one-time fee and is nonrefundable.

****This fee is paid directly to EXXAT when the student creates their EXXAT Approve account, which is used for fieldwork. This is a one-time fee and is nonrefundable.

 

OTD COST OF ATTENDANCE: Out-of-State (Class of 2026)

Current Cost	OTD Program 2023 Fall Semester	OTD Program 2024 Spring Semester	OTD Program 2024 Summer Semester	OTD Program 2023-2024 Academic Year	Total Cost of Program (3 Year Program 2023-2026)
*Tuition	$12,030.20	$12,030.20	$12,030.20	$36,090.60	$86,062.20
**Books (buy)	$690.00	$414.00	$330.00	$1,434.00	$2,449.00
Lab Fees	$150.00	$145.00	$230.00	$525.00	$1,105.00
Loan Fees	$40.00	$40.00	$40.00	$120.00	$280.00
***Program Fees	$150.00 (no refund available)			$150.00	$150.00
****EXXAT Approve	$36.00 (no refund available)				$36.00
Distance Ed Fees	$75.00		$75.00 Only if took online elective.  $25.00 per credit hour	$150.00	$275.00
Total	$13,171.20	$12,629.20	$12,705.20	$38,505.60	$90,357.20

*Tuition and Fees are subject to change; See Tuition and Fees Schedule. Other costs are estimates.

**The Program uses several textbooks in multiple courses throughout the program, and students will want to use these texts during Fieldwork experiences as references. Students may choose to rent or borrow books to reduce costs.

*** This fee covers operational needs of unit, including clinical ed management. It is a one-time fee and is nonrefundable.

****This fee is paid directly to EXXAT when the student creates their EXXAT Approve account, which is used for fieldwork. This is a one-time fee and is nonrefundable.

 

ADVISING: The OT Program strongly encourages all interested students to schedule an appointment with an OT faculty advisor.  Click on "Schedule Your Appointment Now" and please refer to Admission and Advising for more information.

Advising appointments will be held by phone appointment, Zoom or by email.  Please request an appointment through Appointment Plus (see button below).

 

All appointments will be completed by phone call.  After booking your appointment, please send your contact information (phone number and email) to Susan Wayne at s.wayne@csuohio.edu, and attach a copy of your (unofficial) transcript, if available.