Doctor of Occupational Therapy – California

The time to join the occupational therapy revolution is now. Occupational therapy is the future of health and wellness at the local, state, national, and international levels. For OTA practitioners seeking a direct pathway to a doctoral degree, our OTD program at SCU is the only one in the country offering a primarily remote, hybrid structure. We focus on student success, the scholarship of ‘doing and learning’, interprofessional collaboration, occupational justice, lifelong learning, and evidence-based, occupation-centered care.

How do we deliver this? Our faculty come from highly diverse backgrounds, with expertise in neuro-rehabilitation, mental health, pediatrics, and clinic- and hospital-based practice. They are not only experts, but trailblazers in the development of novel and innovative programs for the future. Online interactive lectures in our cutting-edge curriculum support the needs of students who wish to live in their preferred residence. Students also have on-campus, face-to-face clinical and lab experiences. Those who wish to interact more with other students can take classes in integrative, whole-person health, join clubs, and participate in the Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) and Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE) Occupational Therapy Honor Society.

Our state-of-the-art labs include pediatric and adult neuro-rehabilitation assessment and intervention materials. Students can readily access this equipment throughout the program. The Activities of Daily Living Lab, Modalities Lab, Pediatric/Adult Neuro Lab, and video recording software (VALT) provide extensive opportunities for training and teaching. These resources for students, to name a few, include a ‘mock’ apartment, hospital bed and Hoyer lift, Driving Simulator, 3-D Printer, and teleconference training area which all provide students with multiple training experiences to access throughout the program.

The aim of the OTD program at SCU is to provide each student with the skills, knowledge, and professionalism necessary to be confident, caring, and competent the very first day after graduation; that is, fully prepared to pass the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) exam and succeed in the OT workforce.

Heather Thomas, PhD, OTR/L, DipACLM

Program Director, Occupational Therapy
Southern California University of Health Sciences