Skip To Content

OTD Students

Request Information

OTD Application

CONTACT:
School of Adult and Graduate Education
sage@cedarcrest.edu
610-740-3770

Occupational Therapy Doctorate

You can make a positive difference in the world as an occupational therapist.

The Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program at Cedar Crest College is built upon the foundation of a long history of excellence in healthcare training. Classwork, research, and fieldwork combine to provide the knowledge, skills, and experience to take you to the next level of your career.

  • Engage in the dynamic field of occupational therapy through community-based practice sites and innovative practice areas.
  • Explore concepts such as occupational justice, health care management, advocacy, leadership, and preventative health.
  • Expand your skillset in leading-edge facilities designed to champion the future of the OTD profession.

What would you do with $5,000?

The Cedar Crest College OTD program has Fellowship and Assistantship stipend opportunities for qualified students. Inquire today and learn more.

Why choose Cedar Crest College?

Empowerment, excellence, and advocacy.

Cedar Crest College has a long tradition of providing education and aid to the underserved. More than 150 years ago, nine young women gathered in a basement to pursue higher learning at a time when educational opportunities for women were rare.

Since that time, the school has maintained its dedication to empowerment through education as an undergraduate women’s college, while expanding its medical, adult, and graduate educational programs into co-ed experiences."

Blaney Hall
Cedar Crest Map

Location, location, location

Situated in the heart of Lehigh Valley, PA, a thriving area with multitudes of experiential options — both for your clinical experiences and for your social life. Magnet hospitals. Assisted living centers. Outpatient clinics.

Plus, it's a foodie’s paradise. Concerts. Robust art scene. Still want more? We’re just a hop, skip and a jump from Philly. NYC. Washington D.C. The beach. The mountains. They say location is everything, and Lehigh Valley has it all.

Support when you need it

At Cedar Crest, you’ll be surrounded by highly experienced, supportive faculty and fellow students who are driven to influence positive change in the lives of others."

Learn if the
Cedar Crest College OTD program is right for you.

Inquire today

Apply Today!

Applications for this program must be submitted through the Occupational Therapist Centralized Application Service.

Ready to apply? Click here.

Valerie Highley ’24

Cedar Crest College's OTD program was the only school I had interviewed with where I felt the faculty genuinely cared about me as an individual aside from a grade point average. Being part of the inaugural cohort, the culture and diversity that this program is founded on sets the tone for its successful future; it is simply like no other. The college itself makes me feel at home, and I couldn't envision myself pursuing higher education anywhere else."

Daniela Enamorado ’24

The moment I finished my interview for the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program, I knew I wanted to pursue my graduate education at Cedar Crest. The faculty and staff made an impact on me right away. They care about each one of their students beyond the classroom, which has been meaningful to me as I moved over 1,000 miles away from home. I am also grateful for the community I have built with my peers, as we support each other through the good and bad days of graduate school. I am happy to be a part of the Cedar Crest OTD's inaugural class!"  

Kawtar Latrech ’25 

Cedar Crest was a hidden gem for me. I grew up in a big city, so somewhere smaller and calmer was just where I needed to be for graduate school. The faculty and students here are what really drew me in. I had the opportunity to interview for the OTD program and instantly fell in love with how the program was run, the student-teacher ratio, and the campus beauty. Cedar Crest is a home for women like me to excel and grow in an environment that allows me to express myself. The community here is very open, and I feel like I am able to ask anyone anything and they will be willing to help." 

Jessica Badman ’24

I chose Cedar Crest College for my graduate program because, not only was it close to home, but it felt like another home. The community here makes it feel welcoming and a place that I can be me. What I like most about Cedar Crest is how small the class sizes are and how you can have more of a personal experience with the professors. For the Occupational Therapy program, I enjoy learning about a profession that is growing in the health care industry and how we can change the lives of others with simple tasks. The professors are down to earth, will support you in any way, and will help you strive to be the best you can be. The program has helped shape who I am and what I can do by bringing out the best of me." 

Jah Page ’24

I chose Cedar Crest College because of its proximity to home and the diverse environment. My favorite things about Cedar Crest are the campus, the people, and the atmosphere. It does not feel like a competitive, envious, and strict learning environment but is open, welcoming, and inclusive. I love the professors in my program because of how invested they are in each of us. They have our best interests in mind and do not treat us like a number or as if our values and opinions do not matter. The OTD program has already helped me achieve professional goals as we start our second year. I am more confident, able to deal with conflicting values or opinions, and able to utilize different reasoning skills to problem solve. My anatomy teacher, Dr. Mirella Deisher, has been someone I look up to as she has piqued my interest in hand therapy and has guided me in a direction I think I will thoroughly enjoy. She has been available, welcoming, and enthusiastic about my journey, and I look forward to sharing my future experiences with her." 

Accreditation

The entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Preaccreditation Status 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.

The program must complete an on-site evaluation and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates 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.

Students must complete 24 weeks of Level II fieldwork as well as an individual 14-week capstone experience within 51 months of matriculation. The doctoral capstone experience must be started after completion of all coursework and Level II fieldwork as well as completion of preparatory activities defined in 2018 ACOTE OTD Standard D.1.3.

NBCOT Program Data Results

nbcot.org/educators#SCHOOLPERFORMANCE

Professional Licensure Information 
How to Get a License - AOTA

Tuition & Fees

Tentative Cost

Tentative OTD Program 2023 Fall Semester

Tentative OTD Program 2024 Spring Semester

Tentative OTD Program 2024 Summer Semester

Tentative OTD Program 2023-24 Academic Year

Total Tentative Cost of Program (3-yr program 2023-2026)

Tuition

14040

14040

14976

43056

103375

Activity and Technology Fee

120

120

0

240

720

Lab Fee

1500

0

0

1500

4500

Total Institutional Expenses

15660

14160

14976

44796

108595

Other Education-Related Expenses: (Expenses Will Vary Upon Personal Choice.)

 

 

Loan Fees (if Federal Student Loan is taken)

72

72

72

216

648

Books & Supplies

1000

1000

1000

3000

9000

Total Related Expenses

1072

1072

1072

3216

9648

Grand Total 

16732

15232

16048

48012

118243

Illustration based on a 3% increase annually, however, tuition and fees are subject to change.

*Health Insurance is charged during the Fall semester for the academic year, if the student opts into the insurance.

Tentative Cost

Tentative OTD Program 2023 Fall Semester

Tentative OTD Program 2024 Spring Semester

Tentative OTD Program 2024 Summer Semester

Tentative OTD Program 2023-24 Academic Year

Total Tentative Cost of Program (3-yr program 2023-2026)

Tuition

14040

14040

14976

43056

103375

Activity and Technology Fee

120

120

0

240

720

Lab Fee

1500

0

0

1500

4500

Total Institutional Expenses

15660

14160

14976

44796

108595

Other Education-Related Expenses: (Expenses Will Vary Upon Personal Choice.)

 

 

Loan Fees (if Federal Student Loan is taken)

72

72

72

216

648

Books & Supplies

1000

1000

1000

3000

9000

Total Related Expenses

1072

1072

1072

3216

9648

Grand Total 

16732

15232

16048

48012

118243

Illustration based on a 3% increase annually, however, tuition and fees are subject to change.

*Health Insurance is charged during the Fall semester for the academic year, if the student opts into the insurance.