About This Program

Admissions Contact

Danielle Clough
Senior Assistant Director of Graduate Admissions
dclough@springfield.edu
(413) 748-3729

Program Contact

Lori Vaughn
Program Director, Co-chair, and Professor of Occupational Therapy
Department of Occupational Therapy
(413) 748-3731
lvaughn@springfield.edu

Scott McNeil
Co-chair and Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy
Department of Occupational Therapy
(413) 748-3785
smcneil3@springfield.edu  

BS to OTD Option

Are you looking for our undergraduate pre-occupational therapy program? Springfield College also offers a BS in Health Science: Pre-OT to OTD you can complete in six and a half years.

Upcoming Events

Stay tuned for information on upcoming events!

The Springfield College Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program allows you to engage in a mix of classroom and laboratory work, while also experiencing group projects, and fieldwork experiences. As a student, you will become practiced in entry-level occupational therapy theory, evaluation and treatment techniques, clinical reasoning, research, teaching skills, management, and teamwork.

As a doctoral student, you will be required to take a capstone project and gain experience in the community under the guidance of the capstone coordinator, a site supervisor, and a faculty mentor. The capstone is a 14-week experience arranged in close collaboration with the student based on professional goals and interests.

Graduates of the OTD program will be eligible to take the board exam, become licensed, and work as an occupational therapist. 

Employment opportunities for occupational therapists are expected to increase 14% through 2031, faster than the average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. With a degree in occupational therapy, you can have an in-demand and fulfilling career. Our graduates work at schools, universities, government agencies, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, community-based settings, and in many other settings across the country.  

Admissions Requirements

This program enrolls students in the fall term only.

Apply through OTCAS

Applications for the OTD must be submitted through OTCAS.

In order to be considered, applications must be complete in OTCAS by the January 1 program deadline. Materials required are: Personal Statement, Resume, Official Transcripts, Letters of Recommendation. 

International Applicants

All international applicants from non-English speaking countries are required, in addition to the items listed above, to submit:

  • Proof of English language proficiency by way of the TOEFL or IELTS. Other tests may be accepted on a case-by-case basis. Please refer to our language requirements for more information on acceptable tests, minimum scores, exemptions, and conditional acceptance. If your undergraduate degree was earned in the United States and you successfully completed college-level English, we will consider English language proficiency met.
  • Please note: Transcripts must be in English. If the transcript is not in English you will be required to submit a professional credential evaluation completed by any member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES). For this we recommend SpanTran, with its customized portal for Springfield College applicants. World Education Services or Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. are also recommended for your credential evaluations.

The staff in the Office of International Admissions can assist you with questions you may have about enrolling at Springfield College as an international student by emailing intladmissions@springfieldcollege.edu.

I. Degree Requirements (100 credits)

Both Doctoral Entry Level students as well those from the Springfield College Health Science/Pre-Occupational Therapy program must meet this complete list of degree requirements to obtain the Doctor of Occupationap Therapy degree; however, the graduate record/transcript of student entering from the Health Science/Pre-Occupational Therapy program will only reflect 81 credits because these students begin enrolling in their M.S. coursework in their 4th year of undergraduate study at Springfield College where the following 500-level coursework (19 credits) is applied to their undergraduate record/transcript: OCTH 501, OCTH 503, OCTH 505, OCTH 506, OCTH 510, OCTH 511, OCTH 512, OCTH 514, OCTH 515, and OCTH 520.

APPLY ONLINE

Doctor of Occupational Therapy candidates must submit applications via OTCAS. Priority admissions deadline is January 15 with rolling admissions until June 1.

Coming 2023

The New Health Sciences Center at Springfield College

The new Springfield College Health Sciences Center will empower transformative approaches to education, career enhancement, service, research, and leadership in healthcare. The Center will build on the success of the School of Health Sciences, and ensure its standing as the leading choice for the finest students, faculty, and staff.

An architect's rendering of the health science center at Springfield College
  • Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education

    c/o American Occupational Therapy Association
    6116 Executive Boulevard
    Suite 200
    North Bethesda, MD 20852-4949

  • (301) 652-AOTA (2682)

Accreditation

Springfield College's entry-level Master of Science in Occupational Therapy is accredited and the entry-level OTD has been granted candidacy status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). 

  • National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy

    12 South Summit Avenue
    Suite 100
    Gaithersburg, MD 20877

  • (301) 990-7979

  • (301) 869-8492 (fax)

  • Website

Certification and Licensure

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 the 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. 

Fellowships & Scholarships

Let us help you make your graduate education as affordable as possible.

Student Employment

Work on our campus to earn money while pursuing your graduate degree.

AmeriCorps

Make a lasting impact on students' lives while helping to fund your education